The Christmas Conference
GA 260
Part II. The Proceedings of the Conference
1 January a.m., Dornach
XIX. The Rebuilding of the Goetheanum
I SHALL TAKE the liberty of adding a few remarks to what I said yesterday, after which I shall invite contributions from those who have asked to speak.
You will remember that I endeavoured to solve the problem of the outside of the Goetheanum as well as was possible at the time by treating it as a building problem. A number of aspects were, though, made more difficult than they need have been by the speed at which the building was expected to be constructed. Nevertheless I believe that the shaping of the facade, of the portals, of the windows and window surrounds did portray outwardly the inner content of the Goetheanum, which was essentially a circular building.
Now, as I attempted to describe it to you yesterday, the impression is to be of a building that is partly circular and partly rectangular, having no longer a ground-plan that is circular. And it will be necessary to find for the forms a modern style that is appropriate for concrete as a building material.
Such things are always exceedingly difficult. It is of course easier to work in an abstract way out of the forms, and then choose the material, than it is to accept the material as the necessary given factor and then search for the forms out of this material, forms which are also partly determined by the circumstances which I described to you yesterday. Now, since we do not have time to go into more detail, I want to show you one essential feature, the underlying theme of the portals and of the windows, so that you can see how I want to let the inner formative force that was latent in the old forms assert itself once more also in the new forms of the intractable material, concrete.
I want the walls, coming down from the roof which is shaped in flat surfaces, to give the eye a definite impression of load. I want to bring it about that this downward pressure is caught and held, also for the eye, by the portal as well as the window surrounds. I also want to bring it about that inwardly the spiritual impression is of a portal that draws you in, or a window that takes in the light in order to usher it into the space within. But at the same time I want to bring it about that in a certain way this form reveals how the Goetheanum is to be a kind of shelter for the one who seeks the spirit within it. This will also have to be expressed by the portal. So let me describe what is to be revealed. [See Facsimile 5, Page XIX.]
For instance, on the west front the roof will rise up like this. So I want the next thing appearing after the roof to be a kind of small form growing out of this roofing. Let me make it easier for you to see by using different colours to draw what will, of course, be all the same colour.
So this will jut out (lemon-yellow); it will be immediately above the head of someone who is standing before the portal, about to enter. Below that will be a portion, something that could be seen as a portion of a pentagon, but only a portion (reddish). The remainder of the pentagon would be above. And the whole of this is carried by a form which recedes (blue). So what you remember as rounded forms in the earlier Goetheanum [Note 78] will here appear as something angular. You must imagine that this comes forward like a kind of roof (lemon-yellow), this goes back inwards (blue), and this becomes visible in the background (whitish). And the whole of this is to be supported by a pillar shape to the left and to the right in such a way that this pillar or column receives this protective form which appears above the head of the one who enters; it receives this protective form in another form (orange-yellow) like this, but at the same time it carries the roof part with an appropriate form which grows out of it.
This form will be used for both the side and main portals and for the windows. And in the use of this form we shall be able to achieve a really integrated external impression. It will show on the one hand how the load pressing down from above is carried and on the other hand how the pillars rise up in order to support that which comes out from the inside, revealing itself and needing to be received.
The essential thing about an angular building is the harmony between the forces of support and load. If we are to carry this out in an organic building, every part must reveal the indwelling character of the totality. The pillars in the old building reached from bottom to top. Now they will be metamorphosed so that on the lower level, the ground floor, they will develop like roots—architecturally conceived, of course. Out of these the actual pillars will grow on the upper level, becoming bearers of the whole. They will then bring the forms of the roof to completion from within outwards. The roof will not be terminated horizontally but rather in the way the cupola was terminated. The pillars and columns will be metamorphosed into supporting elements while at the same time expressing what in the old Goetheanum was to have been expressed in the roundness of the building.
We shall have to endeavour to calculate how basic the forms will have to be, merely hinted at perhaps, in order to keep the whole building, given this shape, within 3 to 3½ million Francs. Once we have made this decision—and I do not believe that any other is possible—then we shall I hope, and if the willingness of our friends to make sacrifices does not let us down, soon be in a position to begin construction and the building will then appear as a new Goetheanum in the place where the old one stood and in a much more basic and simple form.
I would now like to call on Herr van Leer, who has asked to speak on this matter.
Herr van Leer wants to found a World Goetheanum Association, resembling a World School Association, for the running of the Goetheanum.
DR STEINER: Yes, my dear friends, I cannot see any objection to the creation of a body of people who are members of a Goetheanum Association or something similar even if they are not members of the Anthroposophical Society. The question will be, though, as to what the members of such an organization can be called upon to do. It will be very difficult to win members merely by saying that they should pay money for the Goetheanum or for any other of our ventures. But perhaps in future Anthroposophy as such, as represented now here in Dornach, will become more and more known in the world. Perhaps people who are not in the first instance courageous enough to become anthroposophists will see that fruitful work can be done out of Anthroposophy and with Anthroposophy. Then it might be possible to say to people: Look, this is a spiritual movement; maybe you are not interested now; but help it to mature, do something so that the people involved can get going and show what they can do. It is quite likely, if we carry out into the world what has been discussed here during this Conference, that an Association such as that envisaged by our dear friend van Leer might indeed become a possibility.
Do not forget that a good deal of what is now included in the Statutes is of necessity bound up with the complete openness of the Society. You will see that much will change in practice. And once there is an understanding everywhere of what is connected with this openness of the Society, then it could very well be that a form such as that suggested just now by van Leer will be found. This openness will have to be taken very, very seriously by us. And on the other hand we here at the Goetheanum, this Vorstand, will have to take very seriously the fact that in future there can be no more working under cover. It will no longer be possible to say: If we approach people about a threefold social order or about Anthroposophy, they don't want to know about this, but they are interested in the things themselves. This is something that has done us the most damage of all over the last few years, or indeed over a longer period too, because it has brought us inwardly into a sphere of untruthfulness. The work going out from Dornach in future in all realms of life will be uprightly and honestly declared in full openness as being for Anthroposophy. Then people will know for what they are giving their money. And if we work from this angle then I do believe that a form such as you have suggested will become possible. It will never be possible if people have to ask what they are supposed to give money for.
This is what I believed I ought to say. If this is done, then the prospects are quite good. Would anybody else like to speak on the question of the rebuilding?
Miss X believes that eurythmy can show the public a great deal of what Anthroposophy is about. She asks for pictures, pictures of eurythmy and the picture of Frau Dr Steiner for publication in South America.
Mr Monges hopes to arouse interest in America. ‘Americans have to see before they will give.’
DR STEINER: Does anyone else wish to speak?
Herr Donner speaks about the financial situation.
DR STEINER: Does anyone else wish to speak?
Mademoiselle Sauerwein asks whether the 12 Schillings are for the Society or the Goetheanum.
DR STEINER: In order to clarify the question Mademoiselle Sauerwein has brought to our agenda, I should report to you on the meeting in committee the other day of the General Secretaries of many different countries with the Vorstand and with representatives of the Swiss groups. I must tell you what conclusions were reached. It was a matter of completing the only point of the Statutes which could not be finalized before they were printed. We have adopted the Statutes, but one small point remained open because I said that it would be better to discuss it in a smaller circle first; and that was the matter of the annual contribution to be made by the groups for each member.
