Manef Biran was born Manfred Bernheim in Hechingen on July 19, 1920. His father Isidor Bernheim was a merchant. At Turmstraße 2 he ran a flour and grain business that his parents had founded.

Manfred's mother, Lydia (Liesel) née Hirschfeld, ran the household.
On February 12, 1926, his sister Marianne Paula was born. Together with Manfred and her nanny Maria Steeb she can be seen in the photo.

In 1989 Manef Biran wrote down his memoirs, from which we quote throughout this story.