bˈɔːɹn ɪn hˈæsfɜːt, nˈɔːɹðɚn bɐvˈɛɹiə, ðə fˈɜːst ʌvðə θɹˈiː tʃˈɪldɹən ʌv mˈæks nˈuːbɚdʒɚ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti sˈɛvən nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd θˈɜːɾi wˈʌn, klˈɔθ mˈɜːtʃənt ænd bˈɪznəsmən, ænd bˈɜːθə, nˈeɪ hˈɪlɚ wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd ˈeɪthˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˈeɪt nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd sˈɛvənti fˈoːɹ, bˈoʊθ ɹᵻlˈɪdʒəs dʒˈuːz.
Born in Hassfurt, northern Bavaria, the first of the three children of Max Neuberger (1877–1931), cloth merchant and businessman, and Bertha, née Hiller (1888–1974), both religious Jews.