| 261. Our Dead: Address at the Cremation of Georga Wiese
11 Jan 1924, Basel |
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| And this love, this loyalty, this wonderful warmth of heart, it radiated from Georga Wiese to such an infinitely beautiful extent that everyone who met her felt how beneficial and at the same time how deeply understanding this togetherness could be. We were privileged to get to know Georga Wiese in her native environment, to which she wanted to convey the spiritual life with such zeal and such an understanding gaze from her beautiful soul. |
| Outwardly, she had the most faithful care in the hospital and from the understanding doctor, and in this respect I was deeply satisfied when I was able to speak to her doctor myself during a visit shortly before her death. |
| I had to leave Georga Wiese in a state of deep concern. My dear mourners, if one understands the spiritual underpinnings of the human being while he is still on earth, one may only strive with strong, powerful thoughts to say that he will, he will be healthy. |
| 261. Our Dead: Address at the Cremation of Georga Wiese
11 Jan 1924, Basel |
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My dear mourners! First of all, I would like to address my dear sister and dear brother of the dearly departed and then all of you, my dear mourners, who were united in loyal love with the one who has left us in the physical world. At the mortal remains of our friend Georga Wiese, we stand in the soul's eye, the eternal spirit going to light heights from us. Dear Georga Wiese!
And memory presents you to us:
And as a reminder, the spiritual vision stands before us:
My dear mourners! When I put myself in Georga Wiese's dear soul, then these words resound in this dear soul:
My dear mourners! Deeply moved and filled with sorrow, we stand at the mortal remains of our dear friend Georga Wiese, looking up to her soul as it rushes off to the spiritual realms that she sought with such earnest striving during her earthly existence. And we know that she will be united in the future with those spiritual forces with which she united during her earthly existence out of such warm and active striving. We see what her spiritual existence will be like: a continuation of what has already been spiritually alive in her heart, in her soul, in her spirit here on earth. And we remember, my dear mourning assembly, every dear hour that united us with Georga Wiese, because these dear hours were always filled with active participation and with earnestly placing ourselves in the spiritual world. It was always filled, so it may well be said, by each individual who stood opposite Georga Wiese; it was always filled, this hour of being together with Georga Wiese, by the heartfelt conviction: You are standing opposite a dear, a loyal, a heart-warming person. And this love, this loyalty, this wonderful warmth of heart, it radiated from Georga Wiese to such an infinitely beautiful extent that everyone who met her felt how beneficial and at the same time how deeply understanding this togetherness could be. We were privileged to get to know Georga Wiese in her native environment, to which she wanted to convey the spiritual life with such zeal and such an understanding gaze from her beautiful soul. We got to know her in her loyal attachment and love for the country, for which all of us who were privileged to be up north felt the most heartfelt love, and we saw it, and we were allowed – at least a large part of us – to work in this Nordic, rocky, sea-washed, divinely interwoven land, which presents itself so beautifully and majestically to one, and upon entering which one can believe that the hard rocks speak a hard but inwardly spiritualized language. And one comes to love this country. And one comes to love it especially when one is favored by fate to find such dear people in it, like Georga Wiese and those around her. We took the most heartfelt interest in how the dear mother had preceded us into spiritual lands, and we wanted to witness how expectantly and understandingly this dear mother would now receive her precious daughter. We saw Georga Wiese lovingly in the midst of the Nordic circle that had become dear to us. We saw her surrounded by a number of like-minded people. And my eye could not detect anyone who was not devoted with sincere love to the devoted soul of Georga Wiese. And much, much of what we were able to achieve in that country, where we are so happy to work, has been made possible by the sacrifice of Georga Wiese. Do we still need much to recall in our hearts today, in these days of mourning, all the love that we had to feel for the dear departed over a long period of time, because earthly love could only be a reflection of the intimate, active, sacrificial love that came from her. The union with Georga Wiese was beautiful, and the beauty of this earthly union will be the seed for the spiritual union, which we must enter because Georga Wiese entered the spiritual realm before us. For it is a beautiful image that arises in the soul when we imagine ourselves in the Nordic country. We found warmth, the warming rays of sunshine in our hearts through Georga Wiese. And it was always a beautiful thought, it was always a warm feeling to be able to say to ourselves, within the work in the Nordic country, Georga Wiese will stand by our side with all that she can be. That, my dear mourners, will no longer be here on earth; but we know, we hope, we long for it in our hearts, that we will remain united all the more deeply and intimately for all time with the soul of the one who united with us in a friendship of the spirit out of such a free and devoted will. And today we remember with sorrow, with deep sorrow, with deep pain, that we will never again be able to look into those loving eyes, that we will never again be able to feel the blissful closeness. But we look up to the light of the heights, to the worlds of spiritual life, with which Georga Wiese has united, and to which we want to send our warm thoughts again and again and again, so that she may find the thoughts that are sent down to us from these bright spiritual heights, thoughts that protect, warm and help us. And we digress from the image that has led us up to the Nordic homeland, and we look to the building that we tried to build the spiritual life here in the vicinity, which a bad, sad fate has snatched from us; we know how much has been snatched from it as well as from our dear friend. But we saw her over the years, when she repeatedly came to the Goetheanum in Dornach, as if seeking a home, and we see her in everything that had to be done, working faithfully and in close understanding. We see the hundreds of hands and the hundreds of hearts that worked and beat for what was happening at the Goetheanum, and we saw, among them, the beautiful enthusiasm that Georga Wiese brought back from the Goetheanum in Dornach, working there with a mild soul, a whole, mild personality in the light of love. It was beautiful, glorious, and almost beyond words to describe. And wherever something was missing, wherever help was needed, on a large or small scale, Georga Wiese was there. And she was there because she believed that she should do, out of her loving heart, whatever needed to be done, in complete freedom. And we, we can only stand there today with heavy, grieving, sorrowful hearts and send heartfelt thanks to the soul that is fleeing, seeking the spiritual realm. Thanks that remain warm in our souls, as everything 'that was soul-warming, what Georga Wiese brought into our ranks, into our work. And she knew how to do it so unpretentiously, so intimately modestly. You could tell that she only gave when she had detached it from the personality. Georga Wiese's personality always took a back seat to what she meant to so many. And when, my dear mourners, the word has been used for centuries to describe souls that were of this nature, then today we no longer use the once much-used expression that encompasses so much: a beautiful soul. Goethe called the dearest person in the spiritual realm that he had come to know a beautiful soul, and today, in all the sense that ancient times once associated with these words, we look up to the beautiful soul of Georga Wiese. And our soul's eye comes to the third image. We called the friends who wanted to join us in shaping the Anthroposophical Society in a new way at this Christmas season, to the Goetheanum in Dornach. And among those who came with an enthusiastic heart was Georga Wiese. And as soon as she arrived, anticipating the festive event she wanted to take part in, she had an accident in which she broke her arm at an unfavorable point on the upper arm. And she had to spend the days we had gathered to establish the new form of the Anthroposophical Society, to lay the foundation stone for it, in hospital. She had to spend the days she wanted to spend in festive company with those she loved in hospital. She had arrived at the place where she had often wanted to come, and she had come gladly again, and fate had kept her away from what she wanted to take part in. Once again, the beautiful soul of Georga Wiese was at work. Outwardly, she had the most faithful care in the hospital and from the understanding doctor, and in this respect I was deeply satisfied when I was able to speak to her doctor myself during a visit shortly before her death. But it was still very moving to see Georga Wiese lying in serious illness and to have to bear in mind how much she would have liked to have been in a different place during these days. But once again, the radiance of what I have just mentioned outshone my dear mourners, the beautiful soul. She carried everything she hoped to find within our festive Christmas community in her soul, in her heart. And from her bed, in an almost heavenly transfiguration, she radiated to me from her faithful, loving heart all that she had experienced at the end of the days before Georga Wiese's death, when we celebrated the festival that she had also come to. She truly carried this celebration in her heart, she truly carried this celebration in her soul. For within her, everything in her soul was filled with powers that spoke to her from spiritual heights: “Ex deo nascimur, from the divine all human beings are born.” These words came to her without end, deeply affirming her own being. And Georga Wiese knew that she was called by the divine. She knew that she was carried into earthly