Berg was born in
Ratibor, which was then part of the
German province of
Silesia. Her father was a
Liberal Jew and owned a cigar factory. In 1895, she began her studies at the
Royal Academy of Fine Arts in
Antwerp. Five years later, with the financial support of her parents, she continued at the
Berlin University of the Arts, where she studied with
Arthur Kampf. According to some sources, she also studied in
Paris. In 1905, she met Mommie Schwarz, who had recently returned from New York and had come to
Berlin to study
German Expressionism. They went to Paris together to have a look at the latest artistic trends there. The following year, they settled in Amsterdam and became part of the
Modern Art movement. For many years, they travelled together, although they kept separate studios. In 1920 they were married and, four years later, she became a naturalized Dutch citizen. Despite financial difficulties, they continued to travel throughout Eastern Europe, Italy and France. They also had an extended stay on
Mallorca, with
Leo Gestel and his wife, where they took up
Cubism. As the
Nazis came to power, many of their friends and family left for England or the United States. Initially, they felt safe in Amsterdam, but they refused to wear the "
Yellow Badge" when it became mandatory and went into hiding in
Baambrugge. They were apparently betrayed. In November 1942 they were arrested and sent to Auschwitz, where they were murdered shortly after their arrival. ==Gallery==