Piet Creutzberg: From Ethical Economics to Economic History

Abstract

Deep splits and sudden turns mark the life and work of Piet Creutzberg and, as with so many of his contemporaries, the Second World War was largely responsible. The war broke careers and shattered plans and expectations of a lifetime. People were scattered, driven away from countries where they had lived and from work they held dear, forced to flee societies in which they had felt safe and at home. Those who survived were lucky. Three times over Creutzberg had to start a new life, and he did so without undue complaint. Maybe he swallowed his sorrow at his great loss in the awareness that he remained nonetheless privileged because each time there were new opportunities to find satisfying work and there was an ever changing circle of sympathetic friends. Moreover, he had two sons, whom he could see growing up to live their own lives, and he was healthy and energetic enough to go on working, although unfortunately his health was not strong enough to withstand the Australian or tropical climate and later on he had to be very careful in this respect. But above all he was privileged in having the lasting companionship of his wife, who stood by him, and her recent death must have stricken him deeply.