Pringsheim's financial decline began with World War I. As a “German patriot” he subscribed to war loans which lost their nominal value after the war, which meant the loss of a major part of his capital. The disastrous inflation of 1923 and 1924 resulted in additional high losses. As a result, he had to sell part of his art collection, which probably included a mural by Hans Thoma. His ironic comment, “I live from wall to mouth”. He also had to sell his marvellous mathematics library which contained many precious books dating back to the sixteenth century. The auction catalogue is still preserved in the "Bayerische Staatsbibliothek".