Who was Robert Maxwell and when did Ghislaine Maxwell’s father die?

ROBERT MAXWELL was a father of nine children – including child trafficker Ghislaine Maxwell – and a media owner who ransacked his company’s pension fund estimated at £800million.

Learn about Robert Maxwell’s life and when he died.

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Who was Robert Maxwell?

Robert Maxwell was born Jan Ludvik Hyman Binyamin Hoch on June 10, 1923 in Slatinske Doly, Czechoslovakia – now Solotvyno, Ukraine.

He grew up during a difficult time as he was forced to flee to France amidst the invading Nazi Germany forces during World War II, with many of his family members being killed in the famous Auschwitz death camp.

Maxwell eventually joined the Czechoslovak Army before joining the Royal Staffordshire Regiment and saw action from Normandy to Berlin.

Maxwell married Elisabeth “Betty” Meynard of France in 1945.

The couple had nine children: Michael, Philip, Anne, Christine, Isabel, Karine, Ian, Kevin and Ghislaine.

However, Robert and Betty suffered two tragedies with their children when Karine died of leukemia at the age of three.

Michael was badly injured in a car accident aged 15 after his driver fell asleep at the wheel and died seven years later without regaining consciousness.

After the war, Maxwell became a publishing dealer before buying Butterworth-Springer in 1951, later renamed Pergamon Press.

In 1964 he was elected Labor MP for Buckingham and served for six years.

In the late 1960s, Maxwell tried to buy News Of The World, only to have his offer turned down due to his Czechoslovak origins – while also trying to buy The Sun.

But eventually he added a tabloid to his business ventures and bought Mirror Group Newspapers in 1984.

The war veteran also tried his hand at football, first as chairman of Oxford United before buying into Derby County – but fell through in his bid to buy Manchester United after turning down the asking price.

Maxwell’s youngest daughter Ghislaine, the best-known of his descendants, dated convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and was found guilty on July 2, 2020 on charges of transporting a minor with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.

How did Robert Maxwell die?

The publishing magnate died on November 5, 1991 under unusual circumstances.

Maxwell had been on his yacht Lady Ghislaine and had his last contact with the crew at 4.25am before going missing later that morning.

It has been speculated that he urinated naked from the side of the boat, with his body later recovered naked.

Maxwell, who came from a Jewish family, was buried in Jerusalem in a lavish ceremony with the Israeli Prime Minister in attendance.

However, his death caused his businesses to fall into instability as bank loans could not be repaid, and led to the famous Spiegel pension fraud investigation.

The Lady Ghislaine was later sold to Saudi arms dealer and billionaire Adnan Khashoggi.

Who was Ghislaine Maxwell’s mother?

Elisabeth Maxwell, born March 11, 1921, was a Holocaust researcher from France who founded the journal Holocaust and Genocide Studies.

She was married to publishing billionaire Robert Maxwell from 1945 until his death in 1991, when the family’s financial practices, particularly his role in the Mirror Group pension controversy, were under investigation.

Later in life she was honored for her efforts as an advocate for interfaith dialogue.

Maxwell spent most of her later years in France with her sister Yvonne and she died in Dordogne on 7 August 2013 aged 92.