existence by the wide powers of divine existence. She knew this divine power at work in her own soul. She felt these divine powers in her own heart. She wanted to let this divine warmth, which flowed through her, stream into her own will without end. Her soul itself lived in the light of the words: Ex deo nascimur. — And she knew how that which reached divine heights disappears into earthly existence, and how the human being, whose outer physical body, is accepted by earthly existence. But she also knew that even if man dies into matter at every moment, the great power imparted by grace, which is in the living Christ, is at work in the earth. She felt it, it lived in her heart, it lived in her soul, it lived in her mind: In Christ morimur. Dear mourners! If I could have read in the heart that I saw just a few hours before the difficult day that preceded her death, if I could have seen the light that radiated from this “In Christo morimur”, it was so sincere, so deeply spiritual and honest in the soul of this faithful soul, so genuinely devoted to everything beautiful, great and loving in the world. Oh, there was a great contrast in these last hours between this soul, which looked out of tired eyes, but with infinite luminosity, into the indefinite, which complained how little her body could still tolerate of earthly substances, and which was so visibly filled by what the spirit communicated to the soul. I had to leave Georga Wiese in a state of deep concern. My dear mourners, if one understands the spiritual underpinnings of the human being while he is still on earth, one may only strive with strong, powerful thoughts to say that he will, he will be healthy. For it is often such thoughts that, with the mysterious forces that exist between human soul and human soul and between world spirit and human spirit, still carry many a soul beyond the act of death. But the patient was still alive because of the serious damage that had been done, which only allowed for ominous forebodings. It originated from the damaged area and spread like dark rays over the entire body. But hope lived on. The next day, hope was no longer allowed to live. We received the news that our dear friend had been taken from us in the morning for earthly life. Dear mourners, this soul is now deeply connected to that which we have all striven for here, to that which moved us so deeply during the Christmas days, as we are all deeply connected to it, since she left us, to die in our midst during these our festive days, still sharing in spirit here on earth what we went through, then seeking the way up to spiritual heights. Dear mourners, I can assure you that I speak for everyone here when I call this soul, so deeply devoted to the power of Christ, the one who, through this tragedy of death, has joined us in the very depths of all eternity, in such a solemn time for us. Always remember this soul devoted to Christ with all the strength that will ultimately transform the pain in your own souls when you allow the deep tragedy associated with this death, which fills us with such sorrow, to take effect. Oh, from this death a spiritual life shall spring that unites us intimately with Georga Wiese for all eternity. And this spiritual life, she always lived it. From the “Ex deo nascimur - In Christo morimur” arose for her the self-evident conviction that the human soul, if it harbors the power of the Father's Word, if it cherishes the will of the Son of God and His love within itself, will resurrect in the Spirit, in order to grasp in the Spirit the life that belongs to the endless Spirit of the Kingdom of Light: “Per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus”. This is surely the magic breath that has been wrested as the living breath when the earthly breath ceased with Georga Wiese. And with this spirit, which constantly awakens all that is dead, we want to unite to gain the strength to remain united in the eternal spiritual existence of the future with Georga Wiese. The three pictures may remain unforgettable to those who have come to know her: the lover in the midst of her beloved homeland, which we ourselves have grown so fond of; the loyal, active woman who inspires enthusiasm with her heart, herself loyal, active, enthusiastically sharing, working, creating, living in the construction of the Goetheanum in Dornach; the dying woman, uniting with us in death to eternal life at our very meaningful Christmas gathering in the transition from 1923 to 1924. The power of these three images must live in your hearts! And they will live in your hearts if you allow the power of these images, together with everything that this beautiful soul had in common with you, to take effect on you, will be united in the beautiful, light-filled life of the one who has now left us in death.
And the memory of earthly things presents itself before us:
Alongside the memory of earthly things stands the vision of the spirit – up to the light-filled heights:
Oh, it seems to me as if Georga Wiese is speaking from bright heights:
And when we see you, received by the spirits of the bright heights, by the souls of our dear relatives who have preceded you in death, to whom we lovingly think, because they were yours, then, then the words shine into our warm hearts:
With this attitude and the promise to unite our thoughts unceasingly again and again with your spiritual being, dear, dear friend, that you are with us even when we can no longer look into your faithful eyes, that is what we want to promise you, knowing that when we now, in this moment of suffering, commit your mortal remains to the fire, in the heavenly spiritual fire, which does not consume, but works charitably warming through souls and spirits, we will be united with you, united in the light, in love, in loyalty to humanity, in the will of the spirit. Thus we part. Thus we do not part. Thus we feel united, united, united for eternal times of existence with the soul that lovingly departs from us.
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| 261. Our Dead: Memorial address for Charlotte Ferreri and Edith Maryon
03 May 1924, Dornach |
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| All this – it may be said, because Miss Maryon understood it perfectly – actually helps nothing within the Anthroposophical movement. Anyone who believes that it helps within the anthroposophical movement is on the wrong track. |
| The painter must contribute his abilities, and so on and so forth. You understand this, because otherwise I would have had to carry out the whole Goetheanum construction alone. |
| What I had to say today should culminate in showing how a quiet, self-sacrificing working life within the anthroposophical cause has been effective here, that it is irreplaceable, and that I am certain that those who understand what it actually means to work in a leading position within the anthroposophical movement, as I must do, will take what has been said in an understanding sense. |
| 261. Our Dead: Memorial address for Charlotte Ferreri and Edith Maryon
03 May 1924, Dornach |
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My dear friends! We have seen two of the most self-sacrificing members of our Anthroposophical Society pass through death and depart from the physical world in quick succession. Mrs. Ferreri died recently in Milan during the time of my absence, and today is the first time that I can reflect on this departure. Mrs. Ferreri was a long-standing member of our society who worked for it in the most self-sacrificing and dedicated way. Wherever it was a matter of selflessly standing up for something that affected the interests of society in one way or another, Mrs. Ferreri was there. She was not only active in northern Italy, working from Milan for the anthroposophical cause, to which she was completely devoted, but she also worked in distant Honolulu to establish a branch that is actually her work. Although it is not seen much here because it is so far away, it is thriving in an extraordinarily favorable way and has a warm and supportive effect within the anthroposophical movement. It is precisely from this branch that we repeatedly receive the strongest evidence of interest and participation. It was always extraordinarily touching to see how devotedly Mrs. Ferreri worked in every respect. And for her, this arose from a deep inner connection with the anthroposophical cause, from that deep inner connection that I would call an inner knowing faith, knowing through its certainty. That is how it was with her: knowing through the certainty of being inside the anthroposophical movement. And so she remained faithful in her heart until her death. She was so faithful that, although she was extremely ill and although she undoubtedly received every help in the place where she was, in Milan, she still wanted to travel here during the last days of her illness because, as she wrote to Dr. Wegman, she believed that she could only recover here, at the center of the Anthroposophical Movement. Only her rapid death prevented her from coming and taking this last step, which was one of the most beautiful testimonies of her loyal devotion to the cause. I think that we – and I mean the most diverse among us, numerous members who are also gathered here today, numerous other members – have come to know the wonderful mind and noble soul of Mrs. Ferreri in the most beautiful way. and that we follow with our thoughts, in the deepest feeling of our hearts, the soul that has passed through the gate of death and will certainly continue to live in intimate relationship with the anthroposophical cause. I ask that with these thoughts, which linger with the thoughts of the departed, our dear members, insofar as they are gathered here, rise from their seats for a while to unite their thoughts with the departed. Now, my dear friends, on the occasion of a member who was deeply involved in the construction of the Goetheanum in Dornach, who was actively involved in the construction of the Goetheanum itself, has left the physical plane, and now, at this very moment, the coffin has to be closed and taken away, you will allow me to interrupt this lecture for ten to fifteen minutes to close the coffin and then continue it. It is Saturday, and there is no other way, the coffin has to be transferred to the crematorium in Basel today. (pause.) My dear friends, now we have had to send the earthly remains of Edith Maryon to the crematorium in Basel. Friday morning, the