hildebrand was once again forced to flee when hitler annexed austria in 1938. he spent eleven months in switzerland, near fribourg. he then moved to fiac in france, near toulouse, where he taught at the catholic university of toulouse. when the nazis invaded france in 1940 he went into hiding; after many hardships, and the heroic assistance of frenchmen, including edmond michelet and the american journalist varian fry, he was able to escape to portugal with his wife, their son franz, and their daughter-in-law. from there they travelled by ship to brazil and then on to new york city, arriving in 1940. there he taught philosophy at the jesuit fordham university on rose hill in the bronx where he then mentored renowned catholic author and philosophy professor ronda chervin.