The Rudolf Steiner Archive

before the lecture

My dear Theosophical friends!

We who are gathered here around our building, which is to become a symbol of the spirit, are undoubtedly all under the impression of the events that have befallen Europe while we were still fully occupied with our building. Those of our dear friends who have listened more closely to some of the things that have been said in our circles in recent years know that we have always been in some sense influenced by what has now broken in so terribly, and that many things have been said with the perspective of what had to come upon the peoples of Europe and what, for certain reasons, did not come earlier – for reasons that will be superfluous to discuss at this very moment.

But as we here on the one hand have the painful events in our immediate vicinity, and on the other hand are protected from them by what is happening in the country to which our good karma has carried us with our construction – we, who are standing in direct view and yet protected from the events, we may and must actually at this moment place two thoughts quite seriously before our soul. The thought that we tried to express in the last of our reflections here, - the thought that can inspire us in our deepest hearts: unshakable trust in the power and effectiveness of the spirit, in the victory of the spirit and its life. And we would be poor members of our spiritual movement if we did not have this thought in our souls, if we had not won it for ourselves over the years that we have stood within our movement, if we did not carry within us the firm certainty: Whatever may come in the way of serious trials, whatever may happen to us, we hold within us the unshakable trust in the power and victory of the spiritual life! if we do not feel that in the end the spirit will triumph!

But another thought must be added to all that inspires us with such confidence. This is the thought of - it need not be misunderstood, but it may be expressed and can be understood - the present physical weakness of what can be done for the spirit. To put it before our minds, let us think of a contrast that may weigh dreadfully on our hearts at this time: let us think that we have three principles, and that the first of these principles must be to cultivate in ourselves a spirit of brotherhood that transcends all nations. There is no doubt that the faith we have in the spirit will clearly permeate us with the awareness that this ideal, too, is a legitimate and great one.

But let us compare this ideal with the present in which we live; let us compare it not in the abstract, but in the immediate, concrete form that concerns each and every one of us: and then we may come to the conclusion how little it has been possible for us to date to contribute even a little to the realization of this, our very first thought! We need not consider in detail what is being spread about the events, but the mood of the mind is something we must consider very carefully. And then we will feel: We travel around the world, a large number of us, from country to country, everywhere we are lovingly received, everywhere we feel how necessary it is to carry the spiritual seed everywhere, and we now see how across the borders and areas in which we have thought, lived and spoken so lovingly, how across these borders moods of hatred and antipathy are sent to each other to such an extent!

The contrast is there before our mind's eye, how great the demands of the spirit are, and how little we have been able to do for our very first thought. And if we, who are now gathered here in our ranks, around our building, which is supposed to be an expression of our spiritual striving, could now force a model and pattern into our hearts, into our mutual behavior, a model of brotherly spirit, it would have to be this thought.

May it serve to inspire each of us to recognize each of the others in our hearts! We can only do our part in the construction of our society with bleeding hearts, knowing how little of what is happening corresponds to what should be happening. We may console ourselves with the thought that our ideal, which we have in relation to our construction, will triumphantly go forth into the world in the future: this is not a thought of weakness, it will change in us into a thought of strength.

Many things will have to change, my dear friends, if we are to approach the minds that are out there in this terrible life again. We shall find many things changed, many minds will meet us differently than before, and many things that have been done in our movement will have to be done differently in the future. And if we want to do something for the spirit in the turmoil that will develop, then we must not continue to cultivate old ideas. We will need new ideas; those that the situation demands will develop. But we will only be strong if we arm ourselves with the thought: Wherever events may place us, whatever they may demand of us, we will do it in the confidence of the spirit's victory.

Our building rises up in peaceful thoughts and peaceful work. In these times, when everything seems to be shaken, let us strive to be a group that cherishes and cultivates peace and harmony in each other's hearts, so that each of us has the best thoughts about each other, without envy, without discord. That, my dear friends, will be the only thing that makes it possible, in the face of painful events, to continue what must be continued. For our work must and will be continued, despite all the obstacles that pile up. What must happen in the sense of our movement will happen. It will happen, no matter what obstacles appear to us!

But it can only happen if we try to keep love and peace in our hearts, which should be generated by holding on to the spirit within our hearts. Without this, the world outside cannot progress either; but for the group gathered here, it is even more important to keep love, peace and harmony in our hearts. Because whatever we are building will be disrupted if it is not built with these feelings of love and peace; it will be disrupted by envy and discord. Only when thoughts of harmony, peace and love are built into the forms we are working on will they be what they should be for humanity when peace returns to the world. The more harmony we can muster in our hearts, the more these forms and means of expression, which our building has in itself, will be imbued with them. If we really understand this, then it may be possible for us to imbue ourselves with the attitude that is the ideal of our spiritual striving.

I wanted to say these words at the beginning today, as words that should justify the fact that we are continuing to work here in peace and quiet during these times, and are not going out to take part in the events that are taking place outside. But as for what the individual is called upon to do in this regard, it can only be said that the individual is doing his duty. If we now hold on to this ideal with all our strength and with courage and confidence, then it will grow more and more and, when peace has returned to the world, it will be able to fulfill its mission. Of course, it will be necessary to a much, much greater extent than it has been in our ranks for us to try to put aside our own personal aspirations and strive to imbue our entire spiritual movement with what is like a spiritual lifeblood.

As these words come from deep within my heart, my dear friends, I want them to go deep into your hearts as well!

My dear friends!

One of the things that I otherwise always find difficult, despite what one might think, is speaking, and it always means a kind of difficult decision for me to speak, despite having to do so so often. It seems particularly difficult to me in this day and age, in this time when the heart and soul are burdened and weighed down by so many things.

Not only do I long to be with you, my dear friends, again after a long time, but today there is also a very special reason for our being together. Today is the eve of the anniversary of our laying of the foundation stone. It will be exactly one year from today, Saturday; according to the date, it will be one year tomorrow, Sunday. We will therefore gather today and tomorrow, and I ask our dear friends to please gather in this room tomorrow at six o'clock as well. We will not read the drama, as was the custom during the time I was not present, but we will try to spend the evening in a different way tomorrow. The drama reading can take place again in the near future.

But today, above all, I would like to remind you of the ideas, feelings and emotions that moved our souls when we laid the foundation stone for this building here on this hill a year ago. Even though few of you, my dear friends, were present at that time in terms of your external, physical personality, in terms of your hearts and feelings, you were all there. And all those who have since then worked so lovingly and selflessly on this building have experienced for themselves and also shown how closely they are connected to the feelings and emotions that, at that time, in the most beautiful sense of the word, namely, glowing with divine fire, when we - it had to be so; it was brought about by the circumstances of the time - laid the foundation stone in a small circle.

At that time, we tried to use few words to guide us in the soul, which spirit this building should be. We tried to envision how we could see from this hill to the north, south, east and west, and how we want to serve that spiritual life, which we are convinced humanity in the north, south, east and west needs if the development of the earth is to proceed in the appropriate way intended by the spiritual hierarchies.