membership of our Anthroposophical Society, as far as they are here, were affected by the painful news that our long-standing colleague, a colleague since the beginning of the work here at the Goetheanum, Edith Maryon, has left the physical plane. Today it is my task to briefly point out some of the things that the deceased found and gave within the Anthroposophical Society, what she has done here at the Goetheanum, and we will then gather at the Basel Crematorium at 11 o'clock on Tuesday for the actual funeral service. Edith Maryon sought out what could be found in the anthroposophical movement by first becoming a member of another esoteric group and participating in the most diverse works of this group as a very active member. This was an esoteric group that later found its way into our anthroposophical movement through a number of its members. Then, still during brief visits to the anthroposophical movement in Germany, Edith Maryon came over from England. At first she found it difficult to integrate on the outside, as she did not understand German. But with an iron will she overcame precisely this obstacle and was thus able to fit into everything that was happening within the German-speaking part of the anthroposophical movement in a relatively short time. She identified so closely with the Anthroposophical Society that she participated from the very first task here in 1914, from the perspective of her particular artistry. Edith Maryon had been a well-known sculptor for many years. She has created sculptured portraits of prominent figures in English politics, diplomacy and society that have received acclaim. It is, of course, difficult to make an impact in the field of art today; but Miss Maryon has, to a high degree, succeeded in making a name for herself in the art of sculpture. But the most essential thing in her soul was not any particular branch of human activity, even if it were art; the most essential thing in her soul, her soul's intentions, was the striving for spirituality, which, as already mentioned, she had sought in that esoteric group in which she had been before she joined the Anthroposophical Movement. It was mainly this esoteric deepening that she then continued to seek within the Anthroposophical Society for herself and for the striving of her soul. But she was inspired by a far-reaching and comprehensive intention to work with us on our work. And that is what I would like to present here, because Edith Maryon was a long-standing and intensive collaborator, and we have now lost her in her. I would like to point out how exemplary she was in certain respects, especially in the particular way she devoted herself to the Society in terms of her work for it. Anthroposophy today, my dear friends, is not only a much-challenged but also a difficult thing to accomplish if it is taken seriously. If anthroposophy and the anthroposophical movement are taken seriously, then there is no other way than for the individual to offer what they are able to contribute in this or that field at the sacrificial altar of the work of the society. And so it was with Miss Maryon. She offered her entire artistic talent at the sacrificial altar of the anthroposophical cause. She had grown into a kind of sculpture that one acquires today by going through the appropriate school, by going through everything that then brings about the opportunity to present one's work to an audience interested in art and so on. All this – it may be said, because Miss Maryon understood it perfectly – actually helps nothing within the Anthroposophical movement. Anyone who believes that it helps within the anthroposophical movement is on the wrong track. You cannot bring anything into the anthroposophical movement in a certain sense; rather, you must first leave what you have before if you want to work actively. If you do not believe this, then you do not have a clear idea of the extent to which the anthroposophical movement must draw on the very earliest sources of human development in order to fulfill its task and achieve its goal. And just as it is possible in the most diverse fields, my dear friends, so it was also possible in the field of sculpture when it came to building this Goetheanum, which unfortunately was so painfully snatched from us. Edith Maryon not only took part in the development of the central group, but also in the most diverse sculptural work that was needed for the construction of the Goetheanum. And it was not always just a matter of producing some model or other. It was also a matter of doing all the work that was not actually visible on the outside, but which was necessary if such a special art was to be integrated into what the Goetheanum must generally achieve. And so, if we fully penetrate ourselves with the awareness from the outset that in Miss Maryon a person has come into the anthroposophical movement who has sought the esoteric in the most ardent, fullest sense, we can throw into the balance the way in which she, who has now left the physical plane, really engaged with the work. That is what I would like to characterize in particular by evoking her memory in you. It is quite natural, my dear friends, for someone to bring in something from outside, be it this or that art. Anything that is brought in through external training is actually something that I cannot agree with, so that what is brought in is actually not something that I can agree with. Nevertheless, it is necessary for the whole to flourish that the individual contributes his abilities. You understand from the outset that the individual must contribute his abilities. The sculptor must contribute his abilities. The painter must contribute his abilities, and so on and so forth. You understand this, because otherwise I would have had to carry out the whole Goetheanum construction alone. So, in the truest sense, co-workers were really needed for the Goetheanum, co-workers who could bring the best of their abilities, but who could also sacrifice this best of their abilities, because, if I express it in external terms, I can never actually agree with what is brought in. What I myself now had to accomplish in the field of sculpture was, of course, something quite different from what Miss Maryon could contribute. So what was it actually about? It could not be about working together in such a way that some kind of resultant of the interaction would arise, but it could only be about the work being done the way I had to have it done, the way it had to be done according to the intentions of the Goetheanum, which I had to represent. You see, my dear friends, what comes into consideration here is that a completely new interest arises: the interest in the work itself. For this to happen, people are needed who have this interest in the work, without anything else, so that the work itself comes about. Whether or not they agree with each other, the work must come about, the work must be possible. In characterizing this, I am characterizing precisely what is needed for the work at the Goetheanum. And Miss Maryon had two qualities that I would say are most needed for the real work in the Anthroposophical Movement: two qualities on which the work of Miss Maryon here at the Goetheanum and in the Anthroposophical Society in general was actually based. The first was absolute reliability. There was no possibility that anything I intended that Miss Maryon was supposed to carry out would not be carried out, would not be taken completely seriously and taken as far as it could be taken, as far as it was intended to go. That is the one quality needed – I mean within anthroposophical work – so that when I state something about myself, it is then sufficient in the statement, that the fact of the statement can simply stand, and that there is then certainty that the matter will be carried out. The second was an extremely well-developed practical sense. This can be said precisely with regard to the occasion of passing away from the physical plane, for the reason that this practical sense is actually what we leave behind here on earth when we go through the gate of death, but which is indispensable when it comes to really working. You see, there are many idealists who are mere idealists without a practical sense. And it is good when there are idealists, and the idealist himself is good. But the idealist with a practical sense is what is needed in the world. And mere idealists are dependent on those people who develop a versatile practical sense, if only these practical people stand at the same level of idealism. Contempt for practical sense is not at all what can somehow lead to such work, imbued and permeated with spirit, as is urgently needed within the Anthroposophical Society and movement. People with a practical mind are particularly valuable there. People who are sculptors are valuable there, but also people who, when necessary, can make a lampshade in a place where a special design is needed, who can actually do everything they set their minds to, in a certain way. Of course, this is always subject to certain limits. But we do need people within the anthroposophical movement who can really do what they want, because many people want to do, but the prosperity of our Anthroposophical Society is based on those who can do what they want. Fichte's saying has also been quoted here often: Man can do what he should, and when he says, I cannot, he will not. These two qualities then led Miss Maryon to do a great deal, which was done in a quiet, calm manner, after she had actually only sporadically brought her own sculpture to bear, and without which the work of the last few years would not have been possible. In doing so, she extended her practical interest and sense to other things, which certainly helped our movement. It is thanks to her selfless efforts that the teacher training course was held here, which was attended by English teachers and was held around Christmas time some time ago. It is thanks to her selfless efforts that Mrs. Mackenzie has campaigned so energetically for the movement in the field of education in English-speaking countries. Finally, it is also due to her selfless efforts that the Oxford course was able to take place, the Stratford Shakespeare visit was able to take place and many other things were able to take place precisely because of her mediation between the anthroposophical center and the English-speaking regions. It was extremely valuable that she, on the other hand, never encountered