The provided text examines the lives of the prominent, wealthy, and highly neurotic Wittgenstein siblings in early 20th-century Vienna, emphasizing the pervasive family tragedy marked by an unusually high number of suicides among the brothers, including Hans, Rudolf, and Kurt. Central focus is given to the contrast between the brothers: Ludwig Wittgenstein, the intense philosopher who experienced a deep spiritual transformation during his World War I service, and Paul Wittgenstein, the concert pianist who continued his career by commissioning famous compositions for the left hand after losing his right arm in combat. The family's existence was brutally upended during the Nazi Anschluss when their Jewish heritage led to their classification as "full Jews," making them targets for persecution and property confiscation. Surviving sister Gretl led complex and high-stakes negotiations to safeguard their considerable foreign assets from the Reichsbank, while Paul was compelled to flee abruptly to avoid arrest for Rassenschande relating to his children with his non-Jewish partner. Ultimately, the excerpts illustrate how this illustrious Viennese family was scattered by war and racial politics, concluding with the eventual destruction of their grand Palais.

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