The Rudolf Steiner Archive

204

To Marie Steiner on the subject of eurythmy
Thursday, October 9, 1924

Goetheanum, October 9, 1924

My dear Mouse,

Of the proposed Steffen pieces, I have so far only managed to transform two into forms; but I will continue to try. With the others, difficulties arise: if you do them solo or with just a few people, then you need a lot of form invention; and if you do a lot of people from the outset, then a travel program is of little use to you.

I am also sending with this shipment what I forgot yesterday for the Christmas message: clothing and lighting.

But I really can't add much poetry to all this now, because I just had to take another load of castor oil; it's the most hideous thing, even to smell, and certainly the most unpoetic thing. But all forms were created before the oil.

One just last night; the other this morning.

I just happened to have a slightly better night and that makes me feel much better today. But the time after the very painful treatment for my boils (in the evening around 7 with the help of Dr. Noll) is not a particularly good one. In any case, you have to imagine that the treatment that has become necessary causes much more pain than the original ailments, which are, however, doing their thing quite wildly in the abdomen. But – believe it, my dear mouse, there is a little progress – especially since this night.

Warmest thoughts and wishes forever, Rudolf

Wegman sends her warmest regards; she says: You wouldn't believe that I'm still really sick if I keep making these forms. But of course she's happy that I'm making them and is doing everything she can to make sure I can do them.

Dr. Rudolf Steiner, Goetheanum, Dornach near Basel
Switzerland, Canton Solothurn

205

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy trip
Thursday, October 9, 1924, different version

Goetheanum, October 9, 1924

My dear Maus, of the suggested Steffen pieces, I have so far succeeded with the two that I am sending here. I have considered all the suggestions; but there are some difficulties. You need a lot of inventiveness in terms of forms if you want to do these new Steffen poems with few people or even as a solo; and with many people, you are probably not helping the travel program.

Yesterday I forgot clothing and lighting in the Christmas poem; I am sending this along with it.

I will therefore try for more forms. But now, m. I. M., it is not quite easy to unfold poetry: I just had to take a load of castor oil – that is probably the most awful – even the smell – and in any case the most unpoetic.

After a good night's sleep, better than any previous night recently, today is a good day.

But I made all the forms before the castor oil treatment.

Frau Wegman sends her warmest regards; she is pleased when I can work in bed, for example, making the forms.

The treatments that are now necessary are really difficult; and when the hoids of Wegman and Noll have been treated in the evening, I am really quite exhausted. This is a treatment that cannot be carried out without causing the most severe pain.

With warmest thoughts and best wishes

Rudolf Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Goetheanum, Dornach near Basel
Switzerland, Canton Solothurn

206

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Thursday, 9 October 1924

Barmen, 9 October.

Dear E., So it's been decided then, then, about Berlin! Hopefully it is only a sign of a firm intention to overcome the illness in this way, not of a slow recovery. I know how difficult such a decision is for you. That is why it has not been made in time. But now it must be carried out all the more thoroughly, the resting and gathering of strength. Hanover went well. There was so much clapping that one corner of it was irritated. One does not know whether it is the devout or the opponents. At the internal performance, it was the daughter of the former Chancellor Michaelis, who did not want to clap out of devotion. At the public performance, however, von der Decken said that six “coffee house aesthetes” had discussed bringing the matter “to a head”. He would then have sat down with several friends behind their chairs; in the end they would have become tame. That is what gives the eurythmy travels in Germany the somewhat enervating tension. One must reckon with the fact that an attempt will be made to tip the thing over. There are always some symptoms of opponents digging around.

We now have a hall that is modern and elegant, but of course not as pleasant and effective as a theater. The Wittensteins have made every effort to prepare everything accordingly. I am staying here with them and several others.

The program: ²⁹ is now quite effective after all; but the tone eurythmy predominates. I couldn't do it any differently; to keep the interest level high until the end and to avoid costume changes, it had to be done like this: Larghetto (Händel), Seele fremd. — Fahrt bei Nacht. -— Davidsbündler. - Vernichtung oder Verjüngung - Pugnani. Etude Chopin. Herbst, Steffen. Allegro, Tartini. Then: Romanze, Brahms. Gärtner, Mörike. Schön Rotraut. — Intermezzo, Brahms. Gavotte, Bach. Allegretto, Beethoven. “Das Huhn”. Fasching, Schumann and humoristic Rondo. We will now take this around with us to Berlin and also afterwards. In Berlin, the second performance will be of “Johannisnachtstraum”. I no longer count on Donath; I can no longer pay the others well and she would not find anything satisfactory anymore. - But I will ask Stuten to come to Berlin with his music, -— if we are still left in one piece until then. Savitch is an interesting Oberon. At least the most interesting among our forces. Do you find its length annoying? It condenses a lot when it wants to.