strong resistance in her work when it came to completely changing an intention that was dear to her. For example, the idea of the eurythmy figures originated with her, as did the first attempts to make such eurythmy figures. The idea was extraordinarily fruitful. But the form of the eurythmy figures had to be completely changed. Miss Maryon never shrank from completely changing anything to suit the circumstances, so that the resistance of an attachment did not work in this direction. And so I may say, my dear friends, that through her work, many quiet and peaceful tasks have been accomplished for the Anthroposophical Society, for which it has every reason to be deeply grateful. I do not even want to look so much at the quantity, certainly, in terms of quantity, very many achieve very much, but in terms of the quality of the work, of the way this work is integrated into the anthroposophical cause, very much has been achieved by those who have passed away that is actually irreplaceable. Only that which has a special inner quality is irreplaceable in the development of humanity. Of course, even such things can be replaced, but then an equal inner quality comes. As a rule, however, they are not replaced in the process of development. And it must be reckoned with this karma that precisely this special quality of Miss Maryon will be lacking in the building of the second Goetheanum. The most remarkable chains of fate are connected with the construction of the first and second Goetheanum. The germ of Miss Maryon's illness was laid during the night of the fire at the Goetheanum. And from what was laid by that germ during the night of the fire at the Goetheanum, she could not be cured, no matter how careful the care. These are karmic connections. And although much can and must be done through the art of healing against these karmic connections, karma is nevertheless an iron law, and only when even the most careful care has failed can we truly think of karma. While a person is still on the physical plane, we must think only of how he can be cured. And in this direction, through the completely self-sacrificing efforts of Dr. Wegman, everything that could be done has been done. Edith Maryon also left the physical plane at Dr. Wegman's side – I myself was unable to be present due to other commitments. Now, my dear friends, I have thus pointed out the special kind of connection that existed between the Anthroposophical Society and Edith Maryon. And I believe that this kind of connection will be what makes Miss Maryon unforgettable for the Anthroposophical Society. She will be unforgettable to all those members whom she has met in one way or another over the years, and I may call out to her in particular what is still to be said about the deceased when we have the funeral service at the Basel Crematorium at eleven o'clock on Tuesday. What I had to say today should culminate in showing how a quiet, self-sacrificing working life within the anthroposophical cause has been effective here, that it is irreplaceable, and that I am certain that those who understand what it actually means to work in a leading position within the anthroposophical movement, as I must do, will take what has been said in an understanding sense. It is not easy to work responsibly within the anthroposophical movement. My dear friends, please regard what I am about to say about Miss Maryon's death as something that I would like to say to you in general today. This leadership, what does it require? This leadership requires the following, and in particular, since the Christmas Conference, I have often had to point out what this leadership of the anthroposophical movement requires. It requires that I myself be able to carry up to the spiritual world what happens in connection with me, so that I am not only fulfilling a responsibility towards something here on the physical plane, but a responsibility that goes up into the spiritual worlds. And you see, if you want to participate in the right way, you have to be willing to participate in what the anthroposophical movement has become since the Christmas Conference, to understand what it means to be accountable to the spiritual world for the anthroposophical movement. I could talk a lot about this topic, and I would like to say one of the many things on this very occasion. Of course, a wide range of personal matters are expressed by people in the anthroposophical movement. What is represented on earth as personal, when it mixes with what is supposed to happen for the anthroposophical cause, is an element that, when it remains personal, cannot be justified to the spiritual world. And what difficulties arise for someone who has to justify a matter to the spiritual world when they sometimes have to bring with them what they have to answer for, which comes from the personal aspirations of the people involved. You should be aware of the effect this has. It causes the most dreadful setbacks from the spiritual world when one has to face the spiritual world in the following way. Every person working in the anthroposophical movement is working with personal ambitions, personal intentions, personal qualities into that which they are working with. Now one has these personal ambitions, these personal tendencies. Most people are unaware that they are personal; most people consider what they do to be impersonal because they deceive themselves about the personal and the impersonal. This is then to be taken along. And this has the most dreadful repercussions from the spiritual world on those who have to carry these things, which arise from personalities, into the spiritual world. These are the inner difficulties, my dear friends, that arise for a movement such as that of Anthroposophy within the Anthroposophical Society. And it must be pointed out. It is certainly terrible that we have such terrible opponents, but these opponents must be treated in the right way in some way. But as regards the inner life, as regards how anthroposophy is to be represented, it is much more terrible when it becomes necessary to carry the fruits of the labors of the anthroposophical movement burdened up into the spiritual world, burdened with the personal interests of one or other. And little thought is actually given to this fact. This is what I must mention when I want to characterize the particular achievement of Edith Maryon. And in this respect, the Anthroposophical Society owes a great debt of gratitude to the departed, because she has increasingly understood how to carry out her work in this spirit. These are the things I wanted to and should mention today, based on the idea that such achievements, symbolically speaking, are truly entered in the golden book of the Anthroposophical Society, and above all should be entered in the books of the hearts of its members. I am sure you would also want me to place what is to be developed today and on Tuesday at the cremation in your hearts in such a way that I ask you to direct your thoughts to her, who has entered the spiritual world, for her thoughts will most certainly be with the further progress of the Anthroposophical Movement. And because of the way she has engaged with it, her thoughts will be full of strength, and it will therefore also be a powerful experience to connect with her thoughts. And as a sign that this is our will, we will rise from our seats in honor of the departed, in the certain confidence that a beautiful, lasting, and powerful connection for the anthroposophical movement has been created. Now, my dear friends, I have said all I wanted to say today, which in a sense is also connected with the idea of karma, for life and teaching are connected for us, already incorporated into the two obituaries that I had to speak with a heavy heart today. It will now be my task to continue the reflections on karma so that what we have gained from the consideration of individual karmic connections in the human world can now be applied when we ask the big question in our own hearts, in our individual being, how what we personally experience, what we see as often overwhelming, often distressing events in our environment, what we see that is distressing, that we are distressing part of, how that relates to karma, if we want to observe it in a fateful, karmic way, if we want to come to a powerful effect in life by observing the Katmas. This will be able to follow on from the karmic considerations that we have been practising for weeks and which we will then begin to develop in this way tomorrow, applying them specifically to the individual human being, that is to say to individual human experience, to the personal position of the human being in relation to karma. |
| 261. Our Dead: Eulogy at the Cremation of Edith Maryon
06 May 1924, Basel |
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| And of Edith Maryon it can be said that her reliability was something absolutely true and faithful. If she undertook something that required her practical sense, it would be there in due course, even when the work to be done was quite remote from her actual professional activity. |
| She was cared for until her last hours, not only by the doctor, but also by the nurses who had become dear to her and cared for her, and it was under the care of these nurses that she often spent agonizing hours in the last days, but these could always be brightened in an extraordinarily beautiful and spiritual way. |
| 261. Our Dead: Eulogy at the Cremation of Edith Maryon
06 May 1924, Basel |
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Dear Mourners! This as a final farewell to Edith Maryon, our loyal colleague:
