The Rudolf Steiner Archive

177

To Marie Steiner in Berlin
Thursday, December 6, 1923

Dornach, December 6, 1923 My dear Mouse!

With regard to Meyer, I agree with everything you have done and continue to do in this matter. Even if he resigns immediately, I believe that after everything that has happened, we have to accept this and continue to tell him what is necessary. So you are completely free to do as you see fit.

The things you write are all terrible. And I regret that you have to go through all this. Most of all, that you are being held in Berlin for so long. But Meyer didn't have an easy time in Berlin either. Because basically, as big as the branch is, he is faced with nothing but zeros. Or, as for Büttner, people who, because of their rashness, are the same as zeros. Of course, you still have to form a new board with these zeros. There is no other way. But it cannot be assumed that these people, such as Münch, will achieve anything. Meyer is an unconscious schemer, a bottomless babbler, and — whatever his first lecture may have been like — he doesn't really understand the true basis of any of the things under consideration. He has not been scientifically educated in the real sense either. But he prattles with superficial knowledge; and he has acquired airs in speaking that the “scientists” believe are similar to theirs. That is why people listen to him. Basically, he is even more harmful as a lecturer than as a chairman. Of course, that doesn't mean that he is still useful as a chairman. He should leave as soon as possible after the way he has behaved now. But the others are not useful either. But where can we work with useful people at all? I am certainly pleased that you are writing good things about Dr. Unger. He is now making every effort. And I want to be the first to recognize this. But he is not suited to lead the Anthroposophical Society in the sense that it has now become through the anthroposophical movement, even though he, when he does get somewhere, says the things that had to be drummed into him in countless sessions. That is enough for a few lectures, but no more. It would only go further if it were backed by real independent thinking. But that is not the case either. Yet I regard all this as my official secret.

Only things backed by strength have a real effect. This is the case where, as in speech courses, eurythmy and other things, real things are given. That is why I am very happy that you have had such great success with the speech course and that you have been able to put together a eurythmy performance so quickly. Of course, the Anthroposophical Society is necessary for all of this. But it will decay if new blood does not flow into it. It will not flow in as long as those who are in have a deterrent effect. People will not come from outside. Nevertheless, there is nothing else to be done but to work with the people who are there and, when people become as dubious as Meyer, to simply get rid of them.

Regarding the matter of the book warehouse in Berlin. I agree with this; I only ask you to consider whether the Rath'sche Buchhandlung is not a continuation of the Judge-Theosophers Rath ⁷¹. I cannot know that. If that were the case, it would seem to me to be quite questionable. But a book warehouse should be in Germany. And the question would have to be considered, if Rath-Schmidt is not suitable, whether one would not want to give the warehouse to the Kommenden Tag-Verlag in Stuttgart only on commission. But if it were possible, Rath would be better.

We will do the Christmas play rehearsals. The performance in Schaffhausen is scheduled. If it is possible to still perform here during Advent, then it shall be done.

I will refrain from using the eurythmy room as a mass accommodation, according to what you write. I am also thinking that the hall, which is just becoming usable, will be very necessary for eurythmy rehearsals. But I foresee that the Brodbeck House will not be completed in time, no matter what Aisenpreis ⁷² promises. I can only count on what I see myself. But now, because of the books, I have been nurturing a plan, which I am also submitting to you by telegraph. If it should be necessary to have a permanent book storage facility, I could have a shed built right away at the Goetheanum. It could be built next to the greenhouse, facing up towards the path to the carpentry workshop. It could be ready by the time the books arrive here, even if that is not until the beginning of January. You will think the plan is fantastic. Otherwise, it could indeed happen that it would be difficult to find space for the books when they arrive while we have to be in Hansi's house. I am thinking that the shed will be the permanent storage place and that Hansi's house will later be the office and shipping rooms. But of course I will only do so if you agree and if the book storage can be insured. But you can be sure that I will find space for the time when the books cannot yet be in Hansi's house, whatever happens. I just dread the fact that then everything has to be moved from the storage place to Hansi's house.

Once again: I am saddened that you were held up in Berlin for so long and had so many unpleasant experiences; but I am pleased that the speech therapy course went so well.

