Theodore Roszak was born in Poznan, Poland in 1907. His father came from farming stock. His mother was a dress designer and was a court designer for the House of Hohenzollern in Berlin. She was the daughter of a mathematics professor, organist and composer. His uncle was also an illustrator whose historical illustrations appeared in Polish historical texts. They emigrated from Poland and settled in Chicago when Roszak was 2 years old. 

"Drawing was one of my earliest responses. It was automatic. It was simple to do. It was available. There was always some paper and something to scratch with, and I began drawing very, very early in life."

[Harlan B. Phillips Interview with Theodore Roszak, Theodore Roszak Reminisces, 1964]