Dear mourners! I would like to turn my thoughts first to the absent relatives who were unable to attend on the day when we had to commit the earthly remains of our dear Edith Maryon to the elements. The eldest brother of the deceased, Herbert Maryon, has instructed me to convey all the love that could still be shown here on the part of the family of the deceased. The others, a sister in London, another in the north of England, and a brother in Australia, are unable to be here and can only join us in spirit. But we, my dear mourners, on this day of mourning look back at the earthly life of Edith Maryon. She came to us in our Anthroposophical Society more than ten years ago from another esoteric community, full of a noble, sacred striving for esoteric deepening of the soul. All this was present in her, alongside what she presented in her outer life. She was an artist and, in her way, a truly accomplished artist, an artist who had full access to the means of art and was fully familiar with the workings of art. She had practised sculpture in England and Italy. She had achieved great success in this art long before she joined the Anthroposophical Society. Edith Maryon has painted a whole series of portraits of respected and well-known personalities in the world. In Italy she immersed herself in everything that is great, beautiful, sublime and haunting in art. So she came among us as an artist and esoteric. At first she sought nothing from us but to deepen her soul through esoteric development. But karma brought it about that she found herself compelled to place what was hers in art in the sacrificial service of our Goetheanum, and from the very beginning she was active at the Goetheanum with all that she, out of her art and out of her human nature, was able to contribute to the completion of this Goetheanum and to everything connected with it. Looking back on her working life, we see that it was interrupted only once, in 1914, when she suffered a very serious illness while on a trip to England. It was an illness of which it could well be said that if it were to recur in a serious way, Edith Maryon would no longer be able to remain on earth. But at that time she recovered through the efforts of her friend Dr. Felkin, a physician, and was restored to us in 1914 for further work at the Goetheanum. From the time she was able to lay down her work on the altar of sacrifice at the Goetheanum, this was the one thing that stood at the center of all her duties and all her spiritual life. And she has just found the opportunity to do real work that truly leads to a goal within the anthroposophical movement. It is quite natural that within the anthroposophical movement, the new impulses that I am to introduce into the most diverse fields of art, science and life come into conflict in the most diverse ways with what can be brought in, with what can be acquired with external art, with external science and so on. But there is a way of working if, above all opposition, there is a noble devotion to the work itself, if never may an obstacle be seen in a different view of how to work together. If the work is to come about, it will come about, even if one of the traditions of the older art comes from the other, and the other is obliged to bring art to a further development out of new impulses. If there is true human cooperation, then the commonality of the work can transcend all opposition. This attitude was present in the highest degree in Edith Maryon's quiet work. That, however, many factors came into play in her working with me, may today, when we have to part with the earthly remains of Edith Maryon and look into the future, to the soul that strives upwards into the spiritual kingdom of light, there continuing to work, may well be said today to a wider circle. It was almost at the beginning of my work as a sculptor at the Goetheanum in Dornach that I had to work on the scaffolding at the top of the statue of Christ in the outer studio, the large front studio, where the model was located. At that time, I almost fell through an opening in the scaffolding and would certainly have fallen onto a pillar with a sharp point if Edith Maryon had not stopped my fall. And so I can already say, my dear mourners, that the Anthroposophical Society, in a certain way, if it believes that my work since that time has also had value within its society, has the rescue back then to be grateful for. These things were seldom spoken of, for it was not Edith Maryon's way to talk much about her work, especially her human work. But in a very special way she displayed what may be called energy in calmness, energy in quiet work. And the two qualities which stood out as humanly beautiful and valuable were, on the one hand, Edith Maryon's reliability, whenever it was needed, and, on the other, her practical sense. In the spiritual striving that is necessary to work out into the world, it is essential, my dear mourners, that there are also people in it who have a truly practical mind, so that what is to be realized out of the intentions of the spirit can also come before the world, can be embodied before the world. And of Edith Maryon it can be said that her reliability was something absolutely true and faithful. If she undertook something that required her practical sense, it would be there in due course, even when the work to be done was quite remote from her actual professional activity. In addition to her collaboration on the sculptural work at the Goetheanum, which really took up even more of her time than what has since become visible, even in the Central Point Statue, in the Central Point Group, she was the most eminently suitable force for the sculptural work at the Goetheanum in the most eminent sense. She mastered the art of sculpture and was inclined to take in everything that was to permeate this art. But something else was needed for this. A continuous interaction between the old and the new in art was necessary, and much of what has been created at the Goetheanum, without having been made by ourselves, does indeed contain the spirit that was working with Edith Maryon in the development of the plastic arts at the Goetheanum. But she went out; her energy in the quiet worked in a broader sense for the flourishing of the development of the anthroposophical cause. If it has become possible in recent years to give lectures and work for anthroposophy and eurythmy in Stratford, Oxford, London, Penmaenmawr and Ilkley, the credit is due to Edith Maryon's quiet work in mediating between the Goetheanum and the English-speaking population. It was she who first suggested the Christmas Course held years ago around Christmas time, attended by English-speaking teachers. It was she who suggested the artistic representation of the eurythmic movements and figures. And I would still have much to say if I wanted to point out everything that Edith Maryon has achieved through quiet, energetic calm. | But that is not so important. What matters is to bring this trait of her life, which reveals itself so beautifully in her work, before our minds today. And she was torn from this life by the fact that her old ailment was again revealed to her through the upheavals of the night of the fire in which the Goetheanum was taken from us, and that despite all careful nursing, this life could not be preserved for its earthly existence after all. Last summer, when Edith Maryon was able to make at least a few very short trips, we believed that this life could be sustained. But already in the fall it became clear how much destructive forces had intervened in this life. It is truly out of consciousness of that karmic connection, which I expressed by pointing to that accident in the studio, when I say: Edith Maryon was predestined to enter the anthroposophical movement, and with her death much is snatched from the Anthroposophical Society, from the whole anthroposophical movement. Much of what was her own was revealed in the most beautiful way, especially in the last few weeks, when her suffering became so extraordinarily oppressive and painful, partly through the way she bore this suffering, partly through her full attitude towards the spiritual world, which was entirely borne out of the spirit of anthroposophy, for which Edith Maryon had been preparing herself for weeks. Due to other commitments, I was unable to be present at the hour of her death. Edith Maryon then guided her soul out of her body, with the help of her dear friend Dr. Ita Wegman, in order to lead it up into the spiritual world. She was cared for until her last hours, not only by the doctor, but also by the nurses who had become dear to her and cared for her, and it was under the care of these nurses that she often spent agonizing hours in the last days, but these could always be brightened in an extraordinarily beautiful and spiritual way. Medicines were no longer effective in the end, but what was still effective were the lectures that could be offered to her, either from what had been given as sayings at the Christmas Conference, or from the New Testament. At that time, at the Christmas Conference, when there was still hope that we would be able to hold Edith Maryon here in the physical world, she was given the leadership of the Section for the Arts. With tremendous intensity, she endeavored, even on her deathbed, to direct her thoughts continually to the way in which this section should now come into being, and how it should work. From this life, my dear mourners, the soul of Edith Maryon now ascends into the spiritual worlds, imbued with all that can be gained from the knowledge of anthroposophical spiritual hope and anthroposophical spiritual life. She carried, as did few, the living consciousness in her soul that she had emerged from the eternal source of the Father-Spirit of the world with her best being: Ex deo nascimur. She lived in intimate love, looking up to the Being who gave meaning to the evolution of the earth. In her last days, she had Christ's saying “Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden” nailed to the side of her bed. In death she knew herself united with the spirit of Christ: In Christo morimur. And so she is certain of resurrection in the most beautiful way in the spiritual world: Per spiritum sanctum reviviscimus, in which we want to be united with her, to which we want to send our thoughts so that they may unite with hers. Then we can be sure, my dear 'mourners', that her thoughts, her soul's gaze, will rest. No, they will not just rest on the deeds that can still be done for the anthroposophical cause from the Goetheanum, they will work faithfully and powerfully, energetically, they will be among us when we need strength, they will be among us, and we will be able to feel their quiet comfort in our hearts when we need such comfort in the various trials to which the anthroposophical cause is exposed. The will and testament that Edith Maryon drew up regarding her few possessions is touching. In it she remembered in an extraordinarily loving way all those who are close to her in any way. And so we look up into those spheres where you continue to live, conquering death, wanting to be with you, united with you in that unity that never dies, that is imperishable through all the circles of the eternity that weaves and billows through the world.
