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At 16, Frederick Trump left Germany alone for a better life, reaching New York in 1885. He learned barbering but later opened restaurants and hotels in the western US
Frederick Trump died of the Spanish flu in 1918, after which his wife, Elizabeth, continued the real estate business. (News18 Hindi/AP)
Long before Donald Trump became a household name, his grandfather, Frederick Trump, a German from Bavaria, arrived in the United States seeking work. Years later, when he tried to return home, he was deported, setting the stage for the Trump family’s American journey.
Born on March 14, 1869, in the small village of Kallstadt, Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany, Frederick hailed from a poor family.
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At the age of 16, Frederick left Germany alone in search of a better life, eventually arriving in New York, USA, in 1885 where he learned barbering. Unsatisfied with this trade, he moved to Western America a few years later and opened restaurants and hotels during the gold mining boom.
His establishment near a gold mine became popular among miners, and his biographer claimed he also ran a brothel, a point denied by Donald Trump.
Why Was He Deported From Germany
After accumulating considerable wealth in the restaurant and hotel business, Frederick returned to Germany in 1902 and married his childhood friend, Elizabeth Christ.
However, due to his failure to complete military service, the German government did not permit him to stay permanently. Consequently, he returned to the United States with his wife.
Trump Family’s Real Estate Roots
Frederick then invested in real estate and other ventures in the United States. He died of the Spanish flu in 1918, after which his wife, Elizabeth, continued the real estate business. This business was later expanded by his son, Fred Trump, and subsequently by his grandson, Donald Trump.
United States of America (USA)
September 24, 2025, 22:41 IST
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