My Years with Ludwig von Mises.pdf - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

thirties. He kI;lew that if the world would turn its back to capitalism
and liberalism (in the old sense of the word) it would tumble
into wars and destruction that would mean the end of civilization.
This terrible fight against corruption, against the foes of liberty
and the free market had broken the spirit of Menger, had thrown a
dark shadow over the life of Lu's teacher and friend Max Weber,
and had destroyed the vitality and the will to live of his friend and
collaborator Wilhelm Rosenberg.
Theirs was a fight for a world that did not want to be helped.
Few people recognized the danger, and even fewer were readyto
fight alongside Lu. It was like being on a sinking ship on which
people were dancing though the end was near. Lu recognized the
danger. He knew how to help his fellow passengers. He tried to
lead them to the right exit, but they did not follow him-and now
doom knocked at the door.
When Lu and I came to the United States, he saw the greatness
of the country and he believed in the future of America. He hoped
she would be able to resist socialists, Communists, and inflationists
alike. Inflation was the great peril he had always warned of. He
gotnew hope. The attacks I mentioned above disappeared; the veil
of depression left his soul, and with new hope and energy he took
up his work in this country. How he would judge the situation
today, I don't dare to think.
As astonishing as it may sound, Lu adapted more quickly to
marriage than I did. For me the change was tremendous. I was
living in another country, in an environment completely different
from my circle of friends in Vienna. I had to arrange an apartment
that was too small for a couple to live in. Lu never felt the lack of
space. He had his studio, his books, and his desk. From the beginning,
his room was for me a sanctuary that could not and must not
be changed. What made it so difficult for me was the awareness
that I had to change my pattern of life completely if I wanted to
make him happy. I knew this could only be done if I could make
his life my life. His work should be more important to me than
anything I could do, and only if I could keep this feeling alive in
me would our marriage be the success he was hoping for.
We stayed in Geneva until August, and gradually I became better
acquainted with Lu's friends and colleagues. I grew very close
to Mrs. Roepke. Whenever she could help me with advice, she did
so. We met the Roepkes socially very often. Professor Roepke had
shown the courage to resist the Nazis openly, and he knew very
well that he could never return to Germany as long as they were at
the helm ofthe government-nor did he want to.
The Roepkes had twin daughters, very pretty young girls, who
were always moving around on their bicycles, even going over the
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