And so go then, You, soul so faithfully devoted to our holy cause! We want to look up to You. We know that you look down on us, we know that we remain united with you through all the circles of eternity. We live on with you, you who live the life that conquers death, as long as we are here, and when we are no longer here, we live on with you, united, united, united. |
| 261. Our Dead: Eulogy for Admiral Grafton
14 Sep 1924, Dornach |
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| And so he repeatedly told me that the great satisfaction of his life was that, after a long search, he had finally come to an understanding of life through anthroposophy, although he had started from the opposite pole. And one always had the feeling that when this personality spoke about a connection with anthroposophy, it was not only from the depths of the heart, but there was also a wonderful, almost beautiful enthusiasm in this sense of connection, an enthusiasm that must truly appear as a particularly beautiful one when it is spoken from a heart that who had reached old age through a life of hard work. |
| Admiral Grafton was only able to listen because of his general enthusiasm for the spirituality of anthroposophy, as he did not understand German well enough to follow a lecture. He could only follow with his heart. He was only able to follow the general thrust of the matter. |
| And I am very grateful who could not be here in person at the funeral service for our dear friend, that the friends, especially our friend Heywood-Smith, have taken it upon themselves to say beautifully, devotedly, with a deep understanding of the personality of Admiral Grafton, what I would have liked to have said myself at the funeral service if I had not been detained in England out of duty. |
| 261. Our Dead: Eulogy for Admiral Grafton
14 Sep 1924, Dornach |
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Before I begin the lecture today, I would like to say a word of remembrance for a person who is very precious and beloved to us. We would certainly have had the satisfaction of having Admiral Grafton among the participants at the eurythmy performance today if he were still with us in the physical world. And to dedicate a word of remembrance to him in these days is a heartfelt desire for me. Admiral Grafton joined our ranks here in Dornach with the warmest and most heartfelt commitment to anthroposophical endeavors. His connection to anthroposophical endeavors was the most intimate imaginable, and when he spoke of this connection to anthroposophy, one could only be deeply moved in one's heart. Admiral Grafton had a long, busy life behind him, and during this outward-looking, working life he was always keenly interested in acquiring a worldview, a philosophy of life. interested in acquiring a worldview, a philosophy of life, and he often spoke to me about how, for many years, he sought his worldview and philosophy of life from the spirit of the age from Herbert Spencer, the more materialistically inclined philosopher, just as a person experiences this spirit of the age, on whom this spirit of the age initially has such an effect with all its power and might, as it must have on many of our contemporaries. But Admiral Grafton was a man who, in the truest sense of the word, was a seeker. And so he repeatedly told me that the great satisfaction of his life was that, after a long search, he had finally come to an understanding of life through anthroposophy, although he had started from the opposite pole. And one always had the feeling that when this personality spoke about a connection with anthroposophy, it was not only from the depths of the heart, but there was also a wonderful, almost beautiful enthusiasm in this sense of connection, an enthusiasm that must truly appear as a particularly beautiful one when it is spoken from a heart that who had reached old age through a life of hard work. When I think of the lectures I gave here, and during which I always saw Admiral Grafton sitting in the auditorium, devoted to the lectures, with a touchingly warm and attentive attention, one could say to oneself: There is a heart that listens. — There was a heart that listened. Admiral Grafton was only able to listen because of his general enthusiasm for the spirituality of anthroposophy, as he did not understand German well enough to follow a lecture. He could only follow with his heart. He was only able to follow the general thrust of the matter. And that is what he was like, but always inwardly joyfully excited, always devoted to the matter with heartfelt enthusiasm. He was overjoyed when his daughter turned to eurythmy and spoke about it with touching, joyful enthusiasm when he talked about it. He was truly devoted to anthroposophy in an exemplary way. He was a personality full of kindness, who could only truly live when she was able to perform acts of kindness towards her fellow human beings. He helped us in many ways by repeatedly playing the flute in our eurythmy orchestra. And he did that with a truly warm, admirable and, I may say, exemplary devotion, because I have experienced many instances of people who were supposed to participate being late. Admiral Grafton was never one of them. He was always in his place. And above all, he was always in his place when his help was needed in some way, large or small. He helped us tremendously in many ways. Admiral Grafton was truly a personage who was loved by everyone, and I know that I speak from the hearts of many when I say these short words of remembrance for him here in the spiritual world. It was actually the case that in the last few days before we traveled to England, Admiral Grafton was in a devoted mobility, and, surprisingly for the outer life, the news was sent to us by our dear friend Heywood-Smith that Admiral Grafton had left the physical plane during an operation. All of us who received this news were deeply affected. And I am very grateful who could not be here in person at the funeral service for our dear friend, that the friends, especially our friend Heywood-Smith, have taken it upon themselves to say beautifully, devotedly, with a deep understanding of the personality of Admiral Grafton, what I would have liked to have said myself at the funeral service if I had not been detained in England out of duty. I can say, my dear friends, that in this case, the numerous personalities who are now here and who have not heard of have not heard from Admiral Grafton, did not know him, may believe that the Goetheanum was fond of Admiral Grafton, and that of those who loved him here, the most unifying thoughts will follow him to the places he has now entered, having passed through the gate of death in such a surprisingly quick way. We are grateful to him for all that he has accomplished through his infinite kindness among us here. But we are also grateful that we were able to witness the heart-moving sense of purpose and noble enthusiasm for the anthroposophical cause in this personality, which had previously been so strong in the world. And it is out of this gratitude that we form the thoughts that will continue to connect us with the spirit and soul of Admiral Grafton. We know that he looks down on the anthroposophical movement with a devoted heart and a powerful soul. We know that our thoughts for him are truly imbued with the wish for spiritual benefit and for the anthroposophical cause to flourish. And so all of you, my dear friends, who are gathered here today, are gathered together with the circle that lived with Admiral Grafton here at the Goetheanum for the last years, and rise from your seats with us in memory of this noble soul. May our thoughts unite with his in free will, as is right and proper among anthroposophical people, who know that the bonds formed in life here on earth can endure, if they are honest and genuine, through all time and also through the eternities. |
| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 3. Letter to Marie von Sivers in Russia
20 Aug 1902, Berlin |
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| And it makes me unspeakably sad that he, in the case of the previous “leaders” of the German Theosophical movement (Bresch 19 and Hubo 20 and their appendix) finds so little understanding. In Hübbe-Schleiden there lives a real potency in terms of the history of the development of the spirit; in Mr. |
| There will be things in which they will probably put insurmountable obstacles in the way of an understanding when forming sections. It is most disastrous when those who want to set the tone are rigidly dogmatic in everything and lack fundamental convictions almost entirely. |
| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 3. Letter to Marie von Sivers in Russia
20 Aug 1902, Berlin |
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3To Marie von Sivers, in Russia (probably St. Petersburg) Wednesday, August 20, 1902 Friedenau-Berlin, August 20, 1902 Dear Madam: Thank you for your letter, which gave me great pleasure. 10 has been correctly delivered and is on my desk, where it is of great service to me now that I have to refer to it constantly in my relevant studies. I was unable to make the journey 11 for various reasons. In Paris 12 During my stay, M. Schuré 13 no more. I would have liked so much to have spoken with him. It seems to me that there are matters on which I would have valued his judgment. A visit in September will, of course, be impossible for that reason, among all the others, since we shall have our hands full. Our founding of a German Section is, it seems, more difficult than I had imagined in England. The bad experiences I have had since my return are now compounded by the fact that I have just received a letter from Miss Hooper in which she writes to me that Olcott 14 does not know his way around when it comes to the two applications he has received. It is therefore likely that we will have to wait for the charter. 15 Now I will have to wait another eight weeks, because that is how long it will take for Olcott to receive my letter and for the charter to arrive. But I would like to ask you to write to your friend in Kurland 16 may wait until our section is founded. Right now, in the period immediately before the founding of the Section, it seems better to me if we wait with everything until we have the Section. When you come, my writing “Christianity as Mystical Fact” will be available; and a writing by Hübbe-Schleiden 17 (But I would ask you not to reveal the anonymity in which H.S. wishes to shroud himself.) “Serve the Eternal”. I hope that these two writings in particular will help us to make progress in Germany. I had a great deal to do with both of them. But now it is one of my most precious hours, to see 18 It is a source of the greatest satisfaction for me to be able to work in harmony with Hübbe-Schleiden. I find complete agreement with him on the most important points of the inner shaping of the German movement. And it makes me unspeakably sad that he, in the case of the previous “leaders” of the German Theosophical movement (Bresch 19 and Hubo 20 and their appendix) finds so little understanding. In Hübbe-Schleiden there lives a real potency in terms of the history of the development of the spirit; in Mr. Hubo and Mr. Bresch there is none at all. They lack certain indispensable prerequisites for leadership. And it is bad that, given the German way of thinking, it will be difficult to keep these personalities within their limits. There will be things in which they will probably put insurmountable obstacles in the way of an understanding when forming sections. It is most disastrous when those who want to set the tone are rigidly dogmatic in everything and lack fundamental convictions almost entirely. Everything that has happened to me recently indicates that Bresch and Hubo's behavior is repelling to people in Germany who have a latent theosophical attitude and whom we necessarily have to draw in. When you come to Berlin, we will have a lot to talk about. We hope we may expect you in Berlin on September 15.21 My wife sends her best regards, as do I. Dr. Rudolf Steiner
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| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 5. Letter to Marie von Sivers near Berlin
16 Apr 1903, Weimar |
