Inge Auerbacher was the last Jewish child born in Kippenheim, a village in South-Western Germany located at the foot of the Black Forest, close to the borders of France and Switzerland. She was the only child of Berthold (1898—1987) and Regina Auerbacher (née Lauchheimer, 1905—1996). Both of her parents came from observant Jewish families who had lived for many generations in Germany.

Inge’s father was a soldier in the German Army during WWI. He was wounded badly and consequently awarded the Iron Cross for service to his country. Inge’s father was a textile merchant and the family owned a large home in Kippenheim.

Auerbacher spent her childhood between the years 1941-1945, a total of 140,000 people were shipped to Terezin; 88,000 were sent primarily to the gas chambers in Auschwitz, and 35,000 died of malnutrition and disease in Terezin.Of the 15,000 children imprisoned in Terezin, Inge is among the one percent that survived.The Red Army rescued Auerbacher's family on May 8, 1945. After a short stay at Göppingen, the family immigrated to New York in May 1946.Seven years later Auerbacher obtained US citizenship.

She graduated from Queens College and spent 38 years working as a chemist.In 1986, Auerbacher published her first book about her childhood's memories. It was called I am a Star.