 The next years were spent in Vienna, where Gilbert learned the Viennese dialect and continued writing poetry as the Nazi influence gained strength until Austria welcomed Hitler in 1938.Since Jews were not allowed to travel, it was only with great difficulties that he escaped from Austria to France and from there to America in 1939.For ten years, Gilbert, his wife Elke and their daughter Marianne lived in Riverdale, a suburb of New York City for ten years.