(sigh) You incorrectly assume that I had not heard the “his story”. I had heard it. I wouldn’t expect you to believe my version of the events, especially considering that we don’t know each other. What I am saying is that you would do well to not present urban legend as “historical fact”.
If it was truly punishable by death, and it was truly ruled to be “yehareg v’al ya’avor”, then how are there still Chassidim? They should have all been wiped out within a year of the “decree”, dressed like Jews as they were.
Interesting also, that both you and Joseph seem to be aware that the Chassidic “traditional” dress came from Polish noblemen and yet you seem to think that this is traditional Jewish garb. Never mind that not all Jews are from Poland, but our tradition dates back from before Polish nobles existed and before Jews ever showed up in Poland. So at some point, they changed their manner of dress to match the respectable dress of the day, in the LOCAL tradition, and simply didn’t change it when they got to America. The short/long jacket is a matter of style, not Halacha L’Moshe Misinai. C’mon.