Rubuta ci gaba don wannan sakin layi - An haifi Paul Gratzik a Lindenhof, kusa da Lötzen a Gabashin Prussia (Poland na zamani), na uku na 'ya'ya shida na ma'aikacin gona. Mahaifinsa ya fadi a kwanakin farko na yakin duniya na biyu. A farkon shekara ta 1945, shi da mahaifiyarsa da 'yan'uwansa suka gudu zuwa yamma
a cikin keken shanu, ya ƙare a Schönberg a Mecklenburg, a cikin abin da zai zama Jamus ta Gabas. Bayan kammala karatun dole sai ya yi aikin koyon sana'a daga 1952 zuwa 1954, sannan ya yi aikin hannu a Ruhr, a Berlin, a Weimar, kuma daga baya a cikin ma'adinan kwal mai launin ruwan kasa a Schlabendorf a Lausitz. A Berlin ya yi ƙoƙarin kammala Abitur a darussan maraice.