The Christmas Conference
GA 260
Part III. Conclusions and Appendices
Conclusion by Marie Steiner
by Marie Steiner to the First German Edition of 1944
THE WORK that now began, without the interruption of even a single day, was at first devoted to medical knowledge; its scientific aspect had to be filled full of genuine spiritual forces; the esoteric work for which the younger doctors were so intensely striving had to be deepened, so that the loving will and the healing will that requires so much selflessness in the practice of caring for the sick could be unfolded.
On 2 January 1924 the third of the lectures to doctors was given. [Note 81] And also on 2 January the course of eight lectures [Note 82] to younger doctors and medical students began; it continued till 9 January.
The evening lectures brought contemplations of the destinies of inner spiritual life between the ninth and the end of the twelfth century. Rosicrucianism and Modern Initiation is the title of the cycle running from 4 to 13 January. [Note 83] In the final lecture we are led from the principle of Rosicrucian initiation up to the mystery of modern initiation and the beginning of the Age of Michael. A lecture given to members on 18 January [Note 84] is of particular importance. It gives a concise account of the coming into being of the Anthroposophical Society, from its beginnings, through the war years and right up to the completion of the building in Dornach. In opposition to the institutions being founded chiefly in Stuttgart, and to the work of scientists who join the Society in considerable numbers, there arises the will to destroy it held by a well-organized coalition of opponents. The gauntlet is thrown down when the Goetheanum is burnt to the ground, and finally we come, in view of the newly created world situation to the new founding of the Society as the General Anthroposophical Society.
The question now demanding an answer of us is: How can Anthroposophy be represented before the world? That lecture of 18 January culminates in this question. It also gives us a greater understanding of the coming inauguration of the Classes. And in order to provide a firm basis for the spiritual schooling to be striven for, nine lectures give new aspects of a deeper penetration into the nature of Anthroposophy, made possible only by the work of many years, under the modest title of Anthroposophy—an Introduction. [Note 85]
At the same time in Das Goetheanum began the series of what came to be called Dr Steiner's Letters to Members. In these he endeavoured to awaken and strengthen people's sense of responsibility for the forming of the life of the Society and of what went on in the different branches. They have recently been republished in the little book Life, Nature, and Cultivation of Anthroposophy. [Note 86] From this foundation Dr Steiner goes on to what he describes as the special fields of the different Sections at the Goetheanum. In the first few essays, under the title ‘The School of Spiritual Science’, he turns first to the promotion of the medical work with which he was at that time particularly concerned. Then he goes on to the tasks of the young people who search with such yearning for a spiritual view of the world. The perennial conflict between the generations, particularly strong at the time, is thoroughly examined. Youthful impetuosity, now emerging to the full rather exuberantly and immaturely amid the strife within the Society, is given an orderly field of work in the newly to be founded Section ‘for the Spiritual Striving of Youth’. There follow other brief discussions.
Since a new edition of these essays has been long awaited, this seemed the appropriate moment to bring it out as a continuation of the proceedings of the Christmas Foundation Conference. So the next private publication under the title of The Constitution of the School of Spiritual Science [Note 87] will contain in the main those essays as well as Dr Steiner's lectures of 18 and 30 January and an address given on 3 February. They treat of questions of dividing up the School into Sections and of the special significance of belonging to the Class.
Nachwort
von Marie Steiner zur 1. Auflage 1944
Die Arbeit, die nun einsetzte, wiederum ohne Unterbrechung auch nur durch einen Tag, war zunächst der Heilkunde gewidmet, der Durchpulsung ihres wissenschaftlichen Aspektes mit realen geistigen Kräften, der Vertiefung der von den jüngeren Medizinern intensiv erstrebten esoterischen Arbeit, um den Liebewillen und Heilwillen in der so viel Selbstlosikeit fordernden Praxis der Krankenpflege zu entfalten.
Am 2. Januar 1924 fand der dritte der für Ärzte gehaltenen Vorträge statt. Am 2. Januar begann auch der bis zum 9. Januar für jüngere Ärzte und Medizinstudierende gehaltene Kursus von acht Vorträgen.
Die Abendvorträge brachten Betrachtungen über die Schicksale des inneren Geisteslebens in der Zeit des beginnenden 9. bis zum Ende des 12. Jahrhunderts. «Mysterienstätten des Mittelalters» ist der Titel dieses zwischen dem 4. und 13. Januar gehaltenen Zyklus, der uns, im abschließenden Vortrag, von dem rosenkreuzerischen Initiationsprinzip zu dem Geheimnis der modernen Einweihung und dem Anbruch des Michaelzeitalters führt. Ein Mitgliedervortrag des 18. Januars ist von besonderer Bedeutung als knapp zusammenfassende Schilderung des Werdegangs der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft, von ihren Anfängen, durch die Kriegszeit hindurch bis zur Fertigstellung des Baues in Dornach: Den vor allem in Stuttgart begründeten Institutionen und dem damit verbundenen Wirken von Wissenschaftern, die der Gesellschaft in beträchtlicher Zahl beitreten, stellt sich entgegen der Vernichtungswille einer wohlorganisierten Koalition von Gegnern. Es folgt dieser Kampfansage der Brand des Goetheanums und, im Hinblick auf die neugeschaffene Weltlage, die Neubegründung der Gesellschaft als Allgemeine Anthroposophische Gesellschaft.
