Dr. Brenner was born in Vienna, Austria on July 21, 1923 to an upper middle class family. His father left the family when he was very young and Walter never knew his biological father. His mother, Margaret, married Felix Braun, who raised Walter and Egon as his own sons. Margaret owned a fur store while Felix was a banker.
In 1938, Dr. Brenner and his family were forced to leave Austria under very difficult and challenging circumstances to escape the horrors of the Nazi occupation. Their possessions were all confiscated before leaving Austria and they arrived with nothing but the suitcases they carried in their hands.
Due to the advanced educational background the brothers received in Austria, they both placed very well at James Madison High School in Brooklyn, NY and excelled in their studies. In 1940, Walter attended the City University of New York and graduated with a BA in Chemical Engineering. In 1943, Walter served in the U.S. military as a technical sergeant and remained in the service until 1945.
When he returned from the military, Dr. Brenner attended Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute where he earned his Master's Degree in Chemical Engineering (1949) and later his doctorate in Chemical Engineering (1954) studying under the renowned Dr. Donald Othmer.