Indeed, I also believe I have sufficiently pointed out that it is not a proud feeling with which we present our view of spiritual life as the one that must be intimately connected with the salvation of humanity. Rather, this emphasis is truly connected with the feeling of humble modesty that we only want to be servants of that spiritual life that wants to flow in, through the peaceful harmonies of the higher hierarchies, into the salutary development of the human race.

So we understand the matter, that we do not rise in pride because we believe we recognize something special, but that we feel blessed by the divine spiritual beings, feel blessed to be allowed to be servants in the development of the stream of spiritual life to which our soul, our heart, our whole human being is attached.

And it was at that time, my dear friends, that I was allowed to speak for the first time the words of which I not only believe I know, but – with all the certainties with which one can know such a thing – I truly believe I know that they were heard from the divine-spiritual heights by that entity that was to become the bearer of the Christ who would harmoniously unite people.

It was one of the most uplifting moments for me that I have experienced in our movement when I was allowed to speak the words for the first time:

Amen!
The evils prevail,
Witnesses of dissolving egoism,
Guilt of selfhood incurred by others,
experienced in daily bread,
in which heaven's will does not prevail,
because man has separated himself from your kingdom
and forgotten your name,
you fathers in the heavens.

In these words, whoever reflects on them often enough will gradually find that they contain everything that can move human hearts and souls in a great and sublime way. But these words also contain everything that can cause human pain and suffering in human hearts and souls. And if we allow them to work in the right way in our souls, these words contain the strength that can sustain us in the sense of our spiritual current, can endow us with inner security, in whatever situation in life we may find ourselves, whatever life circumstances we may be forced to face.

What, my dear friends, inspired us when we turned our thoughts to such a building, as it now stands before us as a landmark, years ago? We were inspired by the conviction that the salvation of humanity depends on not only the theoretical knowledge and conviction of the existence of the spiritual worlds flowing into humanity, but also on our direct experience of them, on our being united with the spiritual worlds in our souls.

We are permeated by the belief, my dear friends, that this spiritual life is present in the world everywhere, but that it is up to people to grasp it, because man is meant to be free in the world, and this spiritual life approaches him only on condition that he wills it, that he take it up into his will. This justifies the necessity that we find imposed on us by karma to do everything that can release this sacred human will from the depths of human nature, wherein it is often so hidden that it may unite with the converging will of the hierarchies, who will then choose the earth as the site of a cosmos where, in the future, holy, spiritual Christ-sunlight will shine if humanity wills it, if humanity wants to mature for it.

The thought occurred to us at the laying of the foundation stone before the year was out - but it did not live much longer, but that is our karma - that with the last days of July this year our building would be ready, so that it could be spoken in the sense that had been indicated by the reality of spiritual life and its reception by man.

Of course, karma willed otherwise, and the human soul must learn to submit to necessity through spiritual science. If the idea of coping in July had been realized, then, my dear friends, we would now be able to feel how, during the entire construction of the house dedicated to our sacred cause, we could look down – as we looked down at the time of the laying of the foundation stone to the north, south, east and west – on the peace that prevailed among people.

Now, that did not happen. The last work of our construction must look down on a completely different world, my dear friends, on a different world, which can truly evoke deep feelings of suffering in those hearts that have already been filled to a certain degree with the spirit of the spiritual life that we mean.

However, as I already indicated when I last spoke to you from this pulpit, it would be a sign of weakness for those who are engaged in the spiritual life if we did not , at least in our inmost being, we have developed the faith in the one great victory that must come – may it come in whatever way – in the victory and the victoriousness of the spiritual life. We can celebrate, my dear friends, the annual festival of a building that is intended to serve in the most eminent sense to bring together human souls across the earth in harmony. If it should happen, as honestly and uprightly as it can happen, then the way we stand by our building should correspond to what is the first principle of our spiritual movement, and what is expressed in the foundation of every single, even artistic, form of our building.

If anyone takes the trouble to study the individual artistic forms of our structure, they will find that, in addition to everything I have allowed myself to say in the course of the lectures in this room about the meaning of the forms of our structure, every detail expresses the sense of the true Christ impulse to embrace all human hearts, as they are found among the peoples and races of the earth. For, my dear friends, the spiritual life of humanity, life in the spirit, is one; and from the words I spoke here last time, you will have gathered how this must be understood in the most earnest and worthy way.

The spiritual life of humanity is one. But if we want to make this sentence completely our own in the immediate present, we will have to take some of what we have learned in the course of our spiritual work over the years seriously, deeply, deeply seriously.

And let us not hide from ourselves that it will be difficult for some souls to perceive the things that have been accepted as truth in the deepest peace, in the immediate present with the same intensity as truth. But on the other hand, let us remember that this is precisely our test in the present time: to take things seriously.

Now, my dear friends, let us look at an example. It was during the time of deepest peace that I spoke to a number of our friends in the north, in Christiania, about the nature of the folk souls and their significance in the evolution of humanity. There is no doubt that the lectures given at that time on the nature of the folk souls were understood by our dear friends in an objective way; but it is also equally certain that many other people in the world who are outside our society could have understood these lectures in an objective way at that time.

It cannot be assumed that we would be able to accept such lectures with the same objectivity today without being truly moved in our innermost being. And yet, I would like to say, how instructive for today, for the immediate present, what was said in Christiania at that time about the nature of the souls of the people could be! Perhaps we may be permitted to remind our friends of some of the lectures of those days, and particularly of what was said at the time of the greatest peace, at least for the greater part of the European nations.

My dear friends, before I draw your attention to what was said about the national souls of Europe in the course of these lectures, let us consider a fact, a fact that is, so to speak, intimately connected with a correct, deep and serious understanding of our spiritual science. This is this: our soul nature itself, our individual soul nature, is by no means the simple being that exoteric science would like to present it as out of convenience. It is one of the simplest things we have to recognize when we place ourselves on the ground of spiritual science, that we see what a complicated being works and lives in our own inner being. We immediately get to know in our soul being: sentient soul, mind soul and consciousness soul, and how the I is predisposed in it and the striving upwards to the higher members. Immediately we are confronted with a fivefoldness of effective elements. There are still people today who laugh at this description of the soul's elements. But a time will come when people will recognize the complexity of the human soul life, when they will turn their gaze - because life will become more and more difficult in the course of our development on earth - to what so irrefutably shows the multiplicity of our soul elements. This is that our soul members can come into inner conflict, into inner soul war.

We know, of course, how the human soul can feel divided within itself in everyday life at these or those times. The more one delves into the life of the soul, the more significant it becomes when the individual soul members, as it were, rebel against each other within the human being. One perceives how they stand within the human being, one cannot say otherwise: fighting against each other. And the way we are tuned, our state of soul, whether we are more inclined to immerse ourselves in a matter with the element of feeling or more in a rational frame of mind, is reflected in the structure of our being, which is meant to express this.

However, the soul members will only behave correctly if each one finds its corresponding weight, with which it draws the human being, so to speak, to the truly true earthly task required by the spiritual hierarchies, when the soul members come together in harmony. They will become so in the highest sense when they overcome the difficulties that lie in the mutual struggle of the soul members.