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| It seems that even in little Weimar, too little understanding of evolution and science has taken hold, despite Haeckel's work at the university in the neighboring city of Jena. |
| In such places a multitude of forces gather that are opposed to Theosophy. There they play their game under the strangest masks. One gets to know them particularly in the form of flatterers who slowly and surely creep into the soul. |
| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 5. Letter to Marie von Sivers near Berlin
16 Apr 1903, Weimar |
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5To Marie von Sivers in Schlachtensee near Berlin Weimar, April 16, 1903 Dear Sister, Dear Confidante! So the first lecture is over. It was quite well attended. I often felt as if I had to look for you in the auditorium. Incidentally, I immediately saw that I had to say some things differently for Weimar than I did in Berlin. There is enough resistance here too. Mrs. Lübke 1 works with devotion. Everything was arranged in the nicest and best way. She has a truly theosophical attitude. — Of course, especially in foreign cities, I always have new important experiences for myself regarding the way of working. I hope that if I diligently utilize all such experiences, we will make progress. We, working together, can hope to achieve something in Germany. We are together even when we are not physically next to each other. I will make the second lecture more popular than it was in Berlin. It seems that even in little Weimar, too little understanding of evolution and science has taken hold, despite Haeckel's work at the university in the neighboring city of Jena. After the lecture, Mr. von Henning 2 took me to the Schlaraffia, of which he is a member. It was a sacrifice, but I wanted to make it because the editor of the Weimar newspaper “Deutschland” asked me to; and I would not want the newspapers here to be hostile to the Theosophical movement from the outset. In small towns, newspapers have a much greater influence than in larger ones. But I was able to gain experience sub specie humanitatis again. I had never been to a meeting of Schlaraffia before.3 It is something that was originally founded as a parody of certain excesses of social life. It is now instructive to see how such things insinuate themselves into the spirits of people. This Schlaraffia has many thousands of members in all parts of Germany and Austria and branches in most German cities. Now its original parodistic character can hardly be seen as such anymore; because the game has a serious effect on the mind. One must see something like this to know what aspirations live in human minds that detract from where we want to lead. Otherwise, one often does not know where the source of certain astral vibrations lies, which come at one with great power and whose origin is to be sought in places below the surface of our social existence. In such places a multitude of forces gather that are opposed to Theosophy. There they play their game under the strangest masks. One gets to know them particularly in the form of flatterers who slowly and surely creep into the soul. Many of the things that work against our movement lead, when one follows their sphere of activity, to such and similar places. The people who sit before us are often not with us because they are directed by forces that lead them here and there into the trivialities of life, into a triviality that gradually becomes the nerve of life. Such things can only be counteracted by the real Theosophists, who are completely so and who therefore become accumulators of astral forces, in order to bring about an improvement in thinking and feeling. I know that every thought, even if it remains unspoken, but if it only moves in the theosophical line, is a force that means a great deal at the present time. Without a tribe of true theosophists who, through diligent meditation, improve the present karma, the theosophical teaching would only be preached to half-deaf ears. It is likely that I will be in Schlachtensee 4 on Saturday morning, so letters that arrive later will no longer reach me. Tonight there is a Theosophical Circle at Mrs. Lübke's. In loyalty and brotherhood, yours, R. St.
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| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 6. Letter to Marie von Sivers near Berlin (2nd version)
16 Apr 1903, Weimar |
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| In such places, the forces that oppose Theosophy gather; they play their game there under the most curious masks. One gets to know them particularly as flatterers, who sneak into people's souls with a very special language of the heart. |
| The entire “sitting” (German: “Sippung”) is conducted in a ceremonial manner. It is necessary to understand the magic of any ceremony if one wants to see through the determining power of these “sittings” on people. |
| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 6. Letter to Marie von Sivers near Berlin (2nd version)
16 Apr 1903, Weimar |
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6To Marie von Sivers in Schlachtensee near Berlin Weimar, April 16, 1903 Dear Sister, Dear Confidante! So the first lecture is over. It was quite well attended. I often felt as if I had to look for you in the auditorium. Incidentally, I immediately saw that I would have to say some things differently in the lecture for Weimar. There is enough resistance here too. Mrs. Lübke works with dedication. Everything here was arranged in the most beautiful and best way. It is clear from the way Mrs. Lübke handles things that she has been at the source in England for five years. Her arrangements have a touch of distinction. Of course, especially in foreign cities, I always have new experiences regarding the way I work. I hope that if I diligently process and utilize all of them, we will make progress. We, working together, can hope to achieve something in Germany. We are together even when we are not physically next to each other. I will make the second lecture more popular than it was in Berlin. Even in little Weimar, too few ideas about development and science seem to have taken hold, despite Haeckel working at the university in the neighboring city. After the lecture, Mr. v. Henning took me to the Schlaraffia, of which he is a member. It was a sacrifice, but I wanted to make it because the editor of the local newspaper “Deutschland” asked for it, and I would not want the newspapers here, where they have more influence than in Berlin, to be hostile to Theosophy from the outset. But I was able to gain further experience sub specie universi. I had never been to a meeting of Schlaraffia before. It is something that its members hold dear. Yesterday the “Chancellor” gave a speech in which he said that anyone who had once been a Schlaraffe and had to stop being one would feel cut off from the source of life. This Schlaraffia is spread all over Central Europe and has members everywhere, who are divided into degrees of rank, from “pilgrims” to “junkers”, “knights” and “glories”. Whether there are even higher degrees is a mystery that I have not yet penetrated. But the basis of the whole society is triviality. It was painful to hear the speeches delivered in a special Schlaraffia dialect. My experience is that it exists and that thousands of people in Germany and Austria see something in Schlaraffia where they seek their best. One must see something like this to know what aspirations live in human minds that pull away from the direction towards the higher, towards the spiritual. Otherwise, one often does not know where the source of certain astral vibrations lies that confront one with power and whose origin is to be sought in the places below the surface of our social existence. In such places, the forces that oppose Theosophy gather; they play their game there under the most curious masks. One gets to know them particularly as flatterers, who sneak into people's souls with a very special language of the heart. It is a very solemn occasion. “Herrlichkeit” sits on a “'throne”, surrounded on one side by the “chancellor” and on the other by the “marshal”. They have headgear that symbolically expresses their dignity. They have names that completely separate them from all that is “profane”. The entire “sitting” (German: “Sippung”) is conducted in a ceremonial manner. It is necessary to understand the magic of any ceremony if one wants to see through the determining power of these “sittings” on people. Many of the things that work against us in our quest lead, if you follow their threads, to such and similar places that elude the ordinary observer. The people sitting in front of us are often not really with us because they are directed by forces that steer them here and there. Such things can only be counteracted by true Theosophists, who are whole and therefore represent accumulators of astral forces that work to improve perception and feeling. I know that every thought, even if it remains unspoken, and only has its direction in the theosophical line, is a force that currently means a lot. Without a core of true theosophists who, through the most diligent meditation work, improve the present karma, the theosophical teaching would only be preached to half-deaf ears. In loyalty and brotherhood, R. St. |
| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 7. Letter to Marie von Sivers near Berlin
18 Apr 1903, Weimar |
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| We will now have to do everything firmly, even at the risk of these old theosophists leaving us. — You understand me; and that gives me strength, it clears my wings. In loyalty and brotherhood, R. St. 5. |
| Not benefit and not advantage, but necessary fulfillment of a clearly understood karma!!! For me, the difference was clear when I saw that my allusions to this effect, intended for the initiate, fell on no fertile soil in Berlin and were only understood by Fräulein v. |
| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 7. Letter to Marie von Sivers near Berlin
18 Apr 1903, Weimar |
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7To Marie von Sivers in Schlachtensee near Berlin Weimar, April 18, 1903 Dear Sister, dear Confidant! The second lecture is also over. It was even better attended than the first. From everything I experience here in relation to our cause, I may hope that we will prevail if we have persistence and strength of purpose. And we must have endurance, we will have energy, if only we follow the dictates of inner necessity. Thank you very much for your letter. I am very sorry that you are so troubled by external matters and that you are not quite well. The difficulties that the old pages have caused you will completely disappear in the not too distant future. They have to be overcome. Because they lie on the path if the science of the brain is to change into the wisdom of the heart and the mind is to become more and more alive. You have to remember that not only diagrams and drawings, but also ideas and concepts are only symbols. All of this is only a gateway to the mind. You will find the passage because you are predestined to do so. However, this also gives you the necessity to seek this passage. In which sense Deinhard 5 wants to work here, gives a taste of what Hübbe-Schleiden writes in a just arrived letter.6 It is the same thing again: not Theosophy and not the Theosophical Society. Again the admonition: I should do nothing but publish a journal without reference to either. That we do anything at all is completely against the opinion of these gentlemen. Now, if we were to act in their interest, the founding of the German Section would be a farce; we would act treacherously against all our promises and Theosophy would be completely without prospects among Germans. It is strange that these stumbling blocks should arise at a time when one needs strength to continue one's work; that this quite insubstantial talk of the gentlemen's should get in the way, when, apart from it, everything justifies hopes. Here Mrs. Lübke is working with devotion, and at the same time the old German theosophists are advising inactivity. I wonder if it will take much longer! We will now have to do everything firmly, even at the risk of these old theosophists leaving us. — You understand me; and that gives me strength, it clears my wings. In loyalty and brotherhood, R. St.
