He attended a school there for three years before emigrating to France with his parents after Hitler came to power.

Together with around 300 other refugees, Stern spent his youth there in a makeshift factory building until the end of the war.

During this internment period, the refugees were looked after by aid agencies that provided them with books, including about art history.

After years of internment and statelessness, Stern returned to France with his family after the war and became a French citizen.

[8] UNESCO also became aware of Stern and delegated him as an expert to the first international congress on art education in Bristol.