Eugen Ferle was born in Stetten, Germany on 7 August 1880. the son of teacher Johann Fehrle and Martina Wick.

Fehrle gained his abitur in Konstanz and subsequently served in the German Army.

Fehrle subsequently worked as a teacher, and from 1909 to 1918 he was a lecturer in Greek and Latin at the University of Heidelberg.

During the early years of the Weimar Republic, Fehrle was a member of the liberal German People's Party, but after a visit to Italy, Fehrle developed an interest in fascism and eventually joined the Nazi Party.

During this time he served as Director of the German Seminar (1938), Dean of the Philosophical Faculty (1942-1943), and Vice Rector (1944) at Heidelberg.