fritz scheler was born on 5 august 1925 in mengersgereuth as the only child of a train conductor und a seamstress in southern thuringia. werner scheler was his first cousin. fritz scheler went to school in sonneberg, together in the same class with tankred dorst. he was drafted into the army in 1942 before finishing school (notabitur). only three students of their class survived the war. he became an american war prisoner in 1944, and could finish his education after the war in england in 1948.