In one of the Mystery Dramas there is a scene – in the Test of the Soul – where this inner working, surging and weaving is pointed out in the most eminent sense, but also the fighting of the individual soul forces.

But there is also a representation - and this representation forms the final tableau of the Gate of Initiation, the first mystery play - where what basically lives in the individual soul is distributed among what stands before us in the final tableau. There are Mary and Thomas Aquinas, Lucifer and Ahriman, the hierophants, and so on. They speak with each other, and their voices reflect what speaks in the individual human soul. The goal of the human spirit is to be found in such a union, as depicted in the final temple tableau, where every single soul force and every single personality is placed in its proper place and each contributes what lies in its nature.

I would like to point out the many-sidedness of the human being and how it has been attempted, in the various representations and discussions, to show what works and weaves in the human being in connection with the many-sidedness of the human soul , how we can look into our own soul in true, not theoretical self-knowledge at many an inner war and struggle, and how we can look at the lofty solar ideal that wants to be achieved in human, harmonious cooperation. Basically, our spiritual scientific literature contains everything that can give us not only comfort but also security and support and strength, at least for the inner life of our soul, even in the most difficult situations in life.

Now, in that lecture cycle in Christiania, it was shown how what we otherwise find in the individual soul is, as it were, distributed among the folk souls of Europe. Read about it in the lecture, I think it is the penultimate one, how it is pointed out how the three western folk souls relate to the middle and in turn to the eastern folk soul. Read it up and bear in mind the fact that everything in the evolution of humanity is based on repetition. Bear in mind the fact that the folk soul that prevails on the Italian and Spanish peninsula expresses in a special way what we know as the essence of the sentient soul - a repetition of what was connected with the essence of the sentient soul in Atlantean times. Read up on what has been said about the shades and nuances of the French folk soul and its relationship to the mind soul, and about the British folk soul in its connection with the consciousness soul. Read further and see that in Central Europe, above all, the nuance of the I exists, which prevails in the three folk souls.

Once historians write history in connection with spiritual science, they will be able to objectively describe the rule of the I in Central Europe, from the moment when the army of the Goths and Alarich's wild hordes passed through these lands, through all phases into our and even later times, which are to shine forth in Europe's east: Then they will show what will once be allotted to a distant future.

Yes, so certain, my dear friends, so reassured I would like to say, could one say this a few years ago and know that not the slightest sensitivity could be seen in any of the listeners, but rather it could be seen how what humanity is to achieve is to be achieved in community, but in such a community that flows from objective knowledge, from knowledge that comes from spiritual science.

And now take together what has been repeatedly said about the character of our time, how our time is the period in post-Atlantean cultural development that strives to cultivate the consciousness soul, how all soul forces must work together to give our time the nuances of the consciousness soul. The human I must assert itself in such a way that it finds a way through the consciousness soul, which must necessarily unfold the greatest egoistic strength in order to find the way up into the spiritual self. Not only deeper thoughts, but deeper feelings, feelings of understanding for human development and the character of the times, can move through our soul when we allow such things, as they were spoken at the time and printed as a lecture cycle, to enter our soul with seriousness and dignity.

How does it appear before our soul, this I in relation to the consciousness soul and mind soul, striving upwards to higher realms, forging the way through struggle and war? Frankly, my dear friends, one could not touch these truths again, which were expressed and felt in the deepest soul at the time, in such serious times as ours; they would have been spoken in vain, they would have been understood as a childish game with intellectual concepts and theoretical scientific ideas.

But these things do not only mean that our soul plays with them and finds a theoretical stimulus, satisfies a curiosity about knowledge. The significance of these things lies in the fact that what lies in them can really become the power of our soul. If it becomes a force in our soul, then we can find our way, we can find the possibility to understand ourselves when these things hold their earnest countenance towards us, we can find the possibility to understand them as far as we have to understand them through the power and consciousness of our soul. I know that these must also be the thoughts with which I would like to greet our building one year after the laying of the foundation stone: that it will become a symbol of the strength that we can gain in the sense in which the words just spoken are meant.

“Do we not belong to this building?” one might ask. We belong to the building in a different way than the Gothic church and the community.

It has already been discussed that we form the larynx in the same way as the gods speak. But when we mature and pay attention in our soul so that we receive the science of orientation, the science of finding our way, revealed, then we will recognize in the forms from which our structure is composed the letters of a divine language. We will learn to speak many things differently in the course of human development when we gradually understand this structure.

Time itself is pressing, I would say, out of the configuration of our words often what should no longer be in our words. But everything that is in the spirit of our spiritual science will come, if only we honestly strive to pursue this spiritual science with all the powers of our soul and our mind. We should not be surprised – at most, we may wonder about the point in time at which these things have occurred, and this point in time is explained to me by some occult insights that have been granted to me recently – we should not be surprised, especially not on the basis of our spiritual science, that these events have occurred.

My dear friends, how often have we heard it said that there are basically two currents flowing through the evolution of humanity. One of these currents is still weak, it is the spiritual current to which we want to cling with all our hearts and minds. The other is one that has a materialistic character. I have often spoken to you over the past years about the many forms this materialistic character takes. But you could learn from all that I have said about the materialism of our time that materialism has an effect on all the individual main and secondary currents. Materialism does not only enter into theoretical views. How often has this been emphasized, for example in the last Hague cycle of lectures. Materialism enters into the whole of human coexistence. It has a strong power that is by no means exhausted, that will continue to have an effect in one area – my dear friends, it is good to be clear about how materialism expresses itself; based on the words I have said before, I may assume that the words I will have to follow shortly cannot be misunderstood – [that] will continue to have an effect in the area of human coexistence.

Among other things, materialism has been asserting itself for some time in the fact that – yes, it is difficult to find words for such things – an idea has arisen in the life of European nations that is not really an idea at all and that, in certain respects, is a major step backwards from earlier times: it is what is often referred to as the nationality idea.

Much would have to be said if this nationality idea, which should not be called that at all, were to be discussed exhaustively. But a sense of what prevails in this area can run through our soul when we remember earlier times, times that seem so backward to our supposedly enlightened humanity. Let us remember that a time of ours has preceded, which is called the dark ages, in which people of all nations = one may think otherwise about this time, as one wants - have fought for religious ideas, for ideas that have gone beyond the idea of nationality.

What is present in the spirit as the content of an idea can become present in the spirit and can take hold of the human being as such. It is something that has entered into the formula that was presented here last time as the conversation between the individual and the spirit of his people. But the life of the spirit has receded. Natural scientific thinking and naturalistic feeling have taken hold of humanity. How this presents itself in the field of philosophy is shown in The Riddles of Philosophy, which you will find discussed in my latest book; the second volume also offers an outlook on anthroposophy.

How did it come about that what is called the nationality idea has emerged, I might say as a reflection of the darkening of spiritual life? As soon as one comes to the national aspect – please take this quite objectively – as soon as one comes to the national aspect, the forces that can no longer be overlooked by the spiritual core of our soul come into action. They pulsate through the human organism in an ahrimanic-luciferic way and dissolve into what are called ideas, but which are not ideas.

