Steinberger was born in Tiszaújlak, Austria-Hungary (today Vylok, Ukraine) in 1875 to affluent Jewish parents.

[2] In December 1895, the newly appointed Minister of Education and Religion, Gyula Wlassics passed a law that allowed women, and Steinberger, to attend Eötvös Loránd University in Budapest to study medicine.

[3][4] Vilma Hugonnai, who was a Hungarian countess, had qualified as a doctor in Zürich around 1879. but was only allowed to practise as a physician in Hungary in 1897.

World Peace Prize winner Rosika Schwimmer approached Catt to sign a letter in support of Eugénia Meller and Sarolta to emigrate to the USA.

[6] Steinberger was the director of the National Social Insurance Institute until 1944 when the laws against Jews working prevented her from continuing her profession.