Born in Pforzheim, Germany, Stroebe obtained his MA in psychology at the University of Tübingen in 1964, and his Doctor of Philosophy from the University of Münster in 1966 with the thesis, entitled "Eine experimentelle und theoretische Untersuchung des Volumen‑Gewicht‑Effektes" (An experimental and theoretical study of the Size-Weight-Effect).
In 1968 he obtained another PhD at the London School of Economics with the thesis, entitled "An experimental and theoretical study of social judgement.
"[1] After his graduation in London Stroebe started his academic career as Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1968.
In 1979 he moved to the University of Tübingen, where he was Professor until 1992, chairperson of the Department of Psychology from 1980 to 1987, and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences in 1991–92.
[1] From 1981 to 1983, he served as president of the European Association of Experimental Social Psychology.