Die Frage, die sich nun fordernd vor uns stellt, ist: Wie soll Anthroposophie vor der Welt vertreten werden? - In dieser Frage gipfelt jener Vortrag vom 18. Januar. Er bringt aber auch nähere Aufschlüsse über die bevorstehende Klasseneinrichtung. Um damit die erstrebte geistige Schulung real zu fundieren, wird von neuen Aspekten aus, in neun Vorträgen, ein durch die Arbeit vieler Jahre erst ermöglichtes vertiefteres Eindringen in das Wesen der Anthroposophie gegeben, unter der bescheidenen Bezeichnung: «Anthroposophie, eine Einführung».
Zu gleicher Zeit hatte im Mitteilungsblatt die Serie der sogenannten Briefe oder Ansprachen Dr. Steiners «An die Mitglieder» begonnen. In diesen versuchte er das Verantwortungsgefühl für die Formung des Gesellschaftslebens und den Betrieb in den einzelnen Zweigen zu wecken und zu stärken. Sie sind uns im Neudruck erhalten in dem Büchelchen: «Das lebendige Wesen der Anthroposophie und seine Pflege.» Von dieser Grundlage aus geht Dr. Steiner über zu dem, was er als das spezielle Arbeitsfeld der verschiedenen Sektionen am Goetheanum näher charakterisiert. In den ersten Aufsätzen, die unter der Bezeichnung «Freie Hochschule für Geisteswissenschaft» geschrieben wurden, widmet er sich zunächst der damals ihn besonders beschäftigenden Förderung der medizinischen Arbeit, dann aber den Aufgaben der eine geistige Weltanschauung so sehnsüchtig suchenden Jugend. Es wird der immer wieder eintretende, aber jetzt besonders stark vorhandene Konflikt zwischen der alten und jungen Generation eingehend beleuchtet. Dem auch innerhalb der Gesellschaftswirren sich etwas überschwenglich und unreif auslebenden Jugend-Ungestüm wird nun ein geordnetes Arbeitsfeld geebnet in der neu zu begründenden Sektion «für das Geistesstreben der Jugend». Es folgen noch einige weitere kurze Besprechungen.
Da schon lange nach einem Neudruck jener Aufsätze gefragt wurde, scheint jetzt der Moment gekommen, ihn als Fortsetzung der Weihnachts-Verhandlungen erscheinen zu lassen. So wird denn der nächste Privatdruck unter dem Titel: «Die Konstitution der Freien Hochschule für Geisteswissenschaft» im wesentlichen jene Aufsätze und die Vorträge Dr. Steiners vom 18. und 30. Januar, auch eine Ansprache vom 3. Februar, enthalten. In ihnen werden die Fragen der Gliederung der Hochschule in Sektionen behandelt, und es wird auf die besondere Bedeutung der Zugehörigkeit zur Klasse hingewiesen.
Afterword
by Marie Steiner to the 1st edition, 1944
The work that now began, again without interruption for even a single day, was initially devoted to medicine, to infusing its scientific aspect with real spiritual forces, to deepening the esoteric work intensively pursued by younger physicians in order to develop the will to love and the will to heal in the practice of nursing, which demands so much selflessness.
On January 2, 1924, the third of the lectures held for doctors took place. On January 2, the course of eight lectures for younger doctors and medical students also began, lasting until January 9.
The evening lectures brought reflections on the fate of inner spiritual life from the beginning of the 9th century to the end of the 12th century. “Mystery Sites of the Middle Ages” is the title of this cycle, held between January 4 and 13, which, in the concluding lecture, leads us from the Rosicrucian principle of initiation to the mystery of modern initiation and the dawn of the Michaelic age. A members' lecture on January 18 is of particular importance as a concise summary of the history of the Anthroposophical Society, from its beginnings, through the war years, to the completion of the building in Dornach: The institutions established primarily in Stuttgart and the associated work of scientists, who joined the Society in considerable numbers, were opposed by the destructive will of a well-organized coalition of opponents. This declaration of war was followed by the burning of the Goetheanum and, in view of the new world situation, the re-establishment of the Society as the General Anthroposophical Society.
The question that now confronts us is: How should anthroposophy be represented to the world? This question is the focus of the lecture given on January 18. However, it also provides more detailed information about the upcoming class structure. In order to provide a real foundation for the desired spiritual training, nine lectures, based on new aspects and made possible by many years of work, offer a deeper insight into the essence of anthroposophy, under the modest title: “Anthroposophy, an Introduction.”
At the same time, the series of Dr. Steiner's so-called letters or addresses “To the Members” had begun in the newsletter. In these, he attempted to awaken and strengthen a sense of responsibility for the formation of social life and the work of the individual branches. They have been preserved for us in a reprint in the booklet: “The Living Essence of Anthroposophy and Its Cultivation.” From this basis, Dr. Steiner moves on to what he characterizes more closely as the specific field of work of the various sections at the Goetheanum. In the first essays, written under the title “Free University of Spiritual Science,” he first devotes himself to the promotion of medical work, which was of particular concern to him at the time, and then to the tasks of young people who were so eagerly seeking a spiritual worldview. The recurring, but now particularly acute conflict between the older and younger generations is examined in depth. The youthful exuberance, which is sometimes expressed in an exuberant and immature way, even within the turmoil of society, is now being given an orderly field of work in the newly founded section “for the spiritual striving of youth.” A few more brief discussions follow.
As there has been a long-standing demand for a reprint of these essays, the time now seems ripe to publish them as a continuation of the Christmas lectures. The next private publication, entitled “The Constitution of the School of Spiritual Science,” will therefore essentially contain those essays and Dr. Steiner's lectures of January 18 and 30, as well as an address from February 3. They deal with questions of the structure of the school into sections and point out the special significance of belonging to a class.