Erna Rosenstein was born in Lviv in 1913, she was fascinated by drawing and poetry from a young age. As a seventh-grade student, she founded the youth Polish Socialist Party. Erna's father was a legal advisor who wanted his daughter to follow in his footsteps. However, noticing her inclination toward communist movements, he decided to send the girl to study with her aunt in Vienna. From 1932 to 1934, the young girl studied painting at the Frauen Akademie, a branch of the Academy of Fine Arts for women. Despite her parents' intentions, Erna's adventure with communism did not end there. Shortly after arriving in Vienna, she joined the Viennese Workers' Union.

Rosenstein's first paintings did not survive. Her stint with the Viennese co...