Photo: Geni.com
She was an immigrant.
By Sarah Gangraw — Written on Mar 03, 2019
In late February A&E aired "Biography: The Trump Dynasty," a three-part series detailing the life of Donald Trump and a little bit of his family history.
The six-hour series gave viewers a glimpse of what shaped the president into who he is today through dozens of sit-down interviews with those close to him as well and dives into his family tree, starting with the immigration of his grandparents.
“Biography: The Trump Dynasty” draws from first-hand accounts and never-before-seen archival footage to examine the life and heritage of the 45th President of the United States," the official A&E description of the episodes reads. "As part of the award-winning Biography series, the documentary spans three generations of the Trump family saga and offers an in-depth exploration of the influences that shaped Donald Trump’s personality, celebrity, and ambition in business and politics."
So who is Elizabeth Christ Trump? Here is everything you need to know about Donald Trump's grandmother.
1. She was a German immigrant.
Elizabeth, born Elisabeth Christ in 1880, and Donald Trump's grandfather, Friedrich Trump, met in their German hometown of Kallstadt, according to The Week, and immigrated to the United States. They married in New York.
Wikipedia
2. She didn't assimilate well.
Gwenda Blair’s book "The Trumps: Three Generations of Builders and a President" states that Elizabeth had trouble assimilating in her new home and became extremely homesick, Forbes quoted. She and her husband, who was an American citizen, moved back to Germany in 1904 but were unable to stay because Friedrich had left his home country before performing military service, which was mandatory in Germany. He was unable to regain his German citizenship.
Elizabeth and Friedrich, who had their first child by this time, headed back to America, where they would spend the rest of their lives.
3. She had three children.
Elizabeth had three children with Friedrich: Fred, Donald's father, John, and Elizabeth, whom she raised with her husband in South Bronx, N.Y. She was pregnant with Fred when she and Friedrich tried to move back to Germany, according to the Washington Post.
Wikipedia
4. Fred built his company in her name.
Fred founded his real estate company, Elizabeth Trump & Son Co., the real estate company that later became The Trump Organization, as a minor, initially using Elizabeth's name due to his young age, BBC reports. Fred gained his fortune by building affordable housing for middle-class families along the East Coast during and after World War II.
A&E
5. Her husband died before her.
Elizabeth was only 37 when Friedrich died at age 49 in 1918. She stayed a prominent figure in their children's lives and passed away in 1966 at the age of 85. She lived long enough to be a part of Fred's son, her grandson, Donald Trump's life for 20 years before she died in Manhasset, N.Y.
Geni.com
6. She was a businesswoman.
When Friedrich died, Elizabeth took charge of all of her and her husband's properties and managed their wealth. According to Blair, she had a "remarkable talent" for the real estate business and continued to expand and run the Trump business well into her old age.
Geni.com
Sarah Gangraw writes about all things news, entertainment and crime. You can follow her on Instagram and Twitter.