Origins & Early Life

Edward Theodore Gein ( GEEN; August 27, 1906 – July 26, 1984), also known as the Butcher of Plainfield and the Plainfield Ghoul, was an American murderer and body snatcher. His crimes, committed around his hometown of Plainfield, Wisconsin, gathered widespread notoriety in 1957 after authorities discovered that he stole corpses from local graveyards and fashioned keepsakes from their bones and skin. He also confessed to killing two women: tavern owner Mary Hogan in 1954 and hardware store owner Bernice Worden in 1957. Gein was initially found unfit to stand trial and confined to a mental health facility.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

By 1968, he was judged competent to stand trial. He was found guilty of the murder of Worden, but was found legally insane and thus was remanded to a psychiatric institution. Edward Theodore Gein was born in La Crosse County, Wisconsin, on August 27, 1906, the second of two sons to George Philip Gein (1873–1940) and Augusta Wilhelmine Gein (née Lehrke; 1878–1945), both of German descent. Gein's only sibling was an older brother named Henry. Augusta, who was fervently religious and nominally Lutheran, frequently preached to her sons about the innate immorality...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• A. J. P. Taylor — Contemporary (Born in 1906) (1906): Influential English historian specializing in 19th and 20th-century European diplomacy.
• Ajahn Buddhadasa — Contemporary (Born in 1906) (1906): Pioneering Thai Buddhist monk known for reinterpreting doctrine and fostering religious reformation.
• Aristotle Onassis — Contemporary (Born in 1906) (1906): Greek shipping magnate who amassed a massive fleet and achieved global fame.
• AB de Villiers — Contemporary (Born in 1984) (1984): Legendary South African cricketer, celebrated for his all-around batting genius.
• Alfred Kastler — Contemporary (Died in 1984) (1984): Pioneering physicist known for developing the technique of optical pumping.
• Andrés Iniesta — Contemporary (Born in 1984) (1984): Legendary Spanish midfielder, celebrated for sublime ball control and agility.
• Baal Shem Tov — Shared historical date (08-27 · Born) (1698): Founder of Hasidic Judaism, a Jewish mystic from the Polish-Lithuanian Commonwealth.
• Bennett Cerf — Shared historical date (08-27 · Died) (1971): American publisher, author, and co-founder of Random House.
• Aishwarya Lekshmi — Shared historical date (07-26 · Born) (1990): Acclaimed Indian actress working primarily in Malayalam and Tamil cinema.
• Albert Bandura — Shared historical date (07-26 · Died) (2021): Pioneering psychologist known for Social Cognitive Theory and self-efficacy.
• 1906 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1906
• August 27 (08-27) On This Day — Historical birthdays and events on August 27
• 1984 Historical Timeline & Archive — Explore world events and figures from 1984
• July 26 (07-26) On This Day — Historical events and memorials on July 26