I brought the following points of view to that smaller circle. You see, an anthroposophist—let me say this, though of course it will be easily questioned—an anthroposophist does not entertain illusions but must think realistically, for the future too. To think realistically is to say that one will need this much money for a particular project, that is, to make a preliminary annual budget which is likely to be sufficient. For the founding of the Anthroposophical Society there is no sense financially in talking a great deal about what each individual thinks should be paid annually for each member. The only sensible thing to do is to say how much we need and then to calculate how much this is likely to come to when it is divided by the number of paying members. I have concerned myself very fundamentally with this question ever since I decided—with the agreement of the members of the Vorstand whom I considered to be the right ones—to take the Presidency of the Anthroposophical Society into my own hands. All I can do is to tell you the conclusion given to me as a result of my considerations: If we really want to run the Society which you yourselves have decided shall exist, the only thing we can do is ourselves lay down the amount which we need from every group for each member. All we can do is enter at this point in the Statutes the membership contribution to be made by every group for each of its members: 12 Schillings annually. That is only 1 Schilling monthly. You can work out what a minute amount that is per day! But we cannot manage without these 12 Schillings annually for each member. We could, of course, have started off the other way round, though I don't know whether this would have been more dignified. We could first have said: We need 12 Schillings from every member and then we shall found the Anthroposophical Society. Perhaps that would have been more practical. However that may be, the Society will only be realistically founded when we have these 12 Schillings annually.
Now, my dear friends, there are sure to be many groups who will say that they cannot raise this amount. There are groups whose membership fees would not even cover this, and they all want to keep at least half of the membership fee for themselves! So in the cases where this is so it will be a matter of negotiating with them how much they can reduce their contribution. And the missing amount will have to be raised in another way. We still need this missing amount. But this minimum sum which we need will have to be the standard, and then groups can go below it, which is bound to happen, as we well know from experience, down even to the vanishing point. The vanishing point is often reached. But I hope that there will also be instances of the opposite, right up to the level of Carnegie, though of course never quite reaching the infinite! Anyway, this is the suggestion that I wanted to make in a smaller circle. And this smaller circle did not by any means agree immediately. But I do believe that most have meanwhile come to see that there is no other way. Countries also do it like this. You cannot set up a budget and then ask every single citizen: How much can you pay? This is not how it is done. We admittedly have no means of enforcing collection, and of course we want no such thing, for there must be freedom amongst us, including that of saying how much we need. So if you like, please do say what you think, or at least vote on whether you agree in general, in principle, to the payment of 12 Schillings per member, always remembering that everyone can negotiate how much below this it is necessary to go. I had to say this if this matter was to be discussed. (Applause)
Mademoiselle Sauerwein says that these 12 Schillings will be contributed by France because they are needed and she would like to know the date by which payment is required.
DR STEINER: The date will be a matter of administration. In the very near future—since time is too short to do so at the Conference—we shall issue By-Laws to the various groups and in these we shall say when the contributions can be paid. They do not all have to come in at the same time. The method will gradually emerge, and agreements can be made with the different groups as to when it suits them to pay. Certainly we shall not shirk. Does anyone want to speak to this question of the membership contribution?
Mr Pyle suggests that agreement be expressed immediately on the point that the 12 Schillings per year would be raised somehow, since they were absolutely necessary.
DR STEINER: It has been suggested that we vote straight away on this question of the membership contribution. Does anyone want to speak about this suggestion, which is actually a matter for the By-Laws? Only on the suggestion, not on the question. If that is not the case, then I now call for a vote on this suggestion. Will those friends who are in favour of the standard membership contribution being set at 12 Schillings with the given proviso please raise their hands. (They do.) Will those member-friends not in favour now also please raise their hands. There seems to be cordial agreement on this point.
I intended to bring up this point at the end of today's agenda, but it has now been settled. So after this interruption we can continue with the agenda if anyone still wants to speak about the rebuilding of the Goetheanum or about Herr van Leer's suggestion.
Mrs Merry wishes to speak.
DR STEINER: Would anyone else like to speak on this?
Herr Koschützki touches on the question of finance. He considers that work at research institutes is the most suitable for obtaining money for the Goetheanum from non-anthroposophists.
DR STEINER: So long as these things are in future always shown to be intimately bound up with Anthroposophy. It would be wrong to give the impression of merely wanting to do some research through ordinary science. In future we want to put things before the world simply as they emerge from the central core of Anthroposophy. Of course there is a good deal which does have to be presented in public in a way that is not possible through pictures, since pictures at best bring something super-sensible into the realm of the sense-perceptible. But we are supposed to present the super-sensible to the world. This is of course difficult, more difficult than presenting something sense-perceptible, but we must succeed. And we shall succeed. But please have the courage to present the super-sensible and not something that appears as though through a mask. This has brought us enough harm.
Does anyone else wish to speak?
Herr Leinhas speaks about the building of the Goetheanum and about the organization. He believes that friends can be won on the basis of pointing out what is said in the Statutes.
DR STEINER: Does anyone else wish to speak?
Dr Kruger speaks of personal impressions and of his feelings for what has been experienced here as a primeval founding.
DR STEINER: Now, dear friends, let me throw the discussion open for any subject people might still want to mention.
Herr Geuter says that the journal Anthroposophie and the articles of Herr Steffen and Dr Steiner are particularly valuable for disseminating Anthroposophy.
DR STEINER: Does anyone else wish to speak about anything?
Dr Zeylmans speaks from the medical point of view. There is surely no realm more in need of renewal than that of medicine. About thirty-five doctors were present at the founding of the small clinic in The Hague and by the end they were very enthusiastic about the lectures. It can certainly be said that we do not want anything different but we do want more. The lectures heard up to now have been marvellous, but what is needed is not only a bridge such as this but also an entirely new kingdom in one's heart in order as a doctor to become a healer in the sense of earlier times. He therefore especially welcomes the founding of the Medical Section.
DR STEINER: You will allow me, my dear friends, to add a few words after my lecture this evening about such questions as, for instance, the shaping of the medical work and how we think about it. I shall do so then because I want to ask any friends who would still like to say something in brief about one thing or another to do so now. The farewell words I myself want to say and also what I want to say about questions such as that brought up so kindly by Dr Zeylmans just now I shall say in connection with my lecture this evening. So would anyone who still has a short contribution to make please do so.
Herr Wullschleger, a teacher, speaks about the question of a school in Switzerland, considers a school in Basel to be absolutely necessary and requests support of every kind.
DR STEINER: Now we have come to the end of our agenda. Or rather we should say that time has brought us to the end of our agenda. It will be satisfying this afternoon, on the very day on which we saw for the first time from the grounds just outside here the ruins still in flames, on this very anniversary of that terrible day we shall meet here at 4.30 for a social gathering. The thought of meeting for such a gathering on this very day can be particularly dear to us when for one or another it may be possible to speak together in the most intense and best and intimate way such as will seem suitable for this very day of mourning and remembrance and such as our heart must long for. So at 4.30 we shall assemble here for our social gathering. At 8.30 my final lecture will take place. The practising doctors are requested to meet me again tomorrow morning at 8.30 down in the Glass House. I shall make any further announcements this evening.
Anything which one or another of you might still have wished to say will now remain unsaid. But just as last time it was possible for one or two things intended for more than a personal conversation to be said to everyone during the Social Gathering, so this time, too, it will be possible to speak to the members during the Social Gathering if anyone wishes to do so.
