Wolfgang Salinger was born on 13 June 1915 in Berlin. His Jewish parents both studied dentistry and ran a dental surgery in Knesebeckstrasse.

After Dr Max Salinger lost his practise because of the Nazi laws, Wolfgang’s two younger twin brothers, Fritz and Hans Salinger, moved to Palestine when they were both 17. One year later, a former assistant of his father’s, arranged a visa for Wolfgang to work in Manchester as a trainee engineer. In May 1940, Wolfgang was interned on the Isle of Man, but was released 10 months later. He continued working in mechanical services and met his future wife Margaret in Manchester.

His parents stayed in Berlin where they kept in touch with Wolfgang by Red Cross letters until 1943, when they were deported to Auschwitz and killed.