He was born in Budapest into a Jewish family. When he was 18 he moved to Vienna, later to Prague and then finally to Berlin. All of these cities were extremely artistic. He studied journalism at the German Political College but Nazi Party's made restrictions for Jews that led to them being banned all together from these colleges, for this reason he relocated to Paris. It was in Paris that he got the name 'Robert Capa' was starting top be known since he had already been a hobby-photographer at that time.