 George Ştefănescu was born in 1914 in the commune of Plăineşti (now Dumbrăveni, Vrancea), between the cities of Focşani and Râmnicu Sărat.His father Gheorghe was descended from a Macedonian family from Bitola, Macedonia.His mother, Sanda, born Căţănaru, was originally from the commune of Crucea de Jos, Vrancea County.