Now that we are practicing the newly added scenes, we feel the need to go further and to also create a eurythmic version of the quarrel scene between Oberon and Titania. With another Oberon, I wouldn't have even dared to think about it because it would have remained colorless. With Savitch, you can think about it. What do you think?

Our ladies are happiest when they can do the “Laying of the Foundation Stone” ²⁹. And the religious were delighted with it. They had just come from their consecration ceremony with communion and felt it was the right continuation. In Berlin it is to happen twice.

The Hass-Berkow people run,³⁰ They are already jumping and running on a square that they have been given for it. I had initially talked our Berliners out of it, because I thought that you would make the first statements about it, and I also wanted to be there. But perhaps they will be able to start this on their own, if Wachsmuth shows them a place to do it?

Do you actually see people other than those who care for you? We have been gone for ten days now; time is beginning to feel quite long to me. - Many thanks for the letters and all our love and best wishes from

Marie

• 29. Larghetto by Handel from the 4th violin sonata / The soul is a stranger... – Journey by night (Christmas): poems by Albert Steffen / Davidsbündler dances by Robert Schumann / Annihilation or rejuvenation: Poem by Robert Hamerling / Pugnani-Kreisler, Prelude / Etude by Chopin in E major / Autumn: Poem by Albert Steffen / Allegro by Tartini / Romanze, F major by Johannes Brahms / The Gardener and Schön-Rohtraut: Poems by Eduard Mörike / Intermezzo by Johannes Brahms / Gavotte from the Orchestral Suite in D major by Joh. Seb. Bach / Allegretto from the piano sonata in C sharp minor by Beethoven / The chicken: Humoresque by Christian Morgenstern / Carnival: from Carnival prank from Vienna, by Robert Schumann / Humoristic Rondo: by Max Schuurman.
• 29. meditation saying by Rudolf Steiner, see “Mantric Sayings”, GA 268.
• 30. Gottfried Haaß-Berkow (1888-1957), actor and director, member since January 1913. In September 1924 he took part in the Drama Course with his acting group, whose members then mostly joined the Goetheanum stage ensemble. He later became artistic director of the Württemberg State Theatre.

207

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy trip
Saturday, October 11, 1924

Goetheanum, October 11, 1924

My dear Maus, I have managed to create two pieces from Steffen; I hope you will like them, because I have put a lot of effort into them. One is intended as a group, the other as a solo. I have been looking for ways to shape the latter, but so far I have not been able to find one.

Thank you very much for your kind letter, through which I get a picture of your work here in my forging. Oh, that's a role I really don't fit into at all.

The daily H.oiden operations are not comfortable at all, they hurt like hell; but they have really made a lot of improvements. But nothing can be done quickly.

In addition, anthroposophists seem to talk so much nonsense about my illness; again versions are being raised that are only likely to cause bad blood. Even poor Father Trinchero ³¹ is associated with the matter.

Now I will be forced to say a few words here on the bulletin board to explain the matter as it really is:

First of all, one calculates what one is capable of achieving during the courses; that is then a maximum; now there have been many courses recently. This resulted in an excess of energy expenditure due to external demands that had not been calculated. And that was precisely what caused the physical collapse, despite the extremely active and easy handling of all the other limbs of my human existence. It is all so clear; but unfortunately clarity must be experienced in things that are not right for me.

My dear Maus, you ask who I see, apart from the people who are caring for me. But you see, that is precisely what I have to be careful about. All contact with people exhausts me terribly.

So nothing else is possible than this: Dr. Wegman and Dr. Noll are my nurses; Olga comes to bring things and tidy up; she is proving to be extremely good. Mieta Pyle looks in once or twice a day to see if there is anything to be done. Then I see only Steffen, if necessary, to ensure that the Goetheanum magazine is progressing properly; then Aisenpreis, and, if necessary, Binder. ³² Even Dr. Wachsmuth has not yet been allowed in by me; he has to bring things and Dr. Wegman then gives them to him.