Now will those friends from Germany who wish to travel tomorrow at 10.45 please raise their hands so that Dr Wachsmuth can see how many there are wishing to travel tomorrow morning. Now will those wishing to take the evening train please raise their hands. It will not be easy to arrange for anyone to stay any longer. Only those who have had their passes extended properly can remain. It is not possible to endanger future meetings here by allowing the authorities to notice that fifty or more people are leaving later than intended. If only a few depart, it will not be possible to arrange for extra lodgings. Also would you please hand in any unused meal tickets at House Friedwart. In addition would you please hand in the blankets you have used at House Friedwart because we shall need them for future meetings. Then would those friends who have not yet collected their passes from House Friedwart please do so, because we have no use for them. We would of course gladly travel away on behalf of every one of you if we only could. Finally, for those friends still here, there will be a eurythmy performance at 7 o'clock tomorrow evening. The programme will include a repeat of ‘Olaf Asteson’.
Wiederaufbau Des Goetheanums.
Und ich werde mir erlauben, zu dem gestern Gesprochenen noch einiges Wenige hinzuzufügen, und dann den verehrten Freunden, die ums Wort gebeten haben, dieses Wort erteilen.
Sie werden sich erinnern, daß von mir versucht worden ist, die Gestaltung der Außenseite des Goetheanums, so gut es damals ging, als ein bauliches Problem zu lösen. Es war ja allerdings durch die Schnelligkeit, mit der dazumal verlangt wurde, daß der Bau in Szene gesetzt werden soll, manches schwieriger gemacht, als es eigentlich notwendig gewesen wäre, aber dennoch glaube ich, ist damals für den - im wesentlichen - Rundbau gefunden worden eine Gestaltung der Fassade, eine Gestaltung desjenigen, was an Pforten, an Fenstern, an Gesimsen und so weiter nach außen hin dasjenige, was das Goetheanum als Inhalt hatte, wiedergab.
Jetzt wird ja der Bau im wesentlichen so wirken sollen, wie ich es Ihnen gestern nun nicht als Rundbau im Grundrisse zu erklären versuchte, sondern wirken sollen als nur teilweise runder, teilweise eckiger Bau. Da wird es notwendig sein, gerade für diese Formen den aus dem Betonmaterial gemäßen modernen Stil zu finden.
Solche Dinge bedeuten ja immer außerordentlich große Schwierigkeiten. Es ist natürlich leichter, sozusagen abstrakt aus den Formen heraus zu arbeiten, dann das Material zu suchen, als das Material wie ein notwendig Gegebenes hinzunehmen, und aus dem Material die Formen herauszusuchen, die zum Teil eben gegeben sind durch die Verhältnisse, durch jene Verhältnisse, die ich Ihnen gestern geschildert habe. Nun möchte ich Ihnen, da wir zu Weiterem ja nicht Zeit haben, nur ein Wesentliches, die Portalform und Fensterform sozusagen im Prinzip hier mitteilen, damit Sie sehen, wie nun versucht werden soll, die innere Gestaltungskraft, die in der alten Form lag, doch auch geltend zu machen in der neuen Form des spröden Betonmaterials.
Ich möchte erreichen, daß wirklich — geradeso, wie der Beton es fordern wird, wenn man eine flächige Abdachung nach oben hat, die in ihren Abfalls-Wandungen für das Auge eine bestimmte Druckgewalt darstellt -, ich möchte erreichen, daß diese Druckgewalt auch für das Auge durch das Portal, respektive die Fenstergesimse abgefangen wird, und ich möchte erreichen, daß gleichzeitig auch innerlich, geistig zum Vorscheine kommt, daß man es zu tun hat mit etwas, was einen als Portal aufnimmt oder was als Fenster das Licht aufnimmt, um es in den Innenraum hineinzulassen. Ich möchte aber zugleich mit dieser Form erreichen, daß in gewisser Weise daran zur Offenbarung kommt, wie das Goetheanum sein soll eine Art Schutz für den, der Geistiges in diesem Goetheanum sucht. Das wird sich auch schon im Portal ausdrücken müssen. Und so möchte ich, daß etwa das Folgende zur Offenbarung kommt. [Faksimile siehe Beilage 4, Tafel XT]
Wenn sich in dieser Weise das Dach erheben wird zum Beispiel nach Westen, nach vorne, dann möchte ich, daß nach diesem Dache zunächst erscheint eine Art kleine, aus dieser Bedachung herausgewachsene, kleine folgende Form. Ich werde das, was einfarbig erscheint, hier in verschiedenen Farben festhalten, damit Sie es leichter sehen können.
Das wird also vorstehen (grüngelb), so daß, wenn man am Portal steht, dieses über das Haupt des Eintretenden geht, wenn man unmittelbar am Portal beim Eintritte steht. Darunter wird erscheinen ein Stück, das man wird halten können für ein Stück des Pentagramms, aber immerhin nur ein Stück (rötlich). Das Pentagramm würde ja erst darunter fertig sein.” Und das Ganze wird von einer Gestaltung getragen, die nun zurückgeht (blau). So daß also dasjenige, was Sie als Formenrundung vom früheren Goetheanum in Erinnerung haben werden, hier in seiner Eckigkeit erscheinen wird. Sie müssen sich also vorstellen, daß das hier gleichsam wie eine Bedachung weiter nach vorne liegt, das hier zurückgeht, das im Hintergrunde sicht bar wird (hell), und das Ganze soll nun getragen werden durch eine Säulenform links und rechts, die etwa die folgende Gestalt hat. So daß diese Säule oder dieser Pfeiler zu gleicher Zeit aufnimmt diese schützende Gestalt, die über dem Haupte des Eintretenden steht, also einerseits aufnimmt diese schützende Gestalt in einer solchen Form (orangegelb), aber nun gleichzeitig die Bedachung trägt durch eine entsprechende Form, die aus ihm herauswächst.
Und wir werden die Möglichkeit haben - gerade innerhalb dieser Form, die dann angewendet werden soll auf Portale, Seiten- und Hauptportale, wie auch auf die Fensterbildungen -, wir werden die Möglichkeit haben, wirklich ein Ebenmaß dadurch zu erzielen für den äußeren Eindruck: so daß man gleichzeitig sehen wird, wie die Druckbelastung von oben ergriffen wird, auf der anderen Seite aber die Pfeiler sich erheben werden, um gewissermaßen dasjenige, was von innen herauskommend, sich offenbarend, aufgenommen werden muß, in der entsprechenden Weise zu stützen.
In dem entsprechenden Ebenmaß von Stütz- und Laste-Kräften liegt ja beim eckigen Bau dasjenige, worauf es ankommt. Wird er nun übergeführt bei uns in einen organischen Bau, so wird in jedem Gliede außerdem eine Offenbarung des inneren Wesens sein, das ja so gegeben ist, daß nun die Säulen, die beim alten Bau von unten bis oben gingen, in der Weise umzuformen sein werden, daß sie gewissermaßen in dem unteren Stockwerke, in dem Erdgeschosse, sich entwickeln wie Wurzeln, aber natürlich architektonisch aufgefaßt; und daraus werden sich dann erst die wirklichen Säulen für die obere Etage, die wiederum zu Trägern des Ganzen sich entwickeln werden, erheben. Diese werden dann von innen aus das Dach - das innen nicht etwa waagrecht abgeschlossen ist, sondern so abschließend wie es auch die Kuppel war - in seinen Formen abschließen. Die Pfeiler und Säulen werden ja in Träger sich verwandeln, gleichzeitig aber auch wiederum das zum Ausdrucke bringen, was auf der anderen Seite beim alten Goetheanum durch Rundbau zum Ausdruck gebracht werden sollte.
