Beck was born in Krautheim, Baden-Württemberg, Germany. He studied law at the Heidelberg University until 1871, where he obtained his Staatsexamen (equivalent to Juris Doctor). Later in his life, Beck received an Honorary doctor from his alma mater.
Moreover, by having founded the Handelshochschule Mannheim together with Heinrich Gothein in 1907, he is regarded as one of the founding fathers of the University of Mannheim. Later, Beck, together with Heidelberg"s economics professor Eberhard Gothein (1853–1923), initiated the foundation of the Handelshochschule Mannheim to revive academic education in Mannheim.
