 Baruch Hirsch Strausberg 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.