Nun sehen Sie: Wir werden uns durch die Auskalkulierung bemühen müssen, daß eben die Formen so weit primitiv gemacht werden, prinzipiell andeutend gemacht werden, als es nötig ist, um den Bau in dieser Gestalt für etwa 3 bis 3½ Millionen Franken auszuführen. Dann werden wir, wenn wir diesen Entschluß in bestimmter Weise einmal haben - und ich glaube, es ist kein anderer möglich -, dann werden wir hoffentlich recht bald zum Beginnen des Bauens schreiten können, und der Bau wird in einer verhältnismäßig kurzen Zeit, wenn uns die Opferwilligkeit unserer Freunde nicht im Stiche läßt, sondern weiterfließt, als ein neues Goetheanum an der Stelle des alten, wenn auch in viel primitiverer, in viel einfacherer Gestalt erstehen können. Ich darf nun Herrn van Leer, der sich gemeldet hat zu dieser Frage, das Wort erteilen.
Herr van Leer möchte zur Finanzierung des Betriebes des Goetheanums, so wie einen Welt-Schulverein, auch einen WeltGoetheanum-Verein gründen.
Dr. Steiner: Ja, meine lieben Freunde, ich glaube nicht, daß irgend etwas einzuwenden ist gegen das Schaffen einer solchen Form von Mitgliedern zu einem Goetheanum-Verein oder dergleichen, innerhalb dessen man nicht Mitglied der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft ist. Fragen wird sich ja allerdings, auf was hin man zu dieser Mitgliedschaft wird auffordern können. Es wird natürlich sehr schwierig sein, bloß daraufhin Mitglieder zu bekommen, daß man den Leuten sagt, sie mögen für das Goetheanum oder für sonst irgendeine unserer Sachen Geld bezahlen. Aber wenn in der Tat in einer wirksamen Weise in der Zukunft die Anthroposophie als solche, so wie sie jetzt vertreten wird hier von Dornach aus, in der Welt immer mehr und mehr bekannt gemacht werden wird, wenn von den Leuten, die zunächst nicht gleich den Mut haben, Anthroposophen zu werden, gesehen werden wird, daß tatsächlich in einer fruchtbaren Weise gearbeitet wird, und zwar von Anthroposophie aus, mit Anthroposophie, dann könnte es doch sein, daß man, wenn man den Leuten sagt: Seht hin, das ist eine geistige Bewegung; vielleicht habt ihr noch nichts übrig dafür, aber lasset ihr sie einmal sich ausreifen, tut etwas dazu, daß die Leute sich rühren können, damit sie zeigen mögen, was sie können! -, es kann ganz gut sein, wenn man eingeht auf dasjenige, was sonst in diesen Tagen hier verhandelt worden ist und dieses vor die Welt hinausträgt, daß dann in der Tat eine solche Vereinigung, wie sie eben unser lieber Freund van Leer in Aussicht genommen hat, möglich ist.
Sie müssen ja nicht vergessen, daß mancherlei von dem, was nun in den Statuten steht, ganz notwendig verbunden sein wird mit der vollen Öffentlichkeit der Gesellschaft. Sie werden sehen, in der Praxis ändert sich außerordentlich viel. Und wenn überall verstanden wird, was verbunden ist mit dieser Öffentlichkeit der Gesellschaft, dann kann es schon sein, daß aus diesem heraus auch solch eine Form, wie sie eben van Leer vorgeschlagen hat, gefunden werden kann. Es wird ja durchaus diese Öffentlichkeit von uns ganz, ganz voll ernst genommen. Aber es wird auf der anderen Seite auch von uns hier am Goetheanum, von diesem Vorstande, voll ernst genommen werden, daß künftig nicht mehr unter einem Deckmantel gearbeitet werden kann, nicht mehr so wird gearbeitet werden können, daß man sagt: Ja, wenn man den Leuten mit Dreigliederung oder mit Anthroposophie kommt, dann wollen sie von einem nichts wissen, aber die Sache können wir ihnen bringen. -— Das war das, was uns in den letzten Jahren und seit jeher am meisten geschadet hat, weil es uns wirklich innerlich in eine Sphäre von Unwahrhaftigkeit hineingebracht hat. Aufrichtig und ehrlich für Anthroposophie wird in den verschiedensten Lebensgebieten in der Zukunft von hier aus, von Dornach aus, gearbeitet werden in voller Öffentlichkeit. Dann werden die Leute auch wissen, wofür sie Geld geben. Und ich glaube, gerade wenn man von diesem Gesichtspunkte aus arbeitet, wird schon die Form, die Sie vorgeschlagen haben, möglich werden; während es niemals gehen wird, wenn die Leute sagen: Ja, was ist das eigentlich, wofür sollen wir unser Geld geben?
Das ist, was ich glaube sagen zu müssen. Ich meine, daß die Sache
dann ganz gute Aussichten hätte. Wünscht sonst jemand zu dieser Frage des Wiederaufbaus das Wort?
Miss X glaubt, daß durch die Eurythmie für die Öffentlichkeit viel gezeigt werden kann, was Anthroposophie will. Sie bittet um Bilder, Eurythmie-Bilder und das Bild von Frau Doktor zur Publikation in Südamerika.
Mr. Monges hofft, Interesse in Amerika zu erwecken. «Der Amerikaner muß erst sehen, bevor er gibt.»
Dr. Steiner: Wünscht sonst jemand das Wort?
Herr Donner spricht zur finanziellen Lage.
Dr. Steiner: Wünscht noch jemand das Wort?
Mademoiselle Sauerwein frägt wegen der 12 Schilling, ob sie für die Gesellschaft oder das Goetheanum wären.
Dr. Steiner: Es ist dadurch, daß Mademoiselle Sauerwein diese Frage auf die Tagesordnung gebracht hat, nötig, daß ich zur Interpretation desjenigen, wovon hier die Rede ist, das Folgende aus jener Komiteesitzung mitteile, die vor einigen Tagen gehalten worden ist unter den Generalsekretären der verschiedensten Gebiete, mit dem Vorstande zusammen und zusammen mit den Vertretern der schweizerischen Gruppen. Es ist nötig, daß ich Ihnen das Ergebnis hier vortrage. Es handelt sich ja darum, daß der einzige Punkt der Statuten, der für den Druck der Statuten unerledigt geblieben ist, erledigt werden kann. Wir haben ja die Statuten angenommen und nur diesen kleinen Punkt, den jährlichen Beitrag für das einzelne Mitglied von seiten der Gruppen, noch leer gelassen, weil ich damals sagte, es sei eben das beste, diesen Punkt im engeren Kreise vorerst zu beraten.
