The Life and Work of Rudolf Steiner
Preface
When Rudolf Steiner's autobiography, The Course of My Life, was cut short by his death on March 30, 1925, he had dealt only in an introductory manner with the period of culminating fruition in his career—the opening quarter of the new century. The fascinating account of the development of an original and creative life from childhood into its fourth decade ended abruptly, leaving veiled in silence the later achievements which crowned those of the earlier decades. Looking back over the whole duration of sixty-four years, one is deeply impressed with a realization of the loss humanity would have suffered if this unique individuality had left no record of his inner and outer evolution and creative achievement from childhood through youth and into middle life, but one realizes also how great the loss for the future would be if no record should exist of the epoch of fully achieved life-mission. It is profoundly fortunate, therefore, that a gifted student of Rudolf Steiner, in close association with him during the final stages of his life, has found it possible to compose a richly detailed narrative of the culminating quarter-century not set forth in the autobiography. For all who will wish seriously to acquaint themselves with one of the most notable personalities of the modem world, this biography will be of inestimable value.
The career with a part of which this volume deals falls conspicuously into two phases. In important degree, the prolonged period from birth in 1861 to the end of the century was a period of preparation. This can be stated, however, only in the light of the unparalleled significance of the succeeding stage. For the phase of preparation was marked by notable intellectual achievement. The original and creative scholarship even of early youth established the position of the young author among the most notable Goethe specialists. The ground for this established reputation is manifest in Goethe the Scientist, a translation of his brilliant interpretive introductions to all of Goethe's scientific writings available in the 'eighties of the last century. His own writings before the beginning of what we venture to call the phase of full fruition of his career would of themselves have made him an outstanding figure in the contemporary intellectual world:—The Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe's World Conception; his own theory of knowledge, Truth and Science, which placed proper boundaries around the area of application of Kant's Critique of Pure Reason; the fundamental philosophical work which sets forth in a new light the nature of man's inner capacities of thinking, feeling and volition, translated into English under the title The Philosophy of Spiritual Activity, which lays a firm foundation for the conviction that the human will is potentially free; the deeply penetrating outline of the evolution of human thinking from the early Greeks to the contemporary age in Riddles of Philosophy. Yet even such achievements in creative thinking proved later to be preparatory—a living and germinal preparation—for the final quarter-century of this career.
This life-mission began to come into the light of day with the appearance of Christianity As Mystical Fact, in 1902—Christianity as fact, not tradition, and as fact which can be experienced in a state of genuine cognition akin to the mystic state of consciousness which is one of feeling alone. This life-mission was to deal in a deeply penetrating and intimate manner with man as spirit—embryo, offspring, nursling of the universe of spirit—and with this spirit universe. It is with the flowering of this activity in the spiritual education of humanity that the biographer, Guenther Wachsmuth, deals—drawing upon much direct experience and abundance of impressive material.
When Rudolf Steiner's life came to a close, he had been widely known in Europe for almost a half-century—at first among scholars and thinkers, then for two decades almost universally. His tireless activity in lecturing had left its intellectual and spiritual impression in almost every city of the continent, and also in England. During the later years, thousands of earnest seekers after truth and light on problems of the individual and the social life had thronged the halls where he spoke. It is not surprising that the first edition of this competent biography was soon exhausted and a second required, from which the present translation is made. It is gratifying to be able to present this rendering to the English-speaking world.
The long-continued and expansive European interest in the subject of the biography called for a richly detailed account of the quarter-century set forth. Upon suggestion of the author, the English translation has been somewhat compressed, but as nearly as possible without the sacrifice of any essential content.
Since the translation is intended to meet the interest of readers and students unfamiliar with the German language, all titles of books and lectures, and with few exceptions also the names of organizations and institutions, are presented in English even in instances where no translations of published items are available. It is regretted that, in thus smoothing the road of the reader, we unavoidably cause inconvenience to the serious student. One who may wish to obtain published items mentioned in the biography would do well to indicate in ordering the page in this volume where the English title is given. This will facilitate determination of the original item if there is no translation available.
O.D.W.
April 1955