Bethel Henry Strousberg

Bethel Henry Strousberg
Bethel Henry Strousberg, c. 1860
Born	Baruch Hirsch Strousberg (1823-11-20)20 November 1823 Neidenburg, Prussia
Died	31 May 1884(1884-05-31) (aged 60) Berlin, Germany
Nationality	Germany
Other names	Barthel Heinrich Strousberg
Occupation	Industralist
Spouse(s)	Mary Ann Swan (m. 1845)

Bethel Henry Strousberg (20 November 1823 – 31 May 1884) was a German Jewish industrialist and railway entrepreneur during Germany's rapid industrial expansion in the 19th century. He cemented his social standing with the construction of the Palais Strousberg in Berlin's Wilhelmstrasse, built in 1867–68 according to plans designed by August Orth, which later became the seat of the British Embassy.

Strousberg was born at Neidenburg (present-day Nidzica, Poland) in the Province of East Prussia, he changed his first names to Barthel Heinrich whilst attending the Gymnasium (Secondary School) in Königsberg. After the early death of his father, he moved to London in September 1839, where he initially lived with his mother's brother Peter Gottheimer, who jointly owned a fancy goods business with his brother Lesser. A third brother, Berton Gottheimer, was also in London in the same business. Strousberg Anglicized his name to Bethel Henry and converted to Christianity. On 13 March 1845 he married Mary Ann Swan at St Bride's Church in Fleet Street.

In July 1847 Strousberg was working as an agent for several building societies and entrusted to handle member's payments. For some reason, he took an amount of money and booked a passage to America, but was found out when the steamer had to return to Southampton having loaded the wrong grade of coal. Strousberg was tried, found guilty, and served six months imprisonment with hard labour. A year after his release the Strousberg's first son, Bethel Henry Jun., was born; and in January 1849 the three of them travelled to the USA returning in April 1850. Their second son Arthur was born in the autumn of that year. By 1854 Strousberg had become a successful publisher and journalist and was also a manager of an insurance company. Socially he was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society.