The Christmas Conference
GA 260
Part III. Conclusions and Appendices
1 January 4:30 p.m., Dornach
Rudolf Steiner's Words of Welcome to the Social Gathering
These words of welcome were taken down in shorthand by Helene Finckh. The gaps at the beginning arose because, as the greeting had not been announced, it took her by surprise.
... on the occasion of this painful anniversary ... at such a crowded gathering I imagine that out of this grave mood the minds and souls of our anthroposophical friends must find one another in personal conversation. We need it, my dear friends. There will always be a need in our Society for human being truly to find human being, for heart to find heart, and for soul to find soul. But we need it particularly here where we have to gather in this makeshift room while directly next door stand the remains which so painfully remind us of what we endeavoured to have as an external sign for our sacred cause. It seems to me that each one of us must feel the urge this afternoon to find an opportunity in many directions to speak his or her mind about the pain and the sorrow, but also, in contrast, to fire the development and unfolding of the hope, courage and strength that we shall need for the future. Though spoken out of heartfelt sorrow, may these words, my dear friends, serve as a starting, point for many and varied fruitful exchanges amongst us as anthroposophical friends this afternoon. May it be so!
Rudolf Steiners Begrüssungsworte Beim «Rout»
Diese Begrüßungsworte wurden von Helene Finckh mitstenographiert. Die Lücken zu Beginn erklären sich dadurch, daß sie, da die Begrüßung nicht offiziell angekündigt worden war, mit dem Mitschreiben nicht gerechnet hatte.
... Wir haben heute hierher gebeten, um uns bei dieser schmerzlichen Jahreserinnerung ... bei einer solchen beengten Zusammenkunft stelle ich mir vor, daß ganz aus einer solch ernsten Stimmung heraus die Gemüter und Seelen anthroposophischer Freunde in persönlicher Aussprache sich finden müssen. Wir brauchen das, meine lieben Freunde, wir brauchen es ja immer, daß wirklich in unserer Gesellschaft Mensch den Menschen findet, Herz das Herz findet, Seele die Seele findet. Wir brauchen es aber insbesondere hier, wo wir in diesem so notdürftigen Raume uns zusammenfinden müssen und in unserer unmittelbaren Nachbarschaft haben dasjenige, was so schmerzlich erinnert an das, was wir versuchten, als äußeres Zeichen für unsere heilige Sache zu haben. Und ich meine, es müßte eines jeden Bedürfnis von uns sein, am heutigen Nachmittag die Möglichkeit zu finden, nach den verschiedensten Seiten hin sich auszusprechen über den Schmerz, die Trauer, aber auch im Gegenteil sich anzuregen, Hoffnung, Mut, Kraft, die wirfür dieZukunft haben wollen, zur Entwickelung und zur Entfaltung zu bringen. Das, meine lieben Freunde, möchte ich, allerdings ausschmerzbewegtem Herzenheraus, als die ersten Worte gesagt haben, als die ersten Worte, die Ausgang bilden sollten für recht vieles, das fruchtbar unter uns anthroposophischen Freunden heute Nachmittag gesprochen werde. Möge das so sein!
Rudolf Steiner's welcoming remarks at the “Rout”
These welcoming remarks were stenographed by Helene Finckh. The gaps at the beginning are explained by the fact that, since the welcome had not been officially announced, she had not expected to be taking notes.
... We have asked you to come here today to commemorate this painful anniversary ... at such a small gathering, I imagine that the minds and souls of anthroposophical friends must find each other in personal conversation, in such a serious mood. We need this, my dear friends, we always need it, that in our society, human beings truly find other human beings, hearts find other hearts, souls find other souls. But we need it especially here, where we must gather in this makeshift space and where, in our immediate neighborhood, we have that which so painfully reminds us of what we tried to have as an outward sign of our sacred cause. And I think it should be the need of each and every one of us this afternoon to find the opportunity to express ourselves in many different ways about the pain, the grief, but also, on the contrary, to inspire hope, courage, and strength, which we want to have for the future, to develop and unfold. That, my dear friends, is what I would like to say, with a heart moved by grief, as my first words, as the first words that should form the starting point for much that will be fruitfully spoken among us anthroposophical friends this afternoon. May it be so!