It may be said here: the more a person frees himself from this nationalistic thinking, the more he comes to see the spiritual world.

I am not saying this out of arrogance, my dear friends, but rather, I would like to say it with inner humility. I grew up in a country in which the most diverse nationalities are not even as far apart as they are here in Switzerland, but live in complete confusion, where one could experience as a child everything that is connected with the rise of the national principle, the national impulses. I do not have one, precisely because of this circumstance – I say it objectively, you may judge it as you will – I have no homeland and I do not really know, from subjective feeling, what is called the feeling of home. It is connected with a certain strange inner tragedy, which is perhaps difficult for someone else to understand if one is prepared by one's karma to be homeless. But all this enabled me to hold my head up high, even as a child, in a country where the individual powers of the soul, like the individual people, stood in relation to one another.

In the middle of the picture of the clashing nationalities, I was in my youth in Austria in it. There one learns about the origin of the nationality idea in a different way than one can learn when living in a homogeneous national body. I was also unable to acquire what is usually called “patriotism” or “national enthusiasm” by working for it. »; nor to the people whose language I speak, for the reason that at the time when one acquires these feelings, when one experiences these feelings, the people among whom I lived were filled with a hatred that can truly be called »hatred of Germans«. Nowhere was this hatred of Germans more intense than in the area of Austria where I grew up. I got to know it in my own family. I did not grow up or was educated in the love of Germanness.

Perhaps some of you recognize that it was precisely because of this homelessness that I was entitled to speak in our area about things about which I would otherwise have to remain silent. That is how it is in my feelings, that is how it is when you struggle through life and its pitfalls. And one can only justify a judgment in one's own soul if one has truly fought for it for decades. I would not make anything out of all the studies I have devoted to the current European situation, I would not believe that I could see the big picture if I did not feel justified in speaking about these things in a few words as I have just done.

One must submit to necessity. But how tempting it is to judge great situations such as the one we are facing on the basis of individual experiences that one has here or there. How tempting it is to judge an entire nation on the basis of individual experiences, which may – as is inevitable in the present day – be rather poorly substantiated.

But occasionally we may also, dare I say, rise a little on a hill, as symbolized by the hill on which our building stands, and look at the matter with the eye of the soul, which the years of working in spiritual science can give us. There would be much to say and perhaps much will be said when calmer times return. But the one thing I would particularly like to emphasize this evening, my dear friends, is how – I would say – those impulses that are now discharging in such a heartbreaking and often horrific way were prepared within European humanity. One could see, as it were, how, with forces still superior to our own, what is expressing itself in our time seized everything that strives towards the true goal of humanity out of goodwill, but less out of insight, because only spiritual science strives out of insight. I say this without arrogance, because it strives under the motto: “Wisdom is only in truth.”

My dear friends, a peace movement spread across the various countries. When the Libyan war broke out, the members of the movement in Milan united and passed a resolution in favor of the Libyan war. They expressed their confidence in the minister who had unleashed this war. Facts are what matter, not opinions. And how could it have been hoped otherwise than that it would have to turn out as it has in Europe now, since, I would like to say, for centuries materialism, rooted in the most diverse living conditions, produced the impulses that are now there. The beginning of the 19th century still saw the Napoleonic campaigns across European soil. I do not want to talk about them, but I want to draw attention to one thing that we must write in our souls when we are carried away by what the individual hears: a saying that Napoleon said to the Austrian Chancellor Metternich:

"You, Metternich, were never a soldier and therefore do not know what goes on in a soldier's soul. I came of age on the battlefield; a man of my stamp does not care in the least whether a million soldiers have to bite the dust. I spared the French wherever I could. Of the 300,000 men that Moscow cost me, only 30,000 were French. As long as I could, I sent Germans and Poles into the fire...

I think we have come a little further than we were at the time when Napoleon, of the 300,000 people who lost their lives at Moscow, sent not Frenchmen but Germans and Poles into the fire.

“Any weak-kneed protection of human life is a dangerous mistake in war. That Louis XIV turned the Palatinate into a scene of fire was not, as our miserable histories gossip, worthy of blame, but of the highest praise. But the glory of this act belongs not to the king, but to the minister Louvois.”

Goethe, who was undoubtedly intimately connected with the whole of modern intellectual life, was not inclined to underestimate the man who cherished this attitude. Goethe, who was therefore accused of unpatriotism by lesser minds, hurled the words at all those who reproached him for it: “The man is too great for you.”

Yes, my dear friends, objectivity does exist. As Hegel was writing his Phenomenology of Spirit, the thunder of the French cannons was rolling near Jena; and as he watched Napoleon ride past his window, he said: “It is nevertheless an uplifting feeling to see the world soul riding past on horseback at your window.” He was the great master whose military writings and sentiments are still studied in all European war colleges to learn what he thought about war. One must not forget how Europe learned war.

Goethe had a different view of revolution from that of the German princes. This is clear from the words he wrote in Verdun in 1792:

"Between order and disorder, between preservation and ruin, between plundering and paying, one lives after all, and this may well be what actually makes war pernicious for the mind. One plays the bold, destructive part, and then again the gentle, invigorating one; one gets used to phrases in the midst of the desperate state of inspiring hope and invigorating. This gives rise to a kind of hypocrisy that has a special character and is quite distinct from the priestly, courtly – or whatever else they may be called – quite distinct.

My dear friends, the certainty of recognizing the great necessity of spiritual science can plant that in our soul.

We can see what historical necessities are at hand, we can see how I and consciousness soul, mind and soul of mind and soul, under the influence of the impulses of which has been spoken, could give the world such a picture as we now have before us. It is wrong to apply the everyday standard to these things, and wistfully, I may say, it may make one's heart sink when one has experienced what I have already modestly related to you.

This book, the second volume of my work Die Rätsel der Philosophie (The Riddles of Philosophy), was completed up to page 206. From page 199 to page 204, it deals with French philosophy as represented by Boutroux and Bergson. The book was finished up to this point. It could only be printed during the war. I hope that you will be convinced that, just like everything else, French philosophy by Mr. Boutroux and Mr. Bergson has been treated objectively.

It makes one's heart ache to hear the words as they are spoken by the West and to see what is happening in Europe. One then realizes how much needs to be done for the spiritual life and how much to struggle to be objective.

But there are other things that confront you, my dear friends. I have had a lot to go through in the last few weeks, I have seen and experienced many things. It is remarkable how karma manifests itself in the smallest details of the day.

