Giesa (Gisela) Szprycer was born in Hamburg on September 23, 1925, the daughter of Julius Eliejzer Szprycer, a business traveler, and his wife Rosa, née Littmann.

Siegmund Stöckel was born as Samuel Nuchem Steckel on August 27, 1868 in Czortkow/Tarnopol. His parents were the merchant Isaac Stöckel and his wife Fradel, née Stöckel. He had another brother Moritz Moses and 2 sisters: Sara and Dwora. Siegmund and Moritz became master builders and went to Berlin to participate in the boom. Siegmund married Elise Hollaender on March 19, 1903, and their dowry became the seed money for a successful construction business.