Nun habe ich damals in diesem engeren Kreise folgenden Gesichtspunkt eingenommen. Sehen Sie, wer Anthroposoph ist - ich will es so aussprechen, obwohl was ich sage natürlich sehr anfechtbar sein wird -, wer Anthroposoph ist, der denkt nicht in Illusionen, sondern muß real denken, real auch für die Zukunft denken. Real denkt man, wenn man weiß: für irgend eine Sache braucht man so und so viel -, wenn man gewissermaßen ein präliminarisches Jahres-Budget aufstellen kann, das dann einem die Möglichkeit bietet, auszukommen. Es nützt uns nämlich für die Begründung der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft in finanzieller Beziehung gar nichts, wenn hier möglichst darüber viel geredet wird, was der Einzelne glaubt, daß man für das einzelne Mitglied als Jahresbeitrag zahlen soll, sondern nur, wenn man hier sagt, was wir brauchen werden und wieviel voraussichtlich herauskommt dann, wenn dasjenige, was gebraucht wird, durch die Zahl der zahlenden Mitglieder dividiert wird. Mit diesem Problem habe ich mich nun eben auch ganz gründlich befaßt seit der Zeit, da ich - im Einvernehmen mit den Vorstandsmitgliedern, die ich dann als die richtigen zu bezeichnen hatte — beschlossen hatte, den Vorsitz der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft selbst in die Hand zu nehmen. Und ich kann nicht anders, als aus dem, was sich mir ergeben hat, aus dieser Erwägung heraus sagen: Es ist das einzig Mögliche, daß wir den Betrag, den wir als einbezahlt von jeder Gruppe für jedes einzelne Migtlied brauchen, festsetzen, wenn wir hier die Gesellschaft, die Sie ja selber beschlossen haben, wirklich führen wollen. Und da können wir nicht anders, als den Mitgliedsbeitrag einsetzen, den jede Gruppe für jedes ihrer Mitglieder zu bezahlen hat: 12 S jährlich. Es ist ja nur 1 S monatlich. Rechnen Sie sich‘s aus, wie furchtbar wenig dies im Tage ist! Aber wir können nicht wirtschaften, ohne die 12 § jährlich für das einzelne Mitglied zu haben. Wir hätten ja, nicht wahr, die Sache auch umgekehrt machen können - ich weiß nicht, ob es würdiger gewesen wäre -, aber wir hätten es umgekehrt machen können. Wir hätten zunächst sagen können: Wir brauchen von jedem Mitglied 12 S, dann begründen wir die Anthroposophische Gesellschaft. Es wäre vielleicht der rationellere Weg gewesen. Aber wie gesagt, sie wird real nur begründet sein, wenn wir diese 12 § jährlich haben.
Nun, meine lieben Freunde, es werden gewiß viele Gruppen sagen: Das bringen wir nicht auf. - Trotzdem, es gibt ja Gruppen, die haben nicht einmal so viel Mitgliedsbeitrag, und sie wollen ja alle noch vom Mitgliedsbeitrag für sich die Hälfte mindestens zurückbehalten! Nun ja, das mag schon gehen, dann muß eben im einzelnen mit den Gruppen verhandelt werden, wieviel sie weniger bezahlen. Das müssen wir halt dann auf irgendeine andere Weise aufbringen. Brauchen werden wir es trotzdem. Aber als Norm kann nur angegeben werden dieser gewissermaßen minimale Betrag, den wir brauchen, unter den heruntergegangen werden kann bis - es wird sich schon selber in der Praxis machen, man kennt diese Dinge -, bis zum Verschwindungspunkt. Es kommt sehr häufig bis zum Verschwindungspunkt. Aber ich hoffe, es kommt auch nach der anderen Richtung bis zur Carnegieschen Höhe, also die Asymptote nach dem Unendlichen zu! Aber jedenfalls ist das der Vorschlag, den ich in einem engeren Kreise habe machen wollen. Der engere Kreis hat ja auch nicht gerade gleich seine Zustimmung gegeben. Aber ich glaube doch, daß die meisten mittlerweile eingesehen haben, daß das nicht anders geht. Denken Sie - die Staaten machen es ja auch so -, ich kann nicht ein Budget aufstellen und jeden einzelnen Steuerzahler befragen: Wieviel kannst du bezahlen? — Das macht man nicht. Wir haben allerdings keine Zwangsgewalt, um die Dinge einzubringen, wollen es auch nicht, selbstverständlich, denn Freiheit muß bei uns sein, aber wir müssen sagen, was wir brauchen. Und deshalb bitte ich Sie, darüber sich zu äußern, wenn sie wollen, oder wenigstens darüber abzustimmen, ob Sie damit einverstanden sind im allgemeinen, im Prinzip, daß der Mitgliedsbeitrag 12 S beträgt; wobei durchaus verhandelt werden soll mit dem Einzelnen, so weit herunterzugehen, als es im einzelnen Falle notwendig ist. Das mußte ich zunächst erörtern, wenn überhaupt über diese Sache gesprochen werden soll. (Beifall)
Mademoiselle Sauerwein sagt, daß von Frankreich diese 12 S gegeben werden, weil sie eben notwendig sind, und bittet nur, zu sagen, bis zu welchem Zeitpunkte es geschehen soll.
Dr. Steiner: Der Zeitpunkt wird nur eine Sache der Amtsführung sein. Wir werden in der allernächsten Zeit — weil das ja auch schon wegen der Kürze der Zeit hier nicht mehr gehen würde - eine Geschäftsordnung an die einzelnen Gruppen ergehen lassen, und darinnen werden wir uns ja äußern, wann diese Beträge bezahlt werden können. Es braucht das durchaus nicht etwa zu gleicher Zeit zu geschehen. Auch darüber wird sich ein Modus finden; man wird Abkommen treffen können, wann die eine oder die andere Gruppe nach ihren Bedürfnissen und Möglichkeiten bezahlt. Drücken werden wir schon ganz gewiß nicht. Wünscht nun jemand gerade zu dieser Frage des Mitgliedsbeitrages das Wort?
Mr. Pyle schlägt vor, sofort die Zustimmung auszudrücken zu diesem Punkt, daß die 12 § jedes Jahr zusammengebracht werden, weil es eine absolute Notwendigkeit ist.
Dr. Steiner: Es ist der Vorschlag gemacht worden, daß wir unmittelbar jetzt abstimmen über diese Frage des Mitgliedsbeitrages. Wünscht jemand zu diesem Antrag, der ein Geschäftsordnungsantrag ist, das Wort? - nur zu diesem Antrag, nicht zu der Frage. Wenn das nicht der Fall ist, bringe ich den Antrag jetzt zur Abstimmung. Ich bitte diejenigen Freunde, die dafür sind, daß mit der angegebenen Modalität der Mitgliedsbeitrag von 12 S als ein Normalbeitrag erhoben werden soll, die Hand zu erheben. (Es geschieht.)
Diejenigen Mitglieder-Freunde, welche dagegen sind, bitte ich, ebenfalls die Hand zu erheben. - Nun, es scheint ja gerade über diese Frage eine herzliche Übereinstimmung zu herrschen.
Wir sind damit nur bei einer Unterbrechung angelangt gewesen, ich wollte eigentlich die Frage an den Schluß der heutigen Tagesordnung stellen, aber sie ist ja damit erledigt, und wir können nun fortfahren in der Tagesordnung, falls jemand noch das Wort erbittet zu dem Wiederaufbau des Goetheanums oder zu demjenigen, was Herr van Leer vorgeschlagen hat.
Mrs. Merry meldet sich zum Wort.
Dr. Steiner: Wünscht sonst jemand zu dieser Frage das Wort?
Herr Koschützki berührt die Geldfrage, er hält Forschungsinstituts-Arbeiten am geeignetsten, um von Nicht-Anthroposophen Geld für das Goetheanum zu bekommen.
Dr. Steiner: Nur müssen diese Dinge in Zukunft stets vor die Welt in innigem Zusammenhang hingestellt werden mit der Anthroposophie. Man darf nicht wiederum den Glauben erwecken, als ob man einfach durch die äußerliche Wissenschaft irgend etwas machen wollte. Wir wollen in der Zukunft die Dinge nur so hinstellen, wie sie sich aus dem Zentralen der Anthroposophie ergeben. Da gibt es natürlich manches, was doch in einer solchen Weise vor die Öffentlichkeit getragen werden muß, wie es nicht geschehen kann dadurch, daß man Bilder bringt, denn die Bilder können höchstens das Übersinnliche versinnlichen. Aber wir sollen ja das Übersinnliche vor die Welt hinstellen. Das ist natürlich schwierig, schwieriger als das Sinnliche hinzustellen, doch es muß uns eben dieses gelingen. Nun, es wird schon gelingen, aber ich bitte Sie, ein Herz dafür zu haben, daß wir das Übersinnliche hinstellen wollen, und nicht durch irgend etwas anderes bloß wie durch eine Maske erscheinen lassen wollen. Das hat uns Unheil genug gebracht. Wünscht jemand weiter das Wort?
