Nicholas Bruck

Dr. Bruck was born Nikolaus Bruck in 1932 in Medja, Yugoslavia, where his family was part of a community of Danube Swabians. Nicholas had overcome great adversity at the end of the war when he was separated from his family at the age of 12 and worked, while putting himself through school until he was reunited with his family in Austria at the age of 15. Dr. Bruck was extremely intelligent and was awarded a Fulbright scholarship to Duke University where he obtained his M.A. in Economics in 1954. He went on to finish his Ph.D. in 1960 at the Vienna School of Economics and a post-doctoral fellowship at Harvard Business School in 1965. He has been published over 40 times including his book Capital Markets under Inflation (1982).

Nicholas gained U.S. citizenship in 1962, and has been resident in the Washington, D.C. area since 1968. He retired from the World Bank in 1997. His distinguished career as an economist included 12 years with the World Bank, 11 years with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), and UNIDO. During his life he worked or consulted in over 100 countries. While his work took him to see the world, he balanced raising a family and maintaining a household and farm. His work was courageous and helped many people as he facilitated the world’s poorest countries in establishing key infrastructure, banking and educational facilities.

He had a great love for the outdoors and spent weekends laboring to build fences and maintain the farm after long weeks in the office or traveling for work . Among his hobbies were classical music, ballroom dancing, tennis and gardening. Those who knew him may say he was never the most expressive man, but strong willed and had a dry sense of humor. But above all, he was a great father to his four children raising them with the same discipline, ambition, and hard work principles that made him such a loved and admired man.

Nicholas was a passionate teacher not only with his own children but also at many of the respected educational institutions in the Washington and New York areas. He was a professor of economics and finance at St John’s University, American University, Georgetown University, George Washington University, Johns Hopkins University, and the Inter-American Defense College.

After retirement, he formed and directed IDEA (International Development Enterprise Associates) and WATD (World Association of Trainers in Development), and was Special Advisor to WFDFI (World Association of Development Finance Institutions). Through these organizations he continued his passion for teaching and world travel and nurtured relationships with some of the most educated and respected bankers around the world.

Nicholas was a leader in many cultural associations such as Schwabenverein Wien and attended many reunions of his homeland. When he first moved here he founded an association for the Danube Swabians in Long Island and continued as a leader in these organizations from his homeland throughout his life.

Nicholas is survived by his loving and devoted wife Gilda Bruck; four children Maria Bruck-Modlin (Russell Modlin), Maya Bruck, Max Bruck (Stacey Mackey) and Thomas Bruck; grandchildren Erika and Lydia Modlin and Cade, Landon and Max Bruck Jr. He will be remembered by all as a well respected, intelligent, and courageous man that helped, loved and touched everyone along his way.