Saueressig was born in Nuremberg, Germany. She was the first born of four siblings. Her great-grandfather built their family home directly behind his construction building. Her early education was done at a Catholic school, despite her objections with the school dress code. Her love for animals started at a young age as she had cats and dogs as pets growing up. One day after her cat had gone missing, Saueressig suspected the maid as the cause. She placed mice in the maid's dresser and the cat reappeared the next day. At the age of 17, Saueressig enrolled in a typing class. The first session she attended the school was bombed. This moment led her to quit the typing program and instead pursue a career as a nurse. During her first semester in nursing school, she once again was involved in a bombing. This time she suffered a concussion. She and her classmates at the nursing school were drafted into the army. From 1945 to 1946 she was held as a prisoner of war by the United States in Nuremberg Germany. During this time, the Nuremberg Trials were taking place—the most notable being the Trial of Major War Criminals. During Hitler's reign, Nuremberg was a popular site for Nazi propaganda and rallies.