Yes, you see, my illness must be taken into account as things progress. Therefore, we must wait until I am able to instruct the gymnasts in wrestling and jumping.

My dear Maus, but don't worry about me; everything that can happen is happening; and you can't get any better than I am going to get. It's just that the care is uncomfortable and the treatment painful. It is not a pleasant hour when the two doctors have to treat the ear infection in the evening. But all things considered, things are going well.

And now the assurance that your endeavors are in our warmest thoughts. I hope to hear more from you. I can see from your kind letter how many difficulties you are facing. May things continue to go well.

With warmest wishes, Rudolf Dr. Rudolf Steiner Goetheanum, Dornach near Basel, Switzerland, Canton Solothurn

• 31. Padre Giuseppe Trinchero (1874-1936), Catholic priest from Genoa. translated Rudolf Steiner's writing “Friedrich Nietzsche, a fighter against his time” into Italian.
• 32. Theodor Binder (died 1947), member since July 1906, 1919-1927 active in the administration of the Goetheanum building.

208

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy trip
Sunday, October 12, 1924

Goetheanum, October 12, 1924

M. l. M. I have now found another Steffen poem that has become half solo, half group; I think it could be quite unique on stage.

We have just received the news that the elder son of Count Keyserlingk has had an accident while hunting and has been shot in the eye by a grain of shot. It is a very bad story.

I am impatient about the long duration of my care, but unfortunately I have to realize that things cannot be done differently at the moment. But you can be calm: at least it is going well enough not to be dissatisfied.

I follow your path with thoughts - and send you the warmest thoughts and greetings, Rudolf

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Goetheanum, Dornach near Basel
Switzerland, Canton Solothurn

209

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy journey
Monday, October 13, 1924

Goetheanum, October 13, 1924 M.l.M.

Now I don't know whether you can be satisfied to some extent with what I have done about Oberon-Titania; ³³ I have tried hard; but it is difficult to add to something like this from the middle when the ‘before’ and ‘after’ are not so vividly present in the soul. But perhaps something beautiful has emerged; in keeping with the style, it certainly seems certain to me. So I also did the scene on p. 31 with the note.

I really liked doing the things from Steffen that I did. I also don't think that any of them would have turned out differently if I had assumed that you were doing them all for the first time; I assumed that about most of them anyway. After all, where would I have found the time and energy to practise things during the journey. I just thought that you needed one or the other to correct the program. There is basically only one correct form for a poem.

But now the telegrams about the great successes have arrived – Hamburg in particular seems to have been extraordinary. I am so glad that the strength, effort and health that is put into it is at least taking root in human hearts.

Mrs. Wegman sends her warmest regards; she was so happy about the successes. She would write a few lines about my illness herself; but she can see that I am writing it myself.

I had a better night this time and that is very good. I am impatient; but I also have to be satisfied with the slow progress. The treatment is just one that tires me quite a bit.

And now, once again, my warmest thoughts for the rest of your journey and for everything. All my best wishes, Rudolf

Greetings to all.

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Goetheanum
Dornach near Basel, Switzerland, Canton Solothurn.

• 33. Form for the quarrel scene “Badly we meet in the moonlight...” in Shakespeare's “Midsummer Night's Dream”, Act 2, facsimile p. 423. For more details, see: “Eurythmieformen”, Volume VII, GA K23/7.

210

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy trip
Wednesday, October 15, 1924

Goetheanum, October 15, 1924

M.l.M. If the program in front of me is right, you will arrive in Kiel today. You will find my letters everywhere. And I am still stuck in bed because the treatment does not allow otherwise and can only follow your journey with the warmest thoughts.

My only concern now is that people in Berlin will pester you with my failure to respond to the official letters from the relevant educational association. Now I must say that the more I think about this matter – and I have a lot to think about lying here – I only believe that I would have been on my best behavior with the invitees; and there would have been some kind of trap in which these letters would have been caught. Well, the way things have turned out with my physical condition, nothing would have come of it in Berlin anyway; but if it were possible to tell the people that I think some kind of nasty thing is going on and I apologize to the people if it looks like I've been very naughty, that would be good if asked. If no one asks, you can let things slide.

Rudolf Meyer from Berlin just sent a short note in 2½ lines saying that he had married a Miss – I think – Kamzsch [Kamisch] in Stuttgart.

Wegman and Noll have a lot to do with my “treatment”; and I have to endure a lot of pain from the treatment and now feel how I am not at all set up to devote hours to my own care.

