Born: 1902
Died: January 15, 1983
The newspapers called Meyer Lansky “the Godfather’s Godfather” because he was considered to be the genius behind many of the mob’s profitable operations. Described as nearly invisible, his role in the Mafia was sometimes downplayed, although some historians believe he was equal—and perhaps superior—to Mafia godfather Lucky Luciano.
Lansky was born in Grodno, Poland, in 1902. When he was nine years old he immigrated to the United States with his parents, Yetta and Max Suchowljansky, and his younger brother and sister. Because his parents could not remember their son’s birth date, an immigration officer at Ellis Island, New York, made one up. Lansky was given a July 4 birthday. Born Mair Suchowljansky, he later Americanized his name, calling himself Meyer Lansky.
The Suchowljanskys settled into the Lower East Side of New York City, on the Brooklyn side of the East River. The poor and crime-ridden immigrant neighborhood was dominated by groups of petty criminals, including Kid Dropper’s and Little Augie’s gangs. Lansky attended Public School 34, where he was a good student whose teachers and fellow classmates saw him as a sharp, self-assured young man.
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