Editing Harry Houdini (section)

==Early life==
Erik Weisz was born in [[Budapest]], [[Kingdom of Hungary]] to a [[History of the Jews in Hungary|Jewish]] family.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2011/03/137-years-ago-in-budapest.html |title=137 years ago in Budapest... |publisher=Wild About Harry |access-date=March 24, 2011}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Harry Houdini {{!}} Biography & Facts |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Harry-Houdini|access-date=2021-12-11|website=www.britannica.com|language=en}}</ref> His parents were [[Rabbi]] Mayer Sámuel Weisz (1829–1892) and Cecília Steiner (1841–1913). Houdini was fourth of seven children: Herman M. (1863–1885), who was Houdini's half-brother by Rabbi Weisz's first marriage; Nathan J. (1870–1927); Gottfried William (1872–1925); [[Theodore Hardeen|Theodore]] (1876–1945);<ref>{{cite news |title=Hardeen Dead, 69. Houdini's Brother. Illusionist, Escape Artist, a Founder of Magician's Guild. Gave Last Show May&nbsp;29 |quote=Theodore Hardeen, a brother of the late Harry Houdini, illusionist and a prominent magician in his own right, died yesterday in the Doctors Hospital. His age was 69. |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 13, 1945 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1945/06/13/archives/hardeen-dead-69-houdinis-brother-illusionist-escape-artist-a.html |access-date=24 March 2020 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> Leopold D. (1879–1962); and Carrie Gladys (1882–1959),<ref>Meyer, Bernard C. (1976), ''Houdini: A Mind in Chains'', [[E. P. Dutton|E.P. Dutton & Co.]], [https://archive.org/details/houdinimindincha0000meye <!-- quote=1959. --> Chapter 1, p. 5], {{ISBN|0841504482}}.</ref> who was left almost blind after a childhood accident.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.wildabouthoudini.com/2011/09/mystery-of-carrie-gladys-weiss.html |title=The mystery of Carrie Gladys Weiss |publisher=Wild About Harry |access-date=September 30, 2011}}</ref>

Weisz arrived in the [[United States]] on July 3, 1878, on the SS ''Frisia'' with his mother (who was pregnant) and his four brothers.<ref>US National Archives Microfilm serial: M237; Microfilm roll: 413; Line: 38; List number: 684.</ref> The family changed their name to the German spelling Weiss, and Ehrich became Erik. The family lived in [[Appleton, Wisconsin]], where his father served as [[rabbi]] of the Zion Reform Jewish Congregation.

According to the [[1880 US Census|1880 census]], the family lived on Appleton Street in an area that is now known as Houdini Plaza.<ref>[[1880 US Census]] with Samuel M. Weiss, Cecelia (wife), Armin M.<!-- Is this supposed to be Herman? -->, Nathan J., Ehrich, Theodore, and Leopold.</ref> On June 6, 1882, Rabbi Weiss became an American citizen. Losing his job at Zion in 1882, Rabbi Weiss and family moved to [[Milwaukee]] and fell into dire poverty.<ref>[http://www.houdinifile.com/2014/02/houdinis-forgotten-years.html Houdini's Forgotten Years] The Houdini File.</ref> In 1887, Rabbi Weiss moved with Ehrich to [[New York City]], where they lived in a boarding house on [[79th Street (Manhattan)|East 79th Street]]. He was joined by the rest of the family once Rabbi Weiss found permanent housing. As a child, Ehrich Weiss took several jobs, making his public début as a nine-year-old [[trapeze artist]], calling himself "Ehrich, the Prince of the Air." He was also a champion [[cross country running|cross country runner]] in his youth.