Moser's mother Ilse Strehlke was a niece of the violinist and composer Louis Spohr. His father was the neurologist Kurt E. Moser (July 21, 1895 – June 25, 1982), who was born to the merchant Max Maync (1870–1911) and Clara Moser (1860–1934). The latter descended from 17th century French Hugenot immigrants to Prussia. Jürgen Moser's parents lived in Königsberg, German empire and resettled in Stralsund, East Germany as a result of the second world war. Moser attended the Wilhelmsgymnasium (Königsberg) in his hometown, a high school specializing in mathematics and natural sciences education, from which David Hilbert had graduated in 1880. His older brother Friedrich Robert Ernst (Friedel) Moser (August 31, 1925 – January 14, 1945) served in the German Army and died in Schloßberg during the East Prussian offensive.