I only suggested the matter of the eurythmy room to you because, as I said, I am not dealing with it now, because for the time being no one here really knows how to accommodate the fantastically large number of participants. From Germany alone, 200 people are registered, and there is no accommodation for any of them yet, not to mention the fact that we don't have any money to pay for the accommodation of those who do not pay. And yet, everything now depends on the Christmas event on the anniversary of the fire being a worthy one, also in terms of the number of participants. If that is not the case, I think it would be best not to build at all anymore. After the bitter meetings in London and The Hague ⁷³ It can still go well here; but we must do everything we can.

Warmest regards, Rudolf Steiner

• 71. The follower of the Leipzig Society that Rudolf Steiner had in mind was called Paul Raatz.
• 72. Ernst Aisenpreis (1884-1949), member since 1908, from summer 1914 leading architect on the two Goetheanum buildings.
• 73. At the founding of the English and Dutch national societies in September and November 1923. (GA 259).

178

Johanna Mücke to Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Thursday, December 6, 1923

Berlin, December 6, 1923

Dear Dr. Steiner, Dr. Steiner, who is carefully reviewing all of your work, has asked me to convey a few things to you, which I now do with my best regards.

Mr. Rath, the leader of the local independent anthroposophical movement, who is a bookseller by profession, has conceived the plan, in conjunction with Mr. Sommerfeld, who strongly supports young people, to rent the rooms of the publishing house; he himself has no shop, and to take some of the books from us so that the anthroposophical writings can continue to be bought here.

At the same time, the young anthroposophists want to use the rooms for their conferences, since the use of the library rooms upstairs has run into difficulties because the residents of the building complain about the noise caused by the numerous gatherings of so many young people.

Whether it will be possible to get the publishing house premises for this purpose is something the gentlemen would first have to try, it would be nice if they could remain for anthroposophical purposes. It would hardly be a matter of so many books, since Mr. Rath is a young beginner. Miss Gertrud Hoffmann, a very loyal and intelligent member who has also helped us here for some time, wanted to take over the sale in the branch. It is the lady I told you about, who was so forceful in her previous position that one did not recommend the opponent writings there in the magazine, without any idea of anthroposophy. She would then sell the cycles etc. in the branch.

Dear Doctor, would you agree to this if the wishes of the youth could be realized?

Furthermore, would it be in line with your wishes if delivery for Germany were to be transferred to the bookshop for the book trade, or possibly also for delivery to outsiders, or would difficulties arise there? If you could share your wishes with us regarding all these things, it would be a great help. With best regards and wishes, always in grateful admiration, yours

Johanna Mücke

Postscript from Marie Steiner

I believe that Mr. Rath does not want to buy small stocks at all, but rather to do what Miss Mücke is asking for here for the coming day. Judge Theosophical Bookstore is Paul Raatz not Rath.

179

Telegram to Johanna Mücke in Berlin (template)
Friday, December 7 (or 8) 1923

Do not negotiate with the young people about the book sale before the letter arrives. Steiner

180

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Friday, December 7 or 8, 1923, from Berlin

L. E., thank you for your telegram,⁷⁴ which I have just received and answered. With Nina Leskoff ⁷⁵ the situation is the same as with Zaiser and Büchenbacher. If Dr. Wegman is of the opinion that she can play the piano for the eurythmists without harming her health, then one could risk it as you suggest. If she only stays for eurythmy, she should know that after a certain time she will have to make room for someone else or possibly be where she can learn the most. Perhaps it should be put to her in these terms and keep her on.

Perhaps you have confused Rath with Raatz. I have never heard that he sells Theosophical books, but I will ask him. I find the young people's idea of continuing their work in the old rooms of the publishing house very appealing. I would have liked to hear from you how much we should let them have; (they would probably take the shelves as well). And I have no idea how to proceed with the payment method. Should someone come to you, quickly?

Meyer probably realized that his situation was becoming impossible. Unger spoke to him on the last evening and Meyer said that he would go back to his school at Easter and that he admitted he had no talent for administration; he would resign as chairman in order to be able to work more as a lecturer. He seemed to think that we were considering Walther and was amazed that we had Münch in mind. But he went straight to Münch and told him the same thing. Unger had told him to also tell me his decision (“so that he wouldn't change his mind”). But he still hasn't done it. Räther was with me, who thought he should also withdraw, but now wants to stay, since I said that it would be much better if he supported Münch. Gantenbein wants to withdraw for a while to come to terms with himself. — Räther, however, unfortunately told me that Meyer now wants to stay on the board until Easter after all; that is bound to be disastrous, and it seems to me, also different from what he told Unger. He is also supposed to say that he only wants to resign his office in the hands of Dr. Steiner, from whom he received it. His clique, especially Frau v. Moltke, who is enraged for him, think that Walther and Selling will be put forward again.

