Ludwig Wittgenstein, one of the great philosophers of the 20th century, grew up in one of Central Europe's most eminent families. The Wittgensteins, renowned patrons of the arts, contributed to the avant-garde of Viennese culture: Maurice Ravel wrote the celebrated Concerto for the Left Hand in D major for Ludwig's brother, Paul; Gustav Klimt painted the wedding portrait of his sister Margaret; and Josef Labor was the "house composer." Despite their prominence, however, they were not spared tragedy: two of the brothers committed suicide; Paul and Ludwig fought in the First World War and suffered material and moral consequences for the rest of their lives; and with Nazism and the racial laws, a significant part of the family fortune was lost. The unpublished letters collected in this volume cover the period between 1908 and 1951, shortly before the philosopher's death, and are an inval...read more