Sen. Kerry Finds Grandfather Was Jewish

NY Times ^ | 2/3/03

[areafiftyone]

BOSTON (AP) -- A geneologist researched Sen. John Kerry's roots and found out information Kerry himself didn't know, including that his grandfather, who committed suicide in 1921, was born Jewish.

For years, the Massachusetts senator and Democratic presidential hopeful sought the true story of his paternal grandfather, Frederick A. Kerry. He searched the Internet and asked cousins, but he was only able to learn fragments of the family's history.

Felix Gundacker, an Austrian genealogy specialist hired by The Boston Globe, located birth records located that show that Frederick A. Kerry was born Fritz Kohn, in 1873 in the town of Bennisch in what was then the Austrian empire, now part of the Czech Republic.

Gundacker said he is ``1,000 percent certain'' that Kerry was born to a Jewish family. The birth of a son to Benedikt Kohn, a ``master brewer,'' and his wife, Mathilde, was listed in church records on an addendum page listing Jewish families.

``This is incredible stuff,'' Kerry said in a story published in Sunday's Globe. ``I think it is more than interesting; it is a revelation.''

The record in Bennisch notes that Kohn changed his name to Frederick Kerry on March 17, 1902. The document does not mention a baptism, but the family says Frederick Kerry was a Roman Catholic, as is his grandson.

Frederick Kerry emigrated to the U.S. in 1905, eventually settling in Boston and becoming a shoe merchant. On Nov. 21, 1921, he walked into the Copley Plaza Hotel, went into a washroom and shot himself in the head.

``How many times have I walked into that hotel ...'' an emotional Kerry told the Globe, his voice trailing off. He had known his grandfather killed himself but not the details.

The suicide made front-page news in several Boston newspapers, which speculated it may have stemmed from health or financial difficulties.

``Oh, God, that's awful,'' Kerry said when shown a copy of a 1921 Globe article. He recalled that his own father, diplomat Richard Kerry, ``was sort of painfully remote and shut off and angry'' about the loss of his father.

Numerous publications have incorrectly stated that Kerry is Irish-American; there's a county in Ireland called Kerry. But Kerry said he has always been quick to correct any such misstatement.

On his mother's side, the senator is related to the Forbes and Winthrop families, two of New England's most prominent clans.

[aristeides]

But in this case the records in Bennisch allegedly show that the change of name occurred there (to correct myself on a more careful reading, in 1902, but I still find it almost impossible to believe somebody there would have changed his name to Kerry at that time.)

[Little Bill]

My sister just bought a place in Fla, got anything going on down there? Conversely I bought a place in NH, ain't nothing going on up here yet, there is room for improvement, and there is always Maine, My son has a place up there.

[mountaineer]

Isn't there a county in Ireland called Ketchup?

Yes, it's where this stuff is made.

[snippy_about_it]

Geez Liz, you almost made me choke on a potato chip! I really should know better than to eat or drink and freep at the same time. :)

How cute that his grandfather changed his name to Kerry on St. Patrick's day. Things that make you go hmmmmm.

[metesky]

Lieberman/Kohn - 2004

[Howlin]

:-)

[JulieRNR21]

My sister just bought a place in Fla, got anything going on down there? Conversely I bought a place in NH, ain't nothing going on up here yet, there is room for improvement, and there is always Maine, My son has a place up there.

Depends on the meaning of 'anything'.......LOL

We have sunshine & 70 today......makes me content. Visited and gave our tourist money to NH last August after bypassing Jumping Jim's Vermont!

[metalurgist]

He can fight back by hiring Cynthia Mckinney's father. He's out of a job and will work cheap. Farrakan is probably burning up the phone lines to Rev. Al volunteering his help. Everyone knows it's a Jooooish conspiracy.

[Revolting cat!]

At his Baptism he had a black God Father.

...and a gay pastor.

... and his mother was a disabled pro-choice lesbian who aborted him!

[texasbluebell]

Fascinating story, thanks for posting.

And as an extra added bonus--we get to spot the misspelling in the very first line--you'd think the NYT would have a better spell-checker!

Hey, NYT, it's spelled genealogist, good grief.

[areafiftyone]

LOL

[judicial meanz]

Its the Halacha that determines a person is Jewish if they are of matrilineal descent.

The Israeli law of return extends to grandchildren of Jewish people. He would have citizenship rights ( maybe) but he wouldnt be considered religiously Jewish.

[wideawake]

Yup. Once they can "prove" they have jewish ancestry, they can say: "Sure I hate Israel and do everything I can to undermine it, but it's OK - I'm Jewish!"

[PJ-Comix]

Any info as to Kerry's paternal grandmother? Was she Irish or what was she?

[aruanan]

Gundacker said he is ``1,000 percent certain'' that Kerry was born to a Jewish family.

But if his grandmother and mother weren't Jewish, then he isn't. Well, except for political purposes. What was that business with Hillary discovering her Jewish rhizomes?

[Miss Marple]

I am not disputing that geneological records got messed up during immigration. My own great-grandfather was the ONLY Protestant with his surname in the entire USA. Everyone else with that name was Jewish. We found a newpaper article that said he had converted to the Methodist Church (odd phrasing in Indiana...most would simply say "joined").

However, I am Senator Kerry's age and have known this for over 30 years, because we were working on our family ancestry. Senato Kerry is not talking about his great-grandfather, but his GRANDFATHER. One would think he would have had a bit of curiosity before now.

[Howlin]

LOL!

[Blazing Saddles]

Ain't that the truth!!!

[scouse]

Kerry was born to a Jewish family. The birth of a son to Benedikt Kohn, a ``master brewer,''

That's a good lineage

[Howlin]

Geez, I wonder what the F. really stands for!