Augusta Wilhelmina Gein was the mother of Edward Gein, an American murderer, and body snatcher.
Read further to know more about Augusta Wilhelmina Gein’s personal life, parents, children, profession, and many more.
Table of Contents
Personal Information
Born on July 21st, 1878, Augusta Wilhelmine Gein was a religious and misogynistic woman. She was born in La Crosse, La Crosse County, Wisconsin, USA. Her real name is Augusta Wilhelmine Lehrke Gein. At the age of 67, she died on 29 Dec 1945.
Parents and Siblings
Amalia and Frederick Lehrke were the parents of Augusta Wilhelmine Gein. They were German immigrants who had left their homeland, Prussia in the mid-19th century. They had eight children together, and Augusta Wilhelmine Gein was one of them. There is no further information available about her seven siblings.
Children
Augusta Wilhelmine Gein was married to George Philip and together they had two sons, named Henry George Gein and Edward Theodore Gein. Henry was born in 1902, while Edward was born in 1906. Augusta was a jealous and overprotective mother who didn’t want her boys to be influenced by others. This led to an isolated life for Henry and Edward. They grew up to be sensitive and shy. Edward worshipped his mother and was influenced by her misogynistic thoughts. She taught them the sins of drinking and how women are all whore (except her) and a puppet of devils.
Her husband had an addiction to alcohol due to which he died in 1940 of heart failure. In 1944, Henry and Edward went to extinguish a brush fire. However, due to an accident, Henry went missing that night, and afterward, he was found dead.
Education and Profession
There is no information available about Augusta Wilhelmine Gein’s educational background. She deeply believed in Lutheranism. She used to teach her sons about the world’s innate immorality and how drinking and sexual pleasure are sinful acts.
After the birth of her sons, the family moved to Plainfield, Wisconsin where she ran a small grocery shop.
Reasons for Augusta Wilhelmine Gein’s Popularity
Augusta Wilhelmina Gein is famous due to her younger son, Edward Gein, also known as Ed Gein. He is labeled as a Murderer, Suspected Serial Killer, and Body Snatcher. Ed has been given a nickname, which is ‘Butcher of Plainfield’. The authorities discovered that Ed Gein had dug up corpses from the graveyards of Plainfield, Wisconsin. He had done so to fashion keepsakes and make trophies out of the dead bodies’ skin and bones. Afterward, Ed Gein also confessed to killing two women in 1954 and 1957. For all his crimes, he was sentenced to life imprisonment after he underwent trial for murder. He died at the age of 77 on July 26, 1984.
Net Worth
No information about Augusta Wilhelmina Gein’s net worth is available publicly yet.
Conclusion
Augusta Wilhelmina Gein had played a significant role in her son’s life. She was the main reason for her son’s beliefs. From a very young age, Ed Gein was kept in isolation and has a repressive childhood. However, this does not justify his actions.