Herr Leinhas spricht über den Goetheanum-Aufbau und die Organisation. Er glaubt, daß mit Hinweis auf das Statut Freunde gewonnen werden können.
Dr. Steiner: Wünscht noch jemand das Wort?
Dr. Krüger spricht von persönlichen Eindrücken, von Mitempfindung dessen, was hier erlebt worden ist als Urgründung.
Dr. Steiner: Nun werde ich bitten, meine lieben Freunde, das Wort zu einem beliebigen Gegenstand zu ergreifen, von dem der eine oder andere noch wünscht, daß er besprochen werde.
Herr Geuter bemerkt in bezug auf die Zeitung «Anthroposophie» und die Artikel von Hern Steffen und Dr. Steiner, daß diese besonders wertvoll seien zur Verbreitung der Anthroposophie.
Dr. Steiner: Wünscht weiter jemand zu irgendeiner Frage das Wort?
Dr. Zeylmans spricht vom medizinischen Standpunkt. Es gibt wohl kein Gebiet, wo man so sehr eine Erneuerung braucht, wie das der Medizin. Die bei der Gründung der kleinen Klinik im Haag anwesenden etwa fünfunddreißig Ärzte waren am Schluß sehr begeistert gewesen von den Vorträgen. Man kann schon sagen, man möchte nicht anderes haben, aber mehr haben. Die bisherigen Vorträge waren großartig, aber man möchte nicht nur eine solche Brücke haben, sondern ein völlig neues Reich im Herzen gründen, damit es möglich werde, als Arzt zum Heiler zu werden, wie das früher war. Er begrüßt daher besonders die Gründung der medizinischen Sektion.
Dr. Steiner: Sie gestatten, meine lieben Freunde, daß ich über solche Fragen, wie die Gestaltung zum Beispiel der medizinischen Arbeit, wie wir sie uns denken, hier weiter im Anschlusse an meinen heutigen Abschiedsvortrag noch einige Worte anfüge. Ich werde das aus dem Grunde tun, weil ich diejenigen Freunde jetzt noch bitten möchte, die über das eine oder das andere ein kurzes Wort sagen wollen, dieses Wort zu ergreifen. Was ich selber Ihnen zum Abschied zu sagen habe, was ich zu sagen habe über solche Fragen, wie sie jetzt in so dankenswerter Weise von Dr. Zeylmans angeregt worden sind, werde ich mir erlauben, in Verbindung mit meinem Vortrag am Abend vorzubringen. Ich bitte also diejenigen Freunde, die noch zu einem kurzen Wort ihre Stimme erheben wollen, dies zu tun.
Lehrer Wullschleger spricht zur schweizerischen Schulfrage, hält eine Schule in Basel für unbedingt notwendig und bittet um Unterstützung in jeder Beziehung.
Dr. Steiner: Wir sind am Ende unserer Tagesordnung, oder sagen wir vielmehr: Es ist durch die Zeitverhältnisse geboten, daß wir am Ende unserer Tagesordnung angekommen sind. Zu unserer Befriedigung werden wir ja heute nachmittag - gerade an dem Tag, wo sich uns hier zum ersten Mal vom Nebenplatze aus das Trümmerfeld noch in den Flammen offenbarte -, wir werden gerade am Jahrestage dieses furchtbaren Tages hier zu einer freien Zusammenkunft um 4 Uhr 30 uns vereinigen. Es kann uns das ein ganz besonders lieber Gedanke sein, gerade heute zu einer solchen Zusammenkunft hier uns zu finden, wo es am intensivsten und besten und innigsten vielleicht dem einen oder anderen möglich ist, zu dem oder jenem in der Weise sich auszusprechen, wie es gerade an diesem heutigen TrauerErinnerungstag angemessen erscheinen muß, durch das Herz gefordert erscheinen muß. — Also um 4 Uhr 30 werden wir uns hier zu dem Rout versammeln. Um 8 Uhr 30 wiederum wird mein Schlußvortrag sein. Die behandelnden Ärzte, die praktizierenden Ärzte werde ich dann bitten, sich morgen um 8 Uhr 30 im Glashaus unten mit mir wieder zu vereinigen. Andere Ankündigungen werde ich mir erlauben, dann heute abend zu machen.
Dasjenige, was der eine oder andere noch zu sagen hat, wird ja jetzt nicht mehr gesagt werden können. Aber es ist ja auch schon das letzte Mal möglich gewesen, wenn man dies oder jenes Wort nicht bloß von Persönlichkeit zu Persönlichkeit, sondern im allgemeinen sprechen will, dies während des Routs zu tun. Und so kann man auch diesmal während des Routs von diesem Orte aus zu den Mitgliedern noch sprechen.
Sodann möchte ich bitten, daß diejenigen Freunde aus Deutschland, welche morgen um 10 Uhr 45 früh fahren wollen, die Hand erheben, damit von Dr. Wachsmuth festgestellt werden kann, wieviel Freunde morgen früh fahren wollen; ebenso diejenigen, die mit dem Abendzug fahren wollen, bitte ich, die Hand zu erheben. Das Dableiben geht nämlich nicht gut. Nur derjenige, der eine wirkliche Paßverlängerung erhalten hat, kann dableiben. Es geht natürlich nicht, daß künftige Veranstaltungen hier dadurch gefährdet werden, daß die Behörden wahrnehmen, daß ungefähr fünfzig Personen oder mehr später reisen, als eigentlich in Aussicht genommen ist. Wenn sich zu wenige melden, kann natürlich nicht für Extraplätze gesorgt werden. Dann möchte ich noch bitten, die nichtverbrauchten Eßmarken bei dieser Gelegenheit im Haus Friedwart abzugeben, und ferner möchte ich bitten, auch die Wolldecken, welche benützt worden sind, im Haus Friedwart abzugeben, weil wir sie für spätere Veranstaltungen wohl wieder brauchen. Dann bitte ich die Freunde, die ihre Pässe noch nicht abgeholt haben im Haus Friedwart, diese Pässe abzuholen, weil wir sie nicht brauchen können. Wir würden ja gerne meinetwillen für jeden Gast wegreisen, wenn es anginge. Dann ist noch aufmerksam darauf zu machen, daß morgen abend, um 7 Uhr, für diejenigen Freunde, die noch da sein werden, hier eine Eurythmieaufführung stattfinden wird. Es wird in dieser Vorstellung noch einmal «Olaf Åsteson» gegeben werden.
Reconstruction of the Goetheanum.
And I will take the liberty of adding a few words to what was said yesterday, and then I will give the floor to the esteemed friends who have asked to speak.
You will remember that I attempted to solve the design of the exterior of the Goetheanum as best I could at the time as an architectural problem. Admittedly, the speed with which it was demanded at the time that the building should be put on display made some things more difficult than they actually needed to be, but nevertheless I believe that at that time a design was found for the façade of the essentially circular building, a design for the doors, windows, cornices, and so on, which reflected the content of the Goetheanum to the outside world.
Now, the building should essentially have the effect that I tried to explain to you yesterday, not as a rotunda in terms of its floor plan, but as a building that is only partially round and partially angular. It will be necessary to find a modern style for these forms that is appropriate for the concrete material.