M. l. M., I already told you some time ago that since January 1923 the connection of the higher parts of my being with my physical body was no longer complete; in the life in the spiritual I lost, as it were, the direct connection with my physical organization. Not with the physical world. On the contrary, my ability to make sound judgments about it became ever stronger and more comprehensive. But precisely because everything in the spiritual realm, including the physical world, went without the slightest deviation, the opposing forces are trying it on the physical body. Hopefully I can soon say goodbye to the bed, which is not comfortable at all for the day. I would be very happy. But I have no intention of doing any excesses for the time being.

I sent the treatment of the Oberon-Titania scene to Lübeck. Hopefully you will find it there. I think I can also address this letter to Lübeck, since the directory shows that you will be there until the 19th.

I was delighted to hear about your success in Hamburg and Hemsoth's telegram. I have not yet heard anything from Bremen.

Now Olga is only taking this letter with her today (the 16th); so I am sending it to Berlin instead of Lübeck. — I hope Oberon-Titania reached you.

My warmest thoughts for all the places you visit.

Rudolf

Greetings to all!

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Goetheanum, Dornach near Basel
Switzerland, Canton Solothurn

211

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Sunday, October 12, 1924

Hamburg, Oct. 12, 1924 Dear E.

this will probably have been the most brilliant performance of this journey. The house was sold out, it is very large and has been spruced up a lot since the war. The carpet, for example, was so beautiful that all our colors and lighting looked twice as beautiful on it as usual. Everything went smoothly, even the members didn't do anything stupid. Werbeck tried very hard and made us very aware of this; but everything worked perfectly. Opponents did not move.

Mrs. Hemsoth is very gracious and very happy that everything is working out. So everything would be fine right now if it weren't for the worry about you, and the thought that you have to endure so much pain because you tore yourself apart for people. Münch ³⁵ Both Münch and Räther have written to me. They are very shocked but want to work all the harder. They do not think they can get rid of the Philharmonie Hall yet and want to try to organize other events. They also ask for me to give the language course in addition to the eurythmy performances. I really don't know if I should do that, because in addition to the two public performances, there are to be two internal performances, and these place heavy demands on the vocalists. I have to learn the second public performance from scratch, with the Oberon scenes and a new Mörike in the first part, and I have to speak the somewhat clumsy German Shakespeare text myself at rehearsals to make sure it goes smoothly. But such mass courses, with so many dreadful voices, take away my strength.

Recently, when I sent you the Reclam sheets for the Titania scene, I left the last one lying around. I am now enclosing it with this letter. It contains the conclusion of the scene that is hardly relevant for now: Titania, the elves and Zettel.

We will also be giving the internal performance in Hamburg, on October 21, on the return trip from Lübeck, at the Kammerspiel Theater, at 5 p.m., with two rehearsals, on October 20 and 21 at 8 a.m. That is the less attractive theater where we were the first time.

Bremen, Oct. 15, 9 a.m.

Yesterday we had the performance here. It was a large hall without any lighting options, but there was great enthusiasm and a lot of young people. Over 1000 people after all. Miss Münch now lives in Bremen and works as a eurythmy teacher. So it was worth doing the thing, but we were only prepared for lighting. Now it's off to the car and to Kiel.

Hamburg

We stopped here at the Hemsoths to eat and to get directions out of the city and north from the local chauffeur. Of course, a city like Hamburg is the hardest thing for Meyer. But he is careful and doing quite well. After dinner, we continue immediately. Today it is foggy after a period of glorious sunny weather. The air is very good and also helps to get over the migraine I had this morning when I got up.

I think of you and everything you give to the world a lot; it is so unspeakable that you can't even finish thinking about it.

All my love, Marie.

• 35. Münch: Charlotte Münch (died 1975), eurythmist, sister of Martin Münch, member since October 1912.

212

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy tour
Saturday, October 18, 1924

Goetheanum, October 18, 1924

M.l.M. I am pleased to hear that things went well in Bremen too, despite the lack of lighting, and that Ms Hemsoth is taking good care of you. Today you are in Lübeck, according to the program. So there is still a performance in Hamburg on October 21. Interest seems to be very high, which is very encouraging.

I will continue to follow your work with the best thoughts I can send you.

