Ripper Facts

[Sam Flynn]

Would some Jewish immigrants seek to protect themselves from persecution by attending church services and adopting Christian behaviors and habits?

Converting to Christianity was fairly commonplace among European Jews throughout the 19th Century. Seen in this light, it's even possible that Isenschmidt had been a Christian from birth.

[Michael W Richards]

It`s here in Chris Scott`s sterling research:

https://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=4514

Registered No. of Admission: 10,191
Date of Admission: 24th September 1887 (Seen 7 Oct 1887)
Name: Jacob Isenschmid
Age: 43
Parish: Islington

Single, Married, or Widowed: Married
Condition and previous occupation: Pork butcher
Religious Persuasion: Church of England

Thanks for posting that Jon, I do recall seeing that when Lynn and I used to message each other about some Isenschmidt issues. I find that wording interesting though...why would it not be practicing Christian, or Jew, or Muslim, or Agnostic, or Presbyterian? And how would someone prove that they particpated in any religious gatherings I wonder. Would some Jewish immigrants seek to protect themselves from persecution by attending church services and adopting Christian behaviors and habits? Anglicizing themselves a bit to feel safer? Perhaps.

[Sam Flynn]

The name certainly does suggest a Hebraic history, from Swiss and perhaps German co-mingling.

There are many Jews named Isenschmidt, or equivalent, in the Yad Vashem database of Holocaust victims. I just did a search and, whilst there were no results for Isenschmidt, a search on "Eisenschmidt" (which makes more sense from a Germanic perspective) returned 190 matches. Some are exact, but most are equivalents (e.g. Ajzenszmid, Hizenszmidt) that clearly derive from a similar root name, and all of which could be rendered as "Isenschmidt", or close variants thereof, in English.

The overwhelming majority of these people were from Poland, mainly Łódź (natives, not deportees to the Łódź Ghetto), with three Russians from Leningrad and one resident of Berlin (although she was Polish born).

[Jon Guy]

Im happy to concede the point if I have missed the source that states it empirically,

It`s here in Chris Scott`s sterling research:

https://forum.casebook.org/showthread.php?t=4514

Registered No. of Admission: 10,191
Date of Admission: 24th September 1887 (Seen 7 Oct 1887)
Name: Jacob Isenschmid
Age: 43
Parish: Islington

Single, Married, or Widowed: Married
Condition and previous occupation: Pork butcher
Religious Persuasion: Church of England

[Michael W Richards]

Isenschmidt was Church of England, Michael !!

I found that he was Swiss in nationality, born in Bern I believe, that he was an avid reader of the bible and believed himself someone who did not follow its principles, that his daughter later changes her name to a Christian format, and that the local authorities referred to him in a way that lumped him in with the "other" Jew butchers in the neighborhood. I believe its possible that he, not Piser, was Leather Apron. But Ive never read anywhere that explicitly cites his ethnicity Jon.

The name certainly does suggest a Hebraic history, from Swiss and perhaps German co-mingling.

Im happy to concede the point if I have missed the source that states it empirically, and frankly Im not focused on that aspect in Annies case anyway. I believe, despite the pronunciation by Anderson that they determined the culprit was a Jew in September, that the night of the Double Event is the only Canonical where ethnicity might be factored in.

I also think that due to the strong sentiments towards Jews at that time some families might have behaved differently to avoid the persecution.

[Jon Guy]

His birthplace is on record, but not his ethnicity. The name Jacob Isenschmid is very likely from Jewish origins however, and I get pork from my Jewish butcher all the time. Processing and ingesting are not the same thing. And the Bible isn't strictly a Christian reference book.

Isenschmidt was Church of England, Michael !!

[Sam Flynn]

surly if he was jewish it would have been noted, especially given the circs.

"circs" = circumcision?

Just kidding

[Abby Normal]

His birthplace is on record, but not his ethnicity. The name Jacob Isenschmid is very likely from Jewish origins however, and I get pork from my Jewish butcher all the time. Processing and ingesting are not the same thing. And the Bible isn't strictly a Christian reference book.

surly if he was jewish it would have been noted, especially given the circs.

[Michael W Richards]

Are you sure he was Jewish? According to his wife he would "sometimes sit and
read the Bible for 24 hours straight off".

Not to mention being described as the Mad Pork Butcher doesn't sound very kosher.

His birthplace is on record, but not his ethnicity. The name Jacob Isenschmid is very likely from Jewish origins however, and I get pork from my Jewish butcher all the time. Processing and ingesting are not the same thing. And the Bible isn't strictly a Christian reference book.

[Sam Flynn]

Ah yes, good old Rossers !!

Ah, the wag was Leo Rosten, then. Thanks, Jon

[Jon Guy]

The Edwardian journalist, William Norman Ewer, penned this memorable verse:

How odd
Of God
To choose
The Jews.

... to which a wag replied:

Not odd
Of God -
The goyim
Annoy 'im.

Ah yes, good old Rossers !!

[Sam Flynn]

C`mon JR, don`t let a little thing like that get in the way of a good theory !!

The Edwardian journalist, William Norman Ewer, penned this memorable verse:

How odd
Of God
To choose
The Jews.

... to which a wag replied:

Not odd
Of God -
The goyim
Annoy 'im.

[Jon Guy]

Are you sure he was Jewish? According to his wife he would "sometimes sit and
read the Bible for 24 hours straight off".

Not to mention being described as the Mad Pork Butcher doesn't sound very kosher.

C`mon JR, don`t let a little thing like that get in the way of a good theory !!

[Joshua Rogan]

He was also quite volatile and later institutionalized. And Jewish.

Are you sure he was Jewish? According to his wife he would "sometimes sit and
read the Bible for 24 hours straight off".

Not to mention being described as the Mad Pork Butcher doesn't sound very kosher.

[Michael W Richards]

Yes Michael, competent with a knife & competent in human anatomy.
Which pushes butcher & slaughterman down the list a bit.

Took me a while to get back to this Jon, but I disagree. I think Isenschmidt is a perfect candidate for Annies murder... at least, partly because he had an ability to quickly process animals. That knife skill would be handy in near dark conditions, the muscle memory alone. Repetitive physical tasks build muscle memory, just like in Golf....( I see you wondering how that analogy pops in here )... You stop thinking about the mechanics of what your doing and let your body do what its trained to do. That kind of man could cut quickly and semi efficiently even in the early dawn.

He was also quite volatile and later institutionalized. And Jewish.