Such things always pose extraordinary difficulties. It is, of course, easier to work abstractly from the forms, so to speak, and then look for the material, than to accept the material as a necessary given and select the forms from the material, which are partly determined by the circumstances, by those circumstances that I described to you yesterday. Now, since we don't have time for anything else, I would just like to share with you one essential point, namely the shape of the portal and the windows, so to speak, in principle, so that you can see how we are now trying to apply the inner creative power that lay in the old form to the new form of the brittle concrete material.
I would like to achieve that — just as concrete demands when you have a flat roof that exerts a certain pressure on the eye with its sloping walls — I would like to achieve that this pressure is also absorbed by the eye through the portal and the window cornices, and I would like to achieve that at the same time, it also becomes apparent internally, spiritually, that one is dealing with something that receives one as a portal or that receives the light as a window in order to let it into the interior. But at the same time, I would like this form to reveal in a certain way how the Goetheanum should be a kind of protection for those who seek the spiritual in this Goetheanum. This will also have to be expressed in the portal. And so I would like the following to be revealed. [Facsimile see supplement 4, plate XT]
When the roof rises in this way, for example to the west, to the front, then I would like a kind of small form to appear first after this roof, growing out of it. I will record what appears to be monochrome here in different colors so that you can see it more easily.
This will protrude (green-yellow) so that when you stand at the portal, it will pass over the head of the person entering, if you stand directly at the portal when entering. Below it will appear a piece that could be considered part of the pentagram, but only a piece (reddish). The pentagram would only be complete below it.” And the whole thing will be supported by a structure that now recedes (blue). So that what you will remember as the rounded forms of the former Goetheanum will appear here in its angularity. So you must imagine that this is like a roof that extends further forward, recedes here, becomes visible in the background (light), and the whole thing is now supported by a column shape on the left and right, which has approximately the following form. So that this column or pillar simultaneously takes on this protective shape, which stands above the head of the person entering, thus on the one hand taking on this protective shape in such a form (orange-yellow), but at the same time supporting the roof through a corresponding shape that grows out of it.
And we will have the opportunity – precisely within this form, which is then to be applied to portals, side and main portals, as well as to the window formations – we will have the opportunity to really achieve a sense of balance in the external impression: so that one will see at the same time how the pressure load is taken up from above, but on the other hand the pillars will rise to support in a corresponding manner that which must be taken up from within, which is revealed.
In angular construction, the corresponding balance of supporting and load-bearing forces is what matters. If this is now transferred to an organic building, each member will also reveal its inner essence, which is such that the columns, which in the old building went from bottom to top, will have to be transformed in such a way that they develop, as it were, in the lower storey, on the ground floor, like roots, but of course in an architectural sense; and from this will then rise the real columns for the upper floor, which in turn will develop into supports for the whole. These will then complete the roof from the inside – which is not finished horizontally on the inside, but as conclusively as the dome was – in its forms. The pillars and columns will be transformed into supports, but at the same time they will also express what was to be expressed on the other side of the old Goetheanum by the rotunda.
Now you see: we will have to make sure that the forms are made as primitive as necessary, as suggestive as necessary, in order to carry out the construction in this form for about 3 to 3½ million francs. Then, once we have made this decision in a certain way – and I believe there is no other possible way – then we will hopefully be able to start construction quite soon, and the building will be able to be erected in a relatively short time, if the willingness of our friends to make sacrifices does not let us down, but continues to flow, as a new Goetheanum on the site of the old one, albeit in a much more primitive, much simpler form. I now give the floor to Mr. van Leer, who has asked to speak on this question.
Mr. van Leer would like to establish a World Goetheanum Association to finance the operation of the Goetheanum, similar to a World School Association.
Dr. Steiner: Yes, my dear friends, I do not believe that there is anything to be objected to in creating such a form of membership in a Goetheanum association or the like, within which one is not a member of the Anthroposophical Society. The question will arise, of course, as to what one can ask of such members. It will of course be very difficult to get members simply by telling people that they should pay money for the Goetheanum or for any of our other projects. But if, in the future, anthroposophy as such, as it is now represented here in Dornach, is indeed made more and more known in the world in an effective way, if people who do not immediately have the courage to become anthroposophists see that fruitful work is actually being done, based on anthroposophy and with anthroposophy, then it could be that people will be willing to become members of the Goetheanum Association. to become anthroposophists see that fruitful work is actually being done, based on anthroposophy and with anthroposophy, then it might be that if you say to people: Look, this is a spiritual movement; perhaps you have no interest in it yet, but let it mature, do something to encourage people to get involved, so that they can show what they can do! — it may well be that if one takes up what has otherwise been discussed here these days and carries it out into the world, then such an association as our dear friend van Leer has just envisaged may indeed be possible.
You must not forget that some of what is now in the statutes will necessarily be linked to the full publicity of the society. You will see that in practice a great deal will change. And when everyone understands what is involved in this public nature of the society, then it may well be that a form such as that proposed by van Leer can be found. We take this public nature very, very seriously. But on the other hand, we here at the Goetheanum, this Executive Council, will also take it very seriously that in future it will no longer be possible to work under a cloak, it will no longer be possible to work in such a way that one says: Yes, if you come to people with threefolding or with anthroposophy, then they don't want to know anything about you, but we can bring the matter to them. That is what has harmed us most in recent years and since the beginning, because it has really brought us into a sphere of untruthfulness. In the future, sincere and honest work for anthroposophy will be done in the most diverse areas of life from here, from Dornach, in full public view. Then people will also know what they are giving their money for. And I believe that if we work from this point of view, the form you have proposed will become possible; whereas it will never work if people say: Yes, what is it actually that we are supposed to be giving our money for?
That is what I feel I must say. I believe that the matter
would then have very good prospects. Does anyone else wish to speak on this question of reconstruction?
Miss X believes that eurythmy can show the public a great deal about what anthroposophy wants to achieve. She asks for pictures, eurythmy pictures and the picture of the doctor for publication in South America.
Mr. Monges hopes to arouse interest in America. “Americans have to see before they give.”
Dr. Steiner: Would anyone else like to speak?
Mr. Donner speaks about the financial situation.
Dr. Steiner: Would anyone else like to speak?
Mademoiselle Sauerwein asks whether the 12 schillings are for the Society or the Goetheanum.
Dr. Steiner: Since Mademoiselle Sauerwein has brought this question to the agenda, it is necessary for me to interpret what is being discussed here by sharing the following from the committee meeting that was held a few days ago among the general secretaries of various areas, together with the executive committee and representatives of the Swiss groups. It is necessary for me to present the result to you here. The point at issue is that the only item in the statutes that remained unresolved for the printing of the statutes can now be settled. We have adopted the statutes and left only this small point, the annual contribution for each member on the part of the groups, blank, because I said at the time that it would be best to discuss this point in a smaller circle for the time being.
At that time, I took the following point of view within this smaller circle. You see, anyone who is an anthroposophist – I want to put it this way, although what I say will of course be very debatable – anyone who is an anthroposophist does not think in illusions, but must think realistically, think realistically for the future too. You think realistically when you know that you need a certain amount for a particular purpose, when you can draw up a preliminary annual budget, so to speak, which then enables you to get by. It does not help us at all in financial terms to establish the Anthroposophical Society if we talk as much as possible about what the individual believes should be paid as an annual membership fee, but only if we say what we will need and how much we can expect to receive when what is needed is divided by the number of paying members. I have been dealing with this problem very thoroughly since the time when I decided, in agreement with the members of the Executive Council, whom I then had to describe as the right ones, to take over the chairmanship of the Anthroposophical Society myself. And I cannot help but say, based on what has become clear to me from this consideration: The only possible thing we can do is to set the amount that we need each group to pay for each individual member if we really want to run the Society here, which you yourselves have decided to do. And we have no choice but to set the membership fee that each group has to pay for each of its members at 12 shillings per year. That is only 1 shilling per month. Calculate for yourselves how terribly little that is per day! But we cannot manage without having the 12 shillings per year for each individual member. We could have done the opposite, couldn't we? I don't know if it would have been more dignified, but we could have done the opposite. We could have said at first: we need 12 S from each member, then we will establish the Anthroposophical Society. That might have been the more rational way. But as I said, it will only really be established if we have these 12 S annually.