As for myself, I can only say that things are slowly improving; I have to be satisfied with the fact that, in agreement with Wegman and Noll, I have happily come to the conclusion: today I look much better. So that is the case. But the daily treatment continues. The thing is that while it was certain that I should be in the Philharmonie Hall in Berlin, I will still have to be treated here.

But don't worry about anything else. I have to keep writing you this. The matter is not really in the style in which I actually want to live and work; but as far as care is concerned, everything is being done as it can be done. Mrs. Wegman gives all her time and energy; and Dr. Noll does everything possible to help us move forward.

So I send you my warmest thoughts. Thank you very much for the news from Hamburg and Bremen. I

send you my warmest greetings,

Rudolf

Greetings to everyone!

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Goetheanum, Dornach near Basel
Switzerland, Canton Solothurn

213

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Saturday, October 18, 1924

Lübeck, October 18, 1924

Dear E.

Unfortunately, Clason has forgotten the last two telegrams in the hustle and bustle of her business. But you should now have received the letter from Bremen. In Kiel, a laboriously achieved lighting solution had been set up. The hall was better than in Bremen, large and bare, but the stage was decent. The hall holds 1,300 people and there were about 800 people there, with a very small membership. It was a good reception. During the comic pieces (in the second part), it seemed as if some ladies were giggling unkindly, but that was lost in the applause. I had some concerns when I saw the lost grandeur of this city, which still has a large university. Perhaps it was also quite good that we did not have the big theater. Here in Lübeck we have a wonderful theater. One is only anxious about the attendance at the matinee, because the theater evenings are also poorly attended, and the Strauss-Pfitzner performances as well.

We still have nice car rides, which are very refreshing after the other exertions. It is always amazing how diverse Germany is. Holstein is so very different from the area around Hamburg. There would be a lot to see in Lübeck if one had the time and energy. This morning I let myself be tempted by a few things, but I fear the consequences of exhaustion, and therefore I have to be briefer in my writing than I would like to be.

I am so grateful and almost embarrassed that I find a letter from you everywhere.

I am already working a lot with the forms, copying, distributing and living into them. — The quarrel scene with Oberon and Titania will help us a lot. In Kiel, I was able to get the stage of the trade union building for a rehearsal on Friday morning, and there we were able to draft the second Berlin public program. — Whether we can manage the scene with Titania, Zettel and the elves, I cannot yet know. We would also need Stuten as a note, and it seems to me rather risky to risk something like that without your review. But I will try. So stupid that the one leaf from the book that I sent you recently was missing. When I divided the text into the form, the form just coincided with the text I sent. But the last bit seems to demand something new.

It is fatal to expect such a patchwork from you, and it was really only due to necessity. I would have liked to have drawn all the forms and sent them to you. But where to find the time?

I feel that a little more is needed to make the story of the enchantment really memorable. We now have the quarrel scene, the order given to Droll to pick the flower. Droll leaves (page 20, act 2, scene I) and Oberon should still be able to dance:

"If I only
the juice, I'll, when she sleeps,
Titania overhear, and in her eye it drop.
What she at once beholds, when she awakes,
Be it a lion, bear, a wolf, or bull,
A pert and curious little monkey,
She shall pursue it with her loving mind.
And before I release her from this spell,
As I can with another herb,
She must leave me her squire.

That seems to me to be quite necessary. Isn't it?

Monday, October 20.

Now the performance in Lübeck was also a success. The very beautiful theater was not full, but it was still quite well attended. In any case, we had the best-attended house here in a long time. The Strauss and Pfitzner festival was a flop for the directors; they had poorly attended houses and large losses. The reception was very friendly, without any antagonism; even the actors behind the scenes were very friendly. In the afternoon we took a trip to a megalithic tomb, which was actually more massive and imposing than the Cromlech's we saw in England. Mr. Meyer will probably ask at the next workers' lecture how people were able to lift such stones back then.

Now we are going to Hamburg, where we have the Michaeli program tomorrow at 5 p.m. in the Kammerspiel Theater. This morning we were able to arrange a rehearsal here in the theater hall. From 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. tomorrow morning, we will have the dress rehearsal in Hamburg. Then we will go to Berlin, some on Wednesday, some on Thursday, and rehearse the Midsummer Night's Dream. I wonder how Stutens music will fit into all of this! I'll have him come to Berlin now.

Warmest regards, I hope you are in less pain now. Marie.

On Friday we will have a rehearsal at the Lessing Theater for the first public program.