Born '' ' Joseph Johan Cosmo Nassy ' '' in Paramaribo , Suriname ( Dutch Guiana ) , Nassy was the son of a well-to-do businessman . He descended on his father 's side from Jews who had fled Spain during the Inquisition , although by his grandparents ' generation the family no longer practised Judaism . In 1919 , Nassy began to live with his father , who had moved to New York . He graduated from high school and , in 1926 , earned a certificate in electrical engineering . In 1929 , Nassy went to England , where he was employed in the installation of sound systems for a film company . The following year he was sent to Paris and then to Belgium for the same purpose . Before leaving for Europe , Nassy had obtained an American passport under the name Josef Nassy . He apparently claimed that he was born in San Francisco in 1899 . Since San Francisco 's public records had been destroyed in the earthquake of 1906 , authorities issued the passport without further investigation
earthquake of 1906
1906 San Francisco earthquake
Josef Nassy