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| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 9. Letter to Marie von Sivers near Berlin
19 Apr 1903, Weimar |
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| I was in Weimar for seven years,13 and it is understandable that even today the “ghosts” of those “untruths” are creeping out of all corners again. There is too much that is personal about my relationships in Weimar. |
| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 9. Letter to Marie von Sivers near Berlin
19 Apr 1903, Weimar |
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9To Marie von Sivers in Schlachtensee near Berlin Weimar, 19 April 1903 Dear Sister, Deinhard has not yet reported in. So he will probably not come until today. Yesterday the Weimar branch lodge was constituted here. In addition to the two lectures, I also gave two more intimate circles with those who will join. I have long felt that our presence in London will be necessary in the near future. Now that Olcott is in Europe, it is unavoidable. But, my dear sister, we must weigh everything up carefully and determine the right time for this end. Because I believe I can tell you that this next period will not bring us any unimportant matters. We must not follow our immediate impulses in any matter. What you just sent me – in Vâhan – is just a symptom. Many things are working against us. And Bresch currently has the right feeler. What he says himself is perhaps more important right now than the writer is aware of. Incidentally, I will most likely travel to Berlin via Leipzig on Tuesday. It seems to me for the time being that I must speak with Bresch. When I am back with you, we will calmly discuss everything regarding Olcott's presence. Mrs. Lübke, who, through her three years of working with the Theosophists in London, has learned to see things quite differently from the old members in Germany, agreed with me the day before yesterday when I pointed out the importance of personally approaching Olcott now. I now feel here that what we have begun to do is right. What matters is not how much we achieve here or there in the first rush, but whether we are doing the right thing – the thing determined by the time karma. As soon as I arrive in Berlin, my three lectures have to be printed.11 And for the “Lucifer” 12 there is no better time than the one in which it will appear. You will readily admit that Deinhards discussion with me must be meaningless if we want to make progress. What he says will not be important to me, but rather what he does not say. In Hübbe-Schleidens last letter, too, the most important thing is not in it at all. I will talk to you about various things in the next few days, which will make some things clearer to you. For today, just a guiding principle: we will stand together faithfully; and we will both, even in the face of any misunderstandings that may arise in the near future, do everything in the fullest loyalty and devotion to Mrs. Besant's intentions. What you tell me about your meditation makes me happy. I know you will continue to make progress. And I also know that you are guided by the best forces. So continue. It was so sweet of you to write to me yesterday as well, so that I received your letter this morning. For me, Weimar now has a real two-faced quality. You know that I have often spoken to you about my feeling of certain “untruths”. I was in Weimar for seven years,13 and it is understandable that even today the “ghosts” of those “untruths” are creeping out of all corners again. There is too much that is personal about my relationships in Weimar. In loyalty and brotherhood, R. St.
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| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 10. Letter to Marie von Sivers in Berlin
21 Nov 1903, Weimar |
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| But you should not think that I in the least underestimate the pull that brought us together. For us, the common goal is one of the master powers,14 in the face of which we both have to be “manageable” in loyal, firm brotherhood of arms. The co-Glanube is a positive force that acts magnetically for us, and you have brought this co-faith power to me through your understanding; and we have to give it to each other. Yesterday's lecture is over. Before that, I was with Mrs. |
| 262. Correspondence with Marie Steiner 1901–1925: 10. Letter to Marie von Sivers in Berlin
21 Nov 1903, Weimar |
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10To Marie von Sivers in Berlin Weimar, November 21, 1903 Dear Sister, I would have liked to send you a short greeting yesterday, but my time before the lecture was fully booked. Today I received your kind lines. They are very much you. But you should not think that I in the least underestimate the pull that brought us together. For us, the common goal is one of the master powers,14 in the face of which we both have to be “manageable” in loyal, firm brotherhood of arms. The co-Glanube is a positive force that acts magnetically for us, and you have brought this co-faith power to me through your understanding; and we have to give it to each other. Yesterday's lecture is over. Before that, I was with Mrs. Lübke at Prozor's house.15 In the evening, I also saw the young son briefly. Yesterday's lecture was about the “pilgrimage of the soul”. The first part dealt with the threefold human becoming: the lunar-kamic epoch: the formation of the manasic-kamic psyche (1st-2nd race) and the epoch of the embodiments of the actual human spirit (from the 3rd race onwards). Then in the second part, the paths through the physical, kamic and Devachan worlds followed. I tried to characterize the earthly human condition as passing through various stages of life (reincarnations), the “houses” and then emphasized that at the beginning and at the end there is a temple; on the first the riddle of human life, on the last the “word of the solution” and at the “houses” in between the individual letters that ultimately compose the “word of the solution”. Tonight a small circle will gather. And then I leave for Cologne, where I want to be at 9 o'clock tomorrow. You write of a doorman you want to turn on at my door. I don't think you should do this now. I will tell you verbally why I don't think it's a good idea to add fuel to the fire right now. Believe, my darling, as I believe that we will get over the difficulties, even if we do not even appear to be provoking. Do not misunderstand me and do not see this as timidity or a lack of will to create clarity. But clarity will come all the sooner if we ourselves “unlearn the struggle” in this case as well. There is a New Testament saying worth taking to heart: “Do not resist by causing pain.” (Of course, the English translation also has nonsense here: “Do not resist evil.”) And even if the “pain” is not caused by us, it can still be effected by us. We must do what is necessary in such a direction, and rather a step less than one too many (in this direction, mind you). So we leave the door-woman, who can't do much good by keeping out the physical kitchen noise and increasing the mental noise by one degree. Be fresh, my dear Confidante, occasionally check your papers and keep up your meditation as we have discussed. Ever yours, Rudolf.
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