Biography
Dutch Schultz — gangster with roots in the Russian Empire
Dutch Schultz (born Arthur Simon Flegenheimer) was one of the most powerful and violent gangsters of the Prohibition era, controlling New York's numbers racket and beer distribution. His 1935 murder at the Palace Chop House in Newark ended one of organised crime's most turbulent careers.
Russian Connection
Tracing the roots — Germany / Russia
Born in the Bronx in 1901 to Herman Flegenheimer, a German-Russian Jewish immigrant, Schultz's family came from the German-Russian border communities that produced many immigrants to America. His rise and fall mirror the story of young men from immigrant families who found organised crime the fastest route out of poverty.
Family Tree
Subject
Dutch Schultz🇺🇸 USA
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Parents
Herman Flegenheimer
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Origin
Germany / Russia🇷🇺 Russian Empire
Historical context
Russian Empire · c. 1721–1917
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Germany / Russia. At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.
Map: Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)
Key Achievements
A career defined by ambition
01
Controlled New York's Harlem numbers racket — earned millions weekly
02
Dominated Bronx and Manhattan beer distribution during Prohibition
03
Survived multiple gang wars and federal tax prosecution
04
Subject of E.L. Doctorow novel Billy Bathgate (1989)
05
One of the most feared figures in American organised crime history
Sources