Stephan Janzyk was born in 1985 and comes from Hagenow in Mecklenburg/Western Pomerania. He is an officer in the parachute regiment and holds a Master of Arts in educational sciences. He wrote his thesis on the subject of the socialisation aspects of the Hitler Youth in relation to a later career as an officer in the Wehrmacht. He has been interested in military history for many years, particularly the formation and early years of the German paratrooper units.