Nevertheless, there are groups that don't even have that much in membership fees, and they all want to keep at least half of their membership fees for themselves! Well, that may be possible, but then we will have to negotiate with the individual groups how much less they will pay. We will just have to raise the money in some other way. We will need it anyway. But as a norm, we can only specify this minimum amount that we need, which can be reduced to – it will become clear in practice, we know these things – the point of disappearance. It very often comes to the point of disappearance. But I hope it also goes in the other direction to the Carnegie level, i.e., the asymptote to infinity! In any case, that is the proposal I wanted to make in a smaller circle. The smaller circle did not immediately give its approval. But I believe that most people have now realized that there is no other way. Think about it—the states do it this way too—I can't draw up a budget and ask every single taxpayer: How much can you pay? —You don't do that. However, we have no coercive power to bring things in, nor do we want it, of course, because we must have freedom, but we have to say what we need. And that is why I ask you to comment on this, if you wish, or at least to vote on whether you agree in general, in principle, that the membership fee should be 12 S; whereby negotiations should certainly be held with individuals to reduce the amount as far as necessary in each individual case. I had to discuss this first, if this matter is to be discussed at all. (Applause)
Mademoiselle Sauerwein says that France will provide these 12 S because they are necessary, and asks only that we specify by when this should happen.
Dr. Steiner: The timing will only be a matter of administration. In the very near future—because it would no longer be possible here due to the shortness of time—we will issue rules of procedure to the individual groups, and in them we will state when these amounts can be paid. This does not have to happen at the same time. A modus operandi will also be found for this; agreements can be reached as to when one or the other group will pay according to their needs and possibilities. We will certainly not exert any pressure. Does anyone wish to speak on this question of membership fees?
Mr. Pyle proposes that we immediately express our agreement on this point, that the 12 § be collected each year, because it is an absolute necessity.
Dr. Steiner: It has been proposed that we vote immediately on this question of membership fees. Does anyone wish to speak on this motion, which is a procedural motion? - Only on this motion, not on the question. If that is not the case, I will now put the motion to the vote. I ask those friends who are in favor of the membership fee of 12 S being levied as a normal contribution in accordance with the specified terms to raise their hands. (This is done.)
I ask those members who are against it to also raise their hands. - Well, it seems that there is cordial agreement on this question.
This has only been an interruption. I actually wanted to put the question at the end of today's agenda, but it has now been dealt with, and we can continue with the agenda if anyone else wishes to speak on the reconstruction of the Goetheanum or on what Mr. van Leer has proposed.
Mrs. Merry asks to speak.
Dr. Steiner: Does anyone else wish to speak on this question?
Mr. Koschützki touches on the question of money; he considers research institute work to be the most suitable way of obtaining money for the Goetheanum from non-anthroposophists.
Dr. Steiner: Only these things must always be presented to the world in the future in close connection with anthroposophy. We must not give the impression that we simply want to do something through external science. In the future, we want to present things only as they arise from the core of anthroposophy. Of course, there are some things that must be presented to the public in such a way that cannot be done by showing pictures, because pictures can at best make the supersensible sensible. But we are supposed to present the supersensible to the world. This is of course difficult, more difficult than presenting the sensible, but we must succeed in doing so. Well, we will succeed, but I ask you to have a heart for the fact that we want to present the supersensible and not make it appear through anything else, such as a mask. That has brought us enough misfortune. Does anyone else wish to speak?
Mr. Leinhas speaks about the construction of the Goetheanum and its organization. He believes that friends can be won over by referring to the statutes.
Dr. Steiner: Does anyone else wish to speak?
Dr. Krüger speaks of personal impressions, of empathy with what has been experienced here as a fundamental foundation.
Dr. Steiner: Now, my dear friends, I would ask you to speak on any subject that one or the other of you still wishes to discuss.
Mr. Geuter remarks, with regard to the newspaper “Anthroposophie” and the articles by Mr. Steffen and Dr. Steiner, that these are particularly valuable for spreading anthroposophy.
Dr. Steiner: Would anyone else like to speak on any question?
Dr. Zeylmans speaks from a medical point of view. There is probably no field in which renewal is as badly needed as in medicine. The approximately thirty-five doctors who were present at the founding of the small clinic in The Hague were very enthusiastic about the lectures at the end. One can already say that one would not want anything else, but more of the same. The lectures so far have been wonderful, but one would not only like to have such a bridge, but to establish a completely new realm in the heart, so that it becomes possible to become a healer as a doctor, as it used to be. He therefore particularly welcomes the founding of the Medical Section.
Dr. Steiner: My dear friends, allow me to add a few words on questions such as the organization of medical work as we imagine it, following on from my farewell lecture today. I will do so because I would like to ask those friends who would like to say a few words on one or the other point to to take the floor. What I myself have to say to you in parting, what I have to say about such questions as have now been so gratefully raised by Dr. Zeylmans, I will take the liberty of presenting in connection with my lecture this evening. I therefore ask those friends who still wish to say a few words to do so.
Teacher Wullschleger speaks on the Swiss school question, considers a school in Basel to be absolutely necessary, and asks for support in every respect.
Dr. Steiner: We have reached the end of our agenda, or rather, it is necessary due to time constraints that we have reached the end of our agenda. To our satisfaction, this afternoon—on the very day when we saw the field of ruins still in flames for the first time from the adjacent square—we will gather here for a free meeting at 4:30 p.m., on the anniversary of that terrible day. It can be a particularly dear thought to us to find ourselves here today for such a gathering, where it is perhaps most intense, best, and most heartfelt for one or the other to express themselves in the manner that seems appropriate on this day of mourning and remembrance, that seems required by the heart. — So at 4:30 p.m. we will gather here for the routine. At 8:30 p.m. I will give my closing lecture. I will then ask the attending physicians, the practicing physicians, to join me again tomorrow at 8:30 p.m. in the glass house downstairs. I will take the liberty of making other announcements this evening.
What one or the other still has to say will no longer be able to be said now. But it was already possible last time to say this or that, not just from one person to another, but in general, during the meeting. And so this time, too, it will be possible to speak to the members from this place during the meeting.
I would now like to ask those friends from Germany who wish to leave tomorrow at 10:45 a.m. to raise their hands so that Dr. Wachsmuth can determine how many friends wish to leave tomorrow morning; likewise, I ask those who wish to take the evening train to raise their hands. Staying behind is not a good idea. Only those who have obtained a genuine passport extension can stay behind. It is of course not acceptable for future events here to be jeopardized by the authorities noticing that around fifty people or more are traveling later than originally planned. If too few people register, it will not be possible to provide extra seats. I would also like to ask you to hand in any unused meal tickets at Haus Friedwart, and I would also like to ask you to hand in any wool blankets that have been used at Haus Friedwart, as we will probably need them again for future events. I would also ask those friends who have not yet collected their passports from Haus Friedwart to do so, as we have no use for them. We would gladly travel away for every guest, if possible. Then it should be noted that tomorrow evening at 7 o'clock, for those friends who will still be here, there will be a eurythmy performance. In this performance, “Olaf Åsteson” will be performed once again.