 Born on 30 March 1913 in the parish of Frejlev to the south west of Aalborg, Ellen Marie Christensen was the daughter of the farmer Peter Marinus Christensen (born 1885) and Christiane Hansen (born 1884).Brought up in a well-to-do family, after completing her school education, she trained to become a nurse.Under the German occupation, she was employed at Bispebjerg Hospital.