▁son ▁of ▁the ▁phys ician ▁Frank ▁Ge h rel s ▁( 1 8 8 5 – 1 9 7 4 ) ▁and ▁his ▁wife ▁Marie , ▁b . ▁Bar so e ▁( 1 9 0 1 – 1 9 7 4 ) ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁ 1 9 2 2 ▁in ▁E ck ern för de , ▁Northern ▁Germany . ▁His ▁parents ▁em igr ated ▁with ▁their ▁two - and - a - half - year - old ▁son ▁to ▁the ▁US ▁in ▁March ▁ 1 9 2 4 ▁via ▁Bre mer h aven ▁and ▁Ell is ▁Island , ▁New ▁York ▁City , ▁to ▁San ▁Mate o , ▁California . ▁Franz ▁Ge h rel s ▁was ▁married ▁to ▁Kath ar ine ▁( K ath y ) ▁Ge h rel s , ▁b . ▁Fe ch ner ▁( 1 9 1 4 – 2 0 0 7 ). ▁The ▁couple ▁has ▁two ▁daughters . ▁After ▁his ▁studies ▁and ▁doctor ate ▁at ▁Stan ford ▁University , ▁Ge h rel s ▁taught ▁ 2 2 ▁years ▁econom ics ▁with ▁a ▁focus ▁on ▁international ▁trade ▁relations ▁at ▁Indiana ▁University ▁( 1 9 5 5 – 7 7 ), ▁a ▁year ▁before ▁at ▁University ▁of ▁Minnesota , ▁and ▁another ▁year ▁at ▁Joh ns ▁Hop kins ▁University . ▁ ▁Short ly ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II , ▁Ge h rel s , ▁being ▁a ▁professor ▁of ▁the ▁Ful br ight ▁program ▁in ▁Main z ▁and ▁Frankfurt , ▁tra ve led ▁to ▁Germany ▁on ▁beh alf ▁of ▁the