 Blau was born in England, spent her early childhood in the U.S. and then lived in Europe until she moved to the United States for graduate school.She speaks French and German.Her father, George E. Blau, was Chief historian for the U.S. Government in Europe and her mother Gertrud M. Blau was an instructor of comparative literature at Heidelberg University and they strongly encouraged Helen and her sister Professor Eve Blau, now on the faculty at Harvard University, to pursue higher education.