Behind The Horror - The Horrifying True Story Of Ed Gein

Ed Gein was born on August 27th 1906 to Augusta and George Gein and they lived together in La Crosse, Wisconsin along with his older brother Henry. His father George was an alcoholic who was constantly reminded of his little self worth by his wife Augusta, a heavily devout religious woman who ruled over the family like a tyrant.

She believed evil and sin were all around them, particularly in women who she believed to be vessels full of evil, and that socialising and drinking were instruments of the devil. She was a harsh bully who made sure her family knew she was in charge and they were beneath her, which in a weird way, only caused Ed to become more obsessed with his mother.

In 1915, Augusta moved the family from La Crosse to Plainfield as she felt La Crosse was a sinkhole of filth and chose to live in an isolated farmhouse so that her two sons would not become corrupted by the evils of the town. She guarded her sons closely, only allowing them to venture from the farmhouse to attend school. And any time Ed would entertain the idea of making friends, Augusta would punish him for it - reminding him of the evils and corruption in the world.

Ed had a speech impediment and a lazy eye, often coming home from school in tears after his classmates bullied him. His parents offered no support, with Augusta belittling him further and George physically assaulting him. Yet Ed continued to adore his mother, despite the cruelness of her convictions.

George Gein died in 1940 and now-adults Ed and Henry began to work odd jobs in the town. Whilst working these jobs together, Henry was very vocal about their mother with Ed and openly criticised her and her ways. Augusta had condemned Henry after he had built a relationship with a divorced mother-of-two in the town.

Henry’s attempts to convince Ed of the evil in their mother were in vain, as Ed only ever idolised Augusta. And it is the fate of his brother Henry which has caused many to later question if he was indeed Ed’s first victim.