Frau v. Moltke wants her notes. I found four notebooks. Should I give them to her?

• 74. Not in the estate.
• 75. Nina Leskoff (died 1980), later married for some time to the painter Emil Schweigler.

182

Telegram from Dornachbrugg to Marie Steiner
Postmark: Berlin W30 10.12.23 11V

Book sale at Rath's good. How much can only be determined based on previous sales volumes. Payment method not negotiable, but agree with other young people. If necessary, next day delivery can be made in Germany. Greetings, Steiner

183

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Monday, December 10, 1923, from Berlin

Dec. 10.

L. E., I think I really must end my stay in Berlin. I plan to leave on Friday the 14th. I will then have to spend Saturday in Stuttgart to inspect the house. I hope they haven't stopped building there, otherwise where would I put all the furniture! I hope to travel to Dornach on Sunday. I will travel with Walther. I want to prepare everything so that the final transport can be arranged without me. Of course it is unfortunate that both Walther and the Sellings will be in Dornach at the same time. I will ask Sam and Miss Drescher to direct the work in the upper rooms, while Muck is directed to the lower rooms.

Tomorrow, Meyer wants to resign from his position at the branch evening on the grounds that he has to return to school work and does not feel talented for administrative matters; he has not been to see me. If the matter now becomes complicated and I still have to have endless discussions with people, it could be that I do not leave until Sunday. Then I would telegraph on Thursday. Is it true that you are also coming to Stuttgart for school? I will be so happy when the time comes.

183a

new page, probably a continuation of the previous one.

Mrs. v. Moltke asked me for the notebooks with her notes; she claims that one is still missing from a series, a black wax cloth notebook that you still wanted to look at, and a folded piece of paper with her husband's handwriting. Of course, I did not find these two items. Instead, I found a number of notebooks with the records of the manifestations of the spirit Emanuel.⁷⁶ El. Moltke's handwriting, and on the title page “Property of Dr. Steiner”. What should I do with it? If I give it to her, future generations will have documents from which it can be proved that Dr. Steiner received his research results through a mediumistic channel from a spirit. So should I bring it with me or destroy it? Is it any different from what is in a printed book?

I have cleared out the blue cupboard and put together all the letters that had an old-time character from Vienna; all the notebooks that exist; even most of the letters from the Berlin period. Now there is a bound pile of old magazine manuscripts; ⁷⁷. Can I destroy that? And lying in a mess between the letters, pages of old manuscripts; I would like to make them disappear too – is that possible?

On the blue shelf, down in the cupboard compartments, there are piles of letters, receipts, etc., tied up neatly. Should I pack the piles in their tied units in boxes, as they are? Should they then go to Dornach or to Stuttgart, where no customs duties would have to be paid?

What should I do with the M.E. memoirs that are lying under a black cloth in a file basket? ⁷⁸ of which nothing should ever be spilled? (S..., A..., Mercury?) Should I hand it over to Selling as it is or bring it with me?

Thanks for the letter. Yesterday, ⁷⁹, bombarded me with her obsession about Meyer from 6:30 until almost 11. Today, Münch is coming; more later.

Kind regards, also to Waller and the 3^{,80 [Fräulein]. Marie}

Couldn't Käthe [Mitscher] manage a letter? I'm wondering.

