ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti lˈʌdwɪɡ dʒˈɔɪnd ðə "bˈædənwˌeɪlɚ kɹˈeɪz", wˌɪtʃ wʌzɐ ɡɹˈuːp ʌv lˈaɪkmˈaɪndᵻd pˈiːpəl; ðə ɡɹˈuːps nˈoʊɾəbəl mˈɛmbɚz ɪŋklˈuːdᵻd tˈɑːməs mˈæn, ænˈɛt kˈɑːlɡ, ænd ˈælfɹɪd kɹˈʌp.
In 1920 Ludwig joined the "Badenweiler Kreis", which was a group of like-minded people; the group's notable members included Thomas Mann, Annette Kolg, and Alfred Krupp.