In 1929 came the Wall Street Crash, leading to the Great Depression and a slump in the luxury industry, including English clothes. As a result, Brucan's father's shop in Șepcari Street went bankrupt, and the Brucan family was left penniless. They moved into a modest apartment on Vlad Țepeș Street. Brucan's father found a job as a fabric expert working for a German merchant, but as that was not enough to feed a family of six, Silviu Brucan began giving private lessons to pupils of wealthy families, thus gaining access to the world of the rich landowners and industrialists. In his memories, Brucan said that the sharp contrast between the world of luxury of the privileged classes and the misery of those who worked hard all day to earn a living and the feeling of social injustice strongly influenced him.