Stejnar was born in Vienna, Austria in 1939 and trained as a gold and silversmith. After his study of the stars and the Occult in Sweden he went back to Vienna and became well-known in the world of esotericism. During the 50's and 60's Stejnar designed several pendant lamps, ceiling lights and sconces for the Viennese lighting manufacturer Rupert Nikoll. The most famous one is the Sputnik Lamp.