Early Years in Germany
Gego was born Gertrude Goldschmidt in Hamburg Germany in 1912. Although, she was the niece of the medieval art historian Adolf Goldschmidt who taught at the University of Berlin, she decided to attended the Technische Hochschule of Stuttgart in 1932 where she was taught by popular masonry artist Dr.Paul Bonatz and in 1938 received a diploma in both architecture and engineering.
Because her family was Jewish, life became very difficult for them once the Nazis gained power in 1934. In fact, her German citizenship was nullified in 1935. Four years later she moved to Venezuela where she gained citizenship in 1952. In 1987, Professor Frithjof Trapp of the University of Hamburg led an investigation called "Exile and Emigration of Hamburg Jews" which he hoped would explain the lives of these Jews. Gego was one of the people who he hoped to investigate. After several letters to her home, Gego finally agreed to respond but the letter was never mailed and instead stayed in her collection of notes. In her testimony titled " Reflection on my origins and encounters in life" Gego describes how her family identified with German society. She also describes, in detail, her education history and her departure from Germany.
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