Eckstein was born on 14 June 1868 in Coburg to Johann Nikolaus Eckstein and Anna Barbara Eckstein, née Götz.[1] Her father was a porter and assistant telegraphist at the Werra-Eisenbahn-Gesellschaft [de], a railway company.[1] Eckstein had a younger brother named Ernst and an older sister named Antonie (Toni), who was born with a disability.[2] Financial reasons limited her formal form of education to only attending a girl's school from 1874 to 1882. However, Eckstein's teacher Ottilie Frese supported her in learning English and French, which made her want to become a teacher herself. She was confirmed in the main church of Coburg in 1882.[3]