Early life and education Emil was born in
Mariahilf, Vienna, the first of three children of the independent goldsmith Wilhelm Steinbach (d. 1877) and his wife Emilie (d. 1881), née Ofner. His father was originally from
Arad (then part of the
Kingdom of Hungary) and had converted from
Judaism to
Roman Catholicism at the time of his marriage. The family lived in modest circumstances. Emil’s brother Wilhelm died at the age of 18 from
kidney colic. As a secondary school student, Emil tried to support his family by giving private lessons. In 1862, the highly dedicated pupil transferred as an external student to the Academic Gymnasium in Vienna and graduated the following year, at the age of 17, with an excellent diploma. Steinbach went on to study
jurisprudence at the
University of Vienna, where, as in school, his almost photographic memory made a strong impression on both classmates and professors. He earned his doctorate in law (Dr. jur.) in 1868. By 1874, he had completed his legal training as a law clerk, passed the bar examination, and was appointed lecturer, later professor, of law and economics at the
Commercial Academy of the Vienna School of Commerce. A devout
Catholic, Steinbach never married and devoted himself almost entirely to work. After the death of his parents, he joined the household of his younger brother Robert. == References ==