Paul Stanley — rocker (kiss) with roots in the Russian Empire
Paul Stanley (born Stanley Harvey Eisen) is the co-founder, rhythm guitarist, and vocalist of KISS — one of the best-selling rock bands of all time with over 100 million records sold. As the Starchild, his partnership with Gene Simmons created one of rock's most enduring theatrical spectacles.
Tracing the roots — Poland (Rus Partition)
His father William Eisen had Polish Jewish ancestry from territories partitioned between the Russian and Austro-Hungarian empires — making him part of the broader Russian Empire Jewish diaspora. Stanley grew up in New York's Jewish community and has spoken about his heritage. His partnership with Gene Simmons — whose mother also fled the Russian Empire — is one of rock's great immigrant-heritage collaborations.
.svg?width=900)
Poland (Rus Partition). At the time, this region lay within the Russian Empire, which spanned from Poland to the Pacific.