• 76. See Rudolf Steiner's answer in Letter No. 186.
• 77. Rudolf Steiner published the “Magazine for Literature” from July 1, 1818 to September 29, 1900.
• 78. See note on no. 42 and the preliminary remarks for 1906.
• 79. Margarethe Krause, a member of the Göttingen group from 1914 and in Berlin from 1920
• ,^{80. Helene Lehmann, Helene Dubach, Olga Zibell.}
⁸⁰

183b

To Rudolf Steiner (for Tatiana Kisseleff)
probably an appendix to No. 183

I am very sorry that I will not be able to organize the Christmas performances as I would have done if I had been in Dornach throughout December. But since there is so much material, I hope that something decent will come of it. I am counting on “Olaf Åsteson” ⁸¹ (Kiss.[Kisseleff]) and “The Disciple” — most of the newly acquired material and some repetitions. “Die Sonne schaue“ ⁸² This time I ask Savitch ⁸³ and her Solovjoff; ⁸⁵ - “Epiphany” by Heredia ⁸⁵ and the other French sonnet (desert) ⁸⁶ could also be repeated; the Christmas sayings... Could we have a new Steffen? “The Holy Supper“, ⁸⁷ from 'Wegzehrung'. Page 101. Savitch should have the central figure there; Kisseleff perhaps the angel, the three animals: De Jaager,⁸⁹ Baravalle,⁹⁰ Spiller; the scorpion — Simons. It would be great to have another strong Steffen.

Did Savitch get a new sound-eurythmy number? She asked for it so much.

Hopefully everything will work out after all; it could also be that I leave here on Saturday.

Please give this sheet to Mrs. Kisseleff with warm greetings and appropriate preparations. Hollenbach ⁹¹ She will no doubt have some Christmas performance to present.

Since we are not moving yet, one could say Bogo ⁹², that I am Miss ⁹³ I would like to let her stay at the Brodbeck house with the others.

Warmest regards, Marie

• 81. The Dream Song of Olaf Åsteson, Norwegian folk poetry. See “Truth-saying” GA 40, 8th edition 1998, and GA 158.
• 82. A saying by Rudolf Steiner, see ‘Sayings’, GA 40.
• 83. Marie Savitch (1882-1975), from St. Petersburg, eurythmist, member since April 1913, met Rudolf Steiner in 1913 at the cycle in Helsinki, worked at the Goetheanum from 1920, head of the eurythmy group at the Goetheanum from 1926 to 1972.
• 85. Vladimir Sergeyevich Solovjoff (1853-1900), “Immanuel”, translated by Marie Steiner.
• 85. Jose-Maria de Heredia (1842-1905), French poet.
• 86. Sonnet by Albert Samain: Le Repos en Egypte, which was performed on December 26, 1923 in Dornach.
• 87. Poems by Albert Steffen
• 88. Albert Steffen (1884-1963), Swiss poet, joined the Theosophical Society in August 1910 in Munich and moved to Dornach in 1920. When the weekly journal Das Goetheanum was founded in 1921, he became its editor. From May 1922 he was General Secretary of the Anthroposophical Society in Switzerland. At Christmas 1923, he became the second leader of the General Anthroposophical Society and head of the Section for the Literary Arts and Sciences of the School of Spiritual Science. From Christmas 1925, he was the first leader of the Society.
• 89. Isabella de Jaager (1892-1979), a member from February 1914 in Paris, one of the first eurythmists in Dornach, later working as a eurythmy therapist.
• 90. Elisabeth (Ilse) v. Baravalle (d. 1987), later Mrs. Kimball, August 1920 member in Vienna, eurythmist, first in Dornach, later in USA. Simons: Friedel Simons, eurythmist.
• 91. Johanna Hendrika Hollenbach (1880-1950), joined the Berlin branch from the South African section in January 1912, was a eurythmist in Dornach for many years.
• 92. Nina Bogojavlenskaja (died 1945), eurythmist.
• 93. Gertrud Pütz, member since May 1920, eurythmist in Berlin, who apparently wanted to come to the Christmas Conference in Dornach.

184

Telegram from Dornachbrugg to Marie Steiner
Postmark: Berlin W30 11.12.23 11V (Tuesday)

I agree to the moving arrangements. Rath's matter is good, but details from here cannot be overlooked. Do not return Emanuel booklets, bring them with you or burn them. If possible, send letters here, otherwise at your discretion. Send the relevant items to Selling in the most secure way possible. Rehearsals for the Christmas plays are going well. Performance on Sunday in Schaffhausen. Greetings Steiner.

185

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach, approximately
Tuesday, December 11, 1923, from Berlin

We have a huge mountain of< Futur> future issues; should this be thrown on the floor or added to the pile of old paper that someone will pick up?