alfred grünfeld was born as the second of eight children to jewish leather merchant moritz grünfeld (born 1817 kolín nad labem) and his wife regina, nee pick (born 1826 osek), in prague - new town. moritz grünfeld was a leather merchant, and grünfeld grew up in a middle-class, musical jewish family. his siblings included: the cellist heinrich grünfeld; ludwig grünfeld, who worked for deutsche grammophon, and siegmund grünfeld, répétiteur at the vienna hofoper. the family lived at zeltnergasse 38.