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The Rudolf Steiner Archive

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Schiller and Our Times
GA 51

April 1905

A Word to the Reader

The following is a copy of the lectures which I gave between January and March at the Berlin Freie Hochschule dealing with Schiller. The copy is based entirely on the notes which two of the audience made during the lectures. For myself I have been quite unable to look through the notes; and it is only in response to an earnest request that I can agree to the printing of the lectures. I do not really believe that lectures can be reproduced in print. The spoken word is meant to be heard and not to be read, and on that its style depends. ‘Spoken’ treatises or ‘spoken’ books are a monstrosity; and so are books which have their origin in the manuscript copy of a lecture. Anyone who has a feeling for style will agree with me. But exceptions may be made in isolated cases; and this is one of the exceptions—which seems to me to prove the rule.

Rudolf Steiner.
Berlin, April 1905.

Einige Worte an den Leser

Das folgende ist eine Wiedergabe der Vorträge, die ich in den Monaten Januar bis März an der Berliner «Freien Hochschule» über Schiller gehalten habe. Der Abdruck ist erfolgt lediglich nach Notizen, die sich zwei Zuhörer während der Vorträge gemacht haben. Ich selbst war gar nicht in der Lage, die Aufzeichnungen durchzusehen. Nur einem dringenden Wunsche entspreche ich, wenn ich meine Einwilligung zur Drucklegung gebe. Eigentlich bin ich nicht der Ansicht, daß Vorträge gedruckt werden sollen. Was gesprochen wird, ist auf das Gehört-werden und nicht auf das Gelesen-werden zu stilisieren. Gesprochene Abhandlungen oder Bücher sind ein Unding. Und ebenso Bücher, die aus nachgeschriebenen Vorträgen entspringen. Wer Stilgefühl hat, wird mir recht geben. Ausnahmen von diesem Gesetze mögen in einzelnen Fällen gemacht werden. Eine solche Ausnahme liegt hier vor. Sie scheint mir die Regel zu bestätigen.

Berlin, April 1905
Dr. Rudolf Steiner

A few words to the reader

The following is a reproduction of the lectures I gave on Schiller at the Berlin “Free University” between January and March. The text has been printed solely on the basis of notes taken by two members of the audience during the lectures. I myself was not in a position to review the notes. I am only complying with an urgent request when I give my consent to publication. Actually, I do not believe that lectures should be printed. What is spoken is to be stylized for listening, not for reading. Spoken treatises or books are an absurdity. The same applies to books that originate from transcribed lectures. Anyone with a sense of style will agree with me. Exceptions to this rule may be made in individual cases. Such an exception exists here. It seems to me to confirm the rule.

Berlin, April 1905
Dr. Rudolf Steiner