When I was traveling from Vienna to Salzburg, I happened to come across an Austrian magazine dated September 1, 1914, at a train station. In addition to many other articles, this magazine contains a piece written by Robert Michel while he was in the field. So a soldier in the field wrote this article. He describes how the soldiers were loaded into the wagons, how they were sent into the field, how many were wounded and fell, how the Samaritans came and so on. I do not need to elaborate further. But the conclusion of this article speaks deeply to my heart. I will read this conclusion to you in context. Pay attention to one sentence and listen to the remarkable thing that is said to us:

"But every single person left behind in the monarchy has a duty to support them to the best of their ability until the victorious decision has been made. All the good words, hearty cheers and blessings that were bestowed on the troops as they left increased their courage and confidence, they were tiny splinters of strength that were by no means lost. This boost of mental strength must continue to be given to the poor, and the will to win must be passed from each individual to the fighters at the front. Therefore, let no one rush ahead of the decision that is being prepared in the north. Those who are lucky enough to be able to actively help should stretch their strength to the utmost. But those who must idly watch the tremendous power of the army and the empire should try to contribute their mite on the path that Scelic forces are taking: those whom God hears, pray; those who cannot pray, he should gather all his thoughts and willpower into a fervent desire for victory; and he who can do nothing else should press his fingers into the palms of his hands and say: We must go, we must win! ... In this way, the least and weakest will also have contributed to the victory that we are preparing to fight for, even if it is with the sacrifice of our last drop of blood!"

What education! For years we have spoken of the reality of the powers of thought and will. Here it comes back to us like an echo: “Those who cannot pray should gather all their powers of thought and will in a fervent desire for victory.”

I have to think of what I said to you last time. I said that human evolution must progress; by a certain point something must give way. To do this, it is necessary that in our time a certain amount of selflessness and willingness to sacrifice is achieved. Our spiritual science knows that this must come, but whether it is heard is another question. What must happen, must happen.

And now the second great teacher enters the stage. Does he not teach people what seems like an echo of what we have been saying from soul to soul for years – the appeal to the reality of the powers of thought and will?

We must only find the possibility, through all our efforts and through a non-arrogant nature, to rise to the greatness that the problem of our time presents.

How could it not be self-evident, my dear friends, that what occurs as a force between individual human souls should also occur in the external world, and that we must preserve it so that we can judge great things with a healthy view, that is the sense of justice and truth.

The world will only learn the truth about past events little by little. Our spiritual science gives us guidelines for everything, if only we want to use them to find the right tones and nuances of feeling in our hearts, as far as possible removed from all criticism. But understanding must

s achieved who but, my dear friends, how, under the influence of the other impulses, the constellation has arisen in such a way that, on the one hand, what has come as materialism can neither be lived out differently nor fought differently than as it happens. We must take things objectively, we must be clear about the fact that only the lack of spiritual impulses has gradually led to the surfacing of nationality principles based in instincts rather than in spirituality. We must be clear that only by freeing ourselves from this instinctual life can we move forward.

And how can our Russian friends, embraced by our hearts, not consider that the noble Russian people today must especially take to heart the spiritual science that will enable those who want to see things objectively and clearly to truly distinguish between the great task of this people and has been conjured up by an excessive imperialism, by an excessive materialism, which only wants to make up for a defeat by attacking European culture, and what has been conjured up by the foolish and mendacious talk of Pan-Slavism. Our Russian friends, who have our full support, must gain the conviction from the humanities that they must distinguish between the noble forces that lie in their nationality and the collaboration with what is not fundamental to their national soul, with what has happened in such a terrible way, to justify which would represent a lack of inner objectivity.

They [you?] will find each other in their hearts and minds if they [you?] keep an open mind for objectivity, for the objective.

I know, my dear friends, that there is a way and that there is ground – if you just look for it – on which our English friends can judge the statesman Grey just as I judge him. This ground exists, and it is the most sacred task, the most sacred task, to find this ground. If we find it, we will understand this structure, which we laid the foundation stone for a year ago. We will find the paths from soul to soul, from heart to heart.

The present is also expressed through something else. I only need to give a few figures to show the contrast we are facing. I am not criticizing these figures, far from it. But we must be aware of the figures, because figures speak for themselves, and since we live in a neutral country, I will use the figures of this neutral country.

My dear friends, we face each other according to our principle: heart to heart, soul to soul. What stands in Europe facing us? There is no rejection in this, no blaming criticism. In Europe, we face each other on the field that we looked out on a year ago as such a peaceful field. Now we face each other with fighting armies in their wartime strength, and this wartime strength speaks a clear language. First, France has a war strength of 4,372,000 men; second, Germany has 4,350,000 men; third, Russia has 3,615,000 men; fourth, Austria-Hungary has 1,872,178 men; fifth, England has 1,081,294 men.

To get a sense of the statistics, let's compare Germany, Austria, Hungary and France with Russia and England. Germany, Austria and Hungary, where the ego comes to life, have a total wartime strength of 62,221,780 men. France, Russia and England have a total of 9,068,694 men. The peacetime strength shows somewhat different numbers. At that time, when there was still peace, it amounted to 655,899 men for Germany, 414,679 men for Austria-Hungary, a total of 1,070,578 men, compared to 609,865 men for France, 1,384,000 men for Russia, and 254,968 men for England, a total of 2,248,833 men. The latter three empires thus had more than twice as much as Germany and Austria-Hungary in peacetime.

My dear friends, I would rather not comment on these figures, because it is difficult to do so at this time. It is really necessary that we let these official figures, which I have not taken from any of the individual states, but from this country, which is neutral to our satisfaction and where we are allowed to be with our construction with thanks, have an effect on us. I will not add anything to these figures. They speak of the necessity that the world now faces. It is necessary for us to be objective. No matter how trivial this truth may sound, I am not afraid to emphasize it again and again, because I know how difficult it will be to be objective in this time, justifiably difficult, naturally difficult, excusably difficult! After all, one can only see what is closest.

But, my dear friends, let us allow the spiritual science within us to be a truth! Let us not forget that what we have worked for over the years is not a game. Let us not forget, my dear friends, that we have no right, after having gone through all this and looking into the structure of the interrelationships of the folk soul, to fall back on the words of a Maeterlinck, who only drew his wisdom from Novalis and is now taking such a strange and ungrateful stand on current events. It is heartbreaking to see how he reflects what he has drawn from Novalis. It is heartbreaking, but I say it without bitterness. And it may be received without bitterness, even though today, of course, we are confronted in the outer world with what has really occurred after every outbreak of war: that it was always the other person's fault. That was always the case and, of course, it is the case today. That is understandable.

But for us it should not be about the guilt of the other, but about the realization of the necessity of existence and, in the second place, about what necessarily arises from our spiritual striving. It should be about learning to distinguish between those who made the war - these will not be the nations, but individual people, cliques and so on - and those who have to endure the war.

I would rather just hint at this as a question today, my dear friends. Let us build on what spiritual science can give us. In it we will find the possibility of coming together across all boundaries, from soul to soul, and we will grow stronger and stronger in forging this bond that leads from soul to soul. We will not grow stronger in this if we are unjust and unobjective towards individual nations, but [we will grow stronger] if we really find the hill, the spiritual hill, on which our judgment and our feeling, [like] our building, to which we laid the foundation stone with sacred feelings a year ago, stands symbolically on a hill.

That is my constant yearning now, the thought I pursue and which I would very much like to share with those of our friends who have some of the insights that I believe I have gained from the spiritual world.

You know that I do not want to claim authority, but I will say over and over again what lives in me as my faith, my conviction, my knowledge, as that which I myself have experienced and must experience anew every day and every hour: May our spiritual current may our spiritual current pass the test that must now be passed, by acquiring the right feeling and objectivity towards the events we are now experiencing; by acquiring feelings that exclude injustice towards the individual nations that are now fighting each other.

That is some of what I wanted to say to you at the present time.

My dear friends!

Today I would like to say a few words in advance about the thoughts that have come to me in the wake of the laying of the foundation stone of our building. Here in this place, we want to remember once more the man who is so intimately connected with everything that concerns our spiritual movement: Christian Morgenstern.

It is, my dear friends, not without an inner spiritual connection that Christian Morgenstern is commemorated precisely at the commemoration of our laying of the foundation stone. The last collection of Christian Morgenstern's poems, which was only published after he left the physical plane, is entitled We found a path. Christian Morgenstern found the path he refers to by approaching it, approaching it more and more, and finally standing completely within it in what we call our spiritual stream, our spiritual science and our spiritual life. And what is expressed in that volume is completely imbued with the feelings, with the living ideas that Christian Morgenstern experienced in connection with our spiritual movement. It meant a lot to him that he chose this title: We found a path.

But Christian Morgenstern also had a sense of how to express symbolically how he was connected to our movement. And that is what we also do when we commemorate the laying of our foundation stone. It did not come to that, but this last collection of poems, published with the passing away of Christian Morgenstern from the physical plane, should have included – in Christian Morgenstern's opinion – an illustration of our as yet unfinished main entrance. And we found that a path should have been able to find symbolic expression in the title picture, saying, as it were: He who enters into the feelings that are laid down here in this book will find the way through the gate through which one enters the Dornach building.

So Christian Morgenstern's soul is intimately, intimately connected with the one with whom we also feel so intimately connected. I don't know if all our dear friends have heard what I had to say in some of our branches, some time after Christian Morgenstern left the physical plane. It may sound so strange because it is perhaps too simple a word for the thing I mean: with Christian Morgenstern it came so vividly to my mind how one can get to know people in a completely different way than in the physical life, when one is able to see them after they have left the physical plane. There are many things that my soul now feels close to Christian Morgenstern's soul. I do not want to include the little poem that was added by Margareta Morgenstern on May 13, 1912, in the copy of the poems intended for me, with the beautiful features of Christian Morgenstern, written by him in pencil. But without offending modesty, I may perhaps share the last two lines of this unpublished poem in a certain context here, in connection with me. As I said, it is not out of immodesty, but because I want to come to an occult fact, be it said. In connection with me, insofar as I have to represent this spiritual movement to Christian Morgenstern through my personality. In this regard, the poem concludes with the words

And in my fourfold form
they wrote their cross as a silent stop.

Yes, my dear friends, it was one of the most beautiful, one of the most uplifting and exalted tasks of our spiritual movement to inscribe the Holy Cross, the symbol of our movement, as a silent hold in this four-fold form. And now I often find Christian Morgenstern meditating. And these lines, with those that precede this little poem, always form, so to speak, what is a mediation of the path to this soul. And this soul can be found meditating in many places. That was the peculiarity of this soul, that it really sought the spiritual path to our spiritual movement in the most dignified and earnest way through the gate, the symbol of which was to be on the last collection of poems. And that resonates, even now.

And I only needed to quote one poem that had already appeared in the collection published by Christian Morgenstern in 1911 to then find this soul in its current state. However, a poem that, in its unpretentiousness – I would like to use Goethe's word – “offenbar geheimnisvoll” (apparently mysterious), shows Christian Morgenstern's peculiar place in our movement. After all, Christian Morgenstern was basically as prepared as possible for our movement before he entered its reality, full of longing for the spiritual life, and at the same time ready to take it up to the full. I would like to say that this poem is the one that sheds light on the life of Christian Morgenstern, both before and after. It is so taken from his whole being, as this being was before he entered through our gate, and yet in the last line in such a way that it presents the glorious earthly end to the soul's eye in a certain way. This is the title of this poem:

The animal, the plant, these beings still had
the inhuman patience of the earth;
there was a year, which today is only a second.

Now nothing can happen fast enough for them.
Man began to become impatient.
She senses: Now at last the great hour has come:

I have been breeding myself for millions of years for this.
Now I no longer need to spare my body,
now I will soon be hanging on God's word as a ghost.

I had to emphasize, my dear friends, how the forms of our construction strive for our soul to cling to the mouth of the gods. The soul of Christian Morgenstern, characterizing its own destiny, speaks the words at the end of the poem: “Now I will soon be a ghost hanging on God's mouth.”

Indeed, this soul was well prepared to carry into the spiritual worlds what it was able to absorb to such a full extent here in the earthly world. And so Christian Morgenstern's spiritual body also appeared to me in such a way that woven into his spiritual garment now after death is that which he absorbed here on earth from our spiritual movement in terms of cosmic truths and secrets. This is now like his body, and it is one of the most profound experiences I have had in the spiritual worlds: to see what I strove to find in this earthly incarnation spread out in the spiritual worlds, as in an artistic painting, and to see it interwoven with Christian Morgenstern's spiritual garment. Just as a painting by a genius gives us something in addition to nature, so the spiritual body of a human being gives us something in addition to what is spread out in the field of spiritual life. Truly, this soul remains with us, that may be said, and also accompanies that which is to be the symbol of our spiritual life, the foundation stone of which we laid a year ago.

I wanted to preface this with these words, and now some of Christian Morgenstern's poems, inspired by the immediate spiritual life, are to be recited; and at the end, I will take the liberty of making a further observation that may be suitable to enliven our thoughts a little on this day of remembrance of the laying of the foundation stone.

[A recitation of poems by Christian Morgenstern followed.]

If my intention was to commemorate Christian Morgenstern today, it is connected with the whole way in which Christian Morgenstern, from his own intellectual life, which he lived through before he joined our current, approached this our intellectual movement. And this way of Christian Morgenstern's is, in a sense, only an isolated case, a representative case of impulses, of forces and elements that can be felt in the whole of modern intellectual life, and which were particularly on my mind when we laid the foundation stone for our building a year ago today.

At the time, at the site where our foundation stone was laid, I had to point out how something should be done, how something should be built with this building, that would meet the longings, the spiritual hopes of individual people in the present, and would do so more and more in the future. Unconsciously, it had to be emphasized, the longing for the spiritual life contained in our spiritual current hovers in the souls. The souls long for this spiritual life, they just don't know it. And something would be given, it was emphasized, not out of the arbitrariness of a person or a society, but out of the signs of the times, out of what the time is driving towards, what the souls of the time are striving for, unconsciously perhaps most , those souls who, even for this or that reason, behave very negatively towards the form in which the newer spiritual life, the newer spiritual current, must make its entry into world history.

When I had finished the second volume of my Riddle of Philosophy, the aim was that after almost thirteen years of our spiritual movement, the last chapter should contain a reference to our anthroposophy. Of course, on the few pages that could be devoted to actual spiritual science, only a few of the rich contents that have been on our minds for so many years could be hinted at. The question naturally had to arise for me: What is the most important thing that must first enter into the souls of modern people?

The most important thing that must move in is the realization that there is a spiritual life that dwells and weaves in man independently of the human body, and that this spiritual life is the same that unfolds from embodiment to embodiment in repeated lives on earth. If we leave aside everything else that has passed through our soul, these two truths are such that, one might say, they still move into modern spiritual life as something completely alien. They appear foolish and fantastic to the materialistic mind, contradicting all the scientific spirit of modern times. That is how they appear to the materialistic mind; but a soul that has truly participated in the longings and hopes, in the forces and impulses of modern spiritual life, drinks them in to the full. That soul has cheered ed for the return of spiritual proclamation, and who has suffered from the spiritual life of our time, from the impossibility of taking something from the outer life that justifies speaking of a spiritual world, despite all modern science.

Such a thing can only remain suspended in the spiritual atmosphere for a while, one might say. But then comes the age when such a thing penetrates into the sphere of everyday life itself. And here is the point where the matter of our spiritual movement is directly announced as that which must become the affair of the heart of mankind in the most intimate sense of the word. Today one can still speak as if our spiritual movement were only of interest to a few individual souls, as if it were only for those souls who could feel what must enter into modern spiritual life. But the time is already upon us when souls will become desolate because the spiritual atmosphere, under the influence of materialism, gives them no vitality.

You, my dear friends, have all reached the age where so much remains of the more or less spiritual impulses of a more spiritual past that your souls cannot yet be so desolate, that your souls are still searching for the spiritual world, but do not know the desolation that will come upon the next generation if the spiritual impulse of spiritual culture does not flow into humanity. Those who are young children today will face a life that will constantly ask them - not in theory, but in life itself - the question: What is the meaning of life? Why this bleak existence?

And in the future, the pale faces of those who are young children today, distorted by the hardships and worries of life, will stand before our souls in horror, unable to see anything in the material world that can comfort the soul in the face of the desolation that can only take hold in a person's life if materialism is the only thing that exists. Then, my dear friends, there comes that great compassion, that all-embracing sympathy that swells in the soul, that empathy with those who will come and who can only find the earth worth living in if the spiritual atmosphere of this earth is prepared by that which spiritual science can give.

I said: Among the most important things that humanity must first understand is the doctrine of repeated lives on earth. A time will come when man who does not know about repeated lives on earth, who has not heard of it, will face life as the most desolate. In individual souls, which are connected with the whole of modern spiritual life, this idea emerged; so it emerged, that if you want to describe how it emerged, you have to say: There are souls that ask themselves: How do we cope with life in the peculiar phenomena that confront us when we survey it? How do we cope?

Then there are souls who are immersed in modern spiritual life and say to themselves: Oh, at least in my imagination I must conjure up an idea of immortality that is initially very far removed from the materialistic consciousness of our time! This idea of immortality sometimes comes to us in the strangest places in modern spiritual life. I would like to point out one such instance as a symptom. On another occasion, I have pointed out to the same modern personality that this idea of immortality does arise in him. But you will see from the very first sentence how it arises!

Herman Grimm, the excellent actor of modern times, a personality with whom I was privileged to exchange many words, once wrote - one might say, strangely enough - the following words in an essay that was actually about a completely different topic:

It is conceivable that the spirit of a human being, released from the bonds of the body, might hover above the earth like a mere mirror of what is happening.

Now, one might say, the hesitation comes:

I am not stating an article of faith here, it is only a fantasy.

But this fantasy is necessary:

Let us assume that for some people, immortality takes this form: they float above the earth, unencumbered by what previously blinded them, and all the destinies of the earth and of mankind from the birth of the planet are revealed to them. The past would be a fabric of harmonious beauty to them. Every thought of a heart would be a necessary part of it, every deed that we call good or condemn, the falling of a tree leaf and the collapse of entire cities, under which the ground begins to move, everything would have the same rank among the events, because it was the same single force that moved everything. Now suddenly, let's dream on...

Herman Grimm does not dare to grasp the thought as reality –

... this spirit, which so freely surveyed things, would be forced to rejoin the body of a mortal human. If this human had the highest talents of every kind, would only the memory of the previous state be possible?

The idea of re-embodiment! Now he develops the thought of how the soul, which he first imagined hovering above the earth in a disembodied state, would have to return to an earthly body.

It would be born in a certain age. It would have a father and a mother, a fatherland, a class, a heart that loves and hates, vanities, pains, joys, vexation, despair, delight – when, even for a moment, would it be capable of the free clarity that was once its element? He would begin to doubt whether he had ever really enjoyed freedom, and the memory of it would soon be compressed into a dark presentiment, hidden deep within his soul. While he usually had the hearts of men before him like a glass beehive, where he saw thoughts flying in and out and working, now he must divine them as secrets.

And so on. These are the passages, my dear friends, in which we encounter the yearning of modern man for what we want, and which, in the form in which it must first appear before humanity, seems so unlikely to this humanity. Our building and our work on it is, as it were, the vow that we want to work devotedly to study the longings and hopes of modern man in order to find from the spiritual world that which can meet these longings, these hopes. I had to express this when the foundation stone was laid a year ago.

I would also like to quote from another passage, from Herman Grimm. Do people today look at the history of the past, at historical life and development, purely in terms of the course of external facts? And materialism has increasingly come to regard it in this way. If we compare what is called history today with what we are trying to describe as the successive life in the post-Atlantic era, it becomes clear how little can be understood in our materialistic times, even in historical matters. This is what must come and for which our building is intended to be a symbol. But the longing for it is there, the deep longing! In a little-known essay by Herman Grimm, there are words that are particularly valuable to me because they basically reflect a conversation I once had with Herman Grimm in Weimar. Herman Grimm said that an expansion of the concept of history was imminent:

A world-historical change is taking place before our eyes today, the like of which has not been seen in any period of history, as far as we are able to survey it. The peoples of Europe are suddenly demanding to be left to their own devices. The mutual influence of the races on each other is to be completely denied in theory and minimized in practice. And this new view is not the fruit of a doctrine propounded by the learned, but of a natural impulse that is shaking peoples to their very depths. It does not emerge in the individual, but moves the masses. Something has secretly ripened and the latest events are the storm that shakes it from the tree. There is a universal law by which great masses of people repel and attract each other, connected with their ability to bring about general spiritual progress either by coming together or by isolating themselves. What we today generally call history is the story of the coexistence of peoples, which the peninsula of Europe, attached to western Asia, has held over the course of the last three or four thousand years.

Regarding the conception of history, Herman Grimm once said that he foresaw a time when all those regarded as great in the 19th century would no longer be regarded as such, but quite different people would emerge from the twilight of time. History has developed in such a way that, in order to judge it today, a transformation of the human soul is necessary, a transformation that reaches down to the very roots of its life. From this point of view, I have emphasized this again and again, but it cannot be said often enough.

Yes, my dear friends, it is impossible to gain from what modern spiritual life has to offer without our spiritual science what we long for here. A new history is sought, a new view of historical development, which is characterized by the words I have just read. But this longing cannot be fulfilled anywhere because the elements, the forces, the impulses for it are lacking. One would like to say: As a yearning, it is present, present in the best of our time, which we strive for as the fulfillment of this yearning.

But what strikes me as particularly profound is the connection between this yearning and what we, in all modesty, strive for when I consider how art itself has taken this path through humanity; when I consider that to him [Herman Grimm] history was an evolution of the imagination. That there are imaginations in humanity that flow unconsciously into humanity in order to be realized in human activity, that history is based on inspiration and intuition, could not be realized by him. For him, it was the imaginative work of nations. He could only gradually replace Maya with what he called the imaginative work of nations, not with what must present itself to the human spirit if it is to find the way up from the physical world into the spiritual. Only later will we truly understand what it meant for the 19th century when Herman Grimm says: What can we find particularly interesting in the way history has presented Julius Caesar? Julius Caesar – Herman Grimm says – interests me much more as he is portrayed by Shakespeare. That is truer than anything a modern historian writes about him.

He repeatedly pointed out how much he likes to read Tacitus: because he is a person who knows how to bring to life what he has to describe, to transform it into the spiritual. And so, from such a premise, a wonderful thought arose, such as that which Herman Grimm wrote down in the nineties and which is in his book on Homer, a thought that really stands there as an anticipation of what was to come as a message from the hierarchies.

[Gap in the text]. How this art took its starting point from the spiritual revelations that came down to people in the primeval culture of nations from the spiritual fathers themselves, how then that which lay in the primeval culture of nations , by the Christ impulse, how this Christ impulse also made its way into artistic forms, but how we then came to a deadlock, to that deadlock in artistic development in particular, at which humanity now stands. It pains me to have settled into the lives of those artists who, from the bottom of their hearts, tried to find what would give modern art spirit again. The life of the serious artist in particular has become tragic, and it stands tragically even before world history, because there is the search for something that can also enter into forms, and because this search can only be met by that which comes from a real, genuine grasp of the spiritual world. How does human longing find itself, how it is rooted in the deeper feelings of precisely those who suffer from modern culture, how it finds itself in harmony with what our spiritual movement is able to give! We have to think back to the Stuttgart cycle 'Before the Gate of Theosophy', where I spoke of Christian initiation and gave the example of foot washing as the first stage.

Many years have passed since we spoke out of the spiritual, how the plant must incline towards the stone, as it owes it the ground of existence; in the same way, the animal inclines towards the plant, and the human being towards the animal, up to the hierarchies of the spirits! This also lived in Christian Morgenstern's yearning. It united harmoniously with what was spoken, and we hear an echo of what was given to the yearning, what spiritual science was able to give to the yearning. We hear it echo in the poem that we heard today, 'The Washing of Feet': 'I thank you, you mute stone...'

It gives me an idea of how what is the best of human longing in this modern age will grow together with what spiritual science has to give us. These longings will flow into our perceptions, into our ideas, into our entire intellectual life. But, as I said, it pains me to look at those artists who sought content for their art. Carstens, Overbeck, Cornelius: they sought to bring the Christ impulse into their art - but it was in vain. Just study a life as tragic as that of Cornelius, who was so close to Herman Grimm: He sought to find the living Christ-life in the form that Christianity had taken, in the form that could penetrate his soul and flow into his art. But he lived in the dead center. Just look at modern architecture: we are not walking through the artistically created, but through the preserved, prepared herbarium of old art styles. Only the living connection with the Christ Impulse will be able to infuse these art forms with life, but only the living Christ Impulse, which penetrates into the forms through what has flowed into people through the Mystery of Golgotha. For it is not by merely speaking of Him that the forms come to life, without which human life is dead in art as well.

All we have been able to do, both with our spiritual movement and with our building, is no more than a beginning; the very first beginning of a building style that is to come, that must come. But that is precisely what we are trying to do with our spiritual movement: to take up the impulse of the Mystery of Golgotha into our souls, to take it up completely, and to take it up in such a way that future humanity will need it.

In this context, I must also mention a word that Herman Grimm has just spoken in an essay, in which he divides human development – I have already mentioned this in the Hague cycle – into three millennia: one before the Mystery of Golgotha, then the millennium of the Mystery of Golgotha, and one after. Today of all days, I would like to call to mind the words with which Herman Grimm characterized the second millennium, for these words once again show something of the longings of modern man. They are words that can penetrate deeply into the soul if one looks straight at what lives in the hopes of the new age and what, in essence, can only be fertilized by spiritual science.

The second millennium: Christ stands before us here in two forms. First, as the creeds of the religions allow him to appear:

[...] Christ cannot be placed in a row with other great men as an historical personality. He towers above them and is surrounded by an aura of inviolability. Therefore, many treat the great phenomena of history apart from Christ. They assume Christ's relation to everything else as being recognized. But we cannot avoid him, since he and the personalities connected with him are encountered at every turn, and since even the all-powerful spiritual forces that lived before Christ, I mention Socrates or Plato, can only be understood in comparison with him today.

A high-ranking man who admired him is said to have demanded that Christ be introduced into world history as the author of all human destinies. This demand, it is reported, caused the scholar to experience severe inner struggles, but was ultimately rejected on the grounds that the given explanation had to suffice. Christ appears to us in world history in two forms: as the founder of Christianity and as the superhuman Son of God, as the church teaches.

I consider this dual nature of Christ to be historically untenable. We do not have to explain Christ, but to accept him and the effect of his teaching as a fact. Christ's works are to be incorporated into the report of the course of world events. In Roman political history, the birth and earthly life of Christ belong as an event of world-transforming power, and should not be relegated to church history as a special chapter. The teaching of Christ has been effective from Christ's appearance.

Titus did not destroy Jerusalem only because of it, but it is to blame for the fact that from the reign of Augustus onwards Latin and Greek poetry and the fine arts moved down from the heights because the innermost lifeblood is missing from them from that point on.

Attempts to depict Christ as the most beautiful, most divine of men soon began, and reached their zenith in Raphael's paintings. This took many centuries, but the direction towards this goal is recognizable. Raphael's importance would be incalculable if history were conceived differently, while at the same time no one who conceives of recent history in this way, whether as a writer or a reader, would be compelled to confess or even hint at his own thoughts about Christ if he did not want to.

For it is our human right to do these things in private. Scholars whose work has consisted in investigating Greek history have looked at it in the broadest sense with such enthusiasm that zealots could accuse them of having pagan beliefs. Nothing could be less justified. The development of the Greek spirit is just as beautiful and worthy of knowledge as that of the moving universe, or that of a flower, or that of any law in the field of chemistry.

If we are looking for a reason why Ranke might have doubted for a while whether or not to hold on to the double historical figure of Chrisü, then perhaps it is also about particular inclinations that should be considered in every historian [...] He then easily lifts us up, but this height is not the highest [...] One should find out what he intentionally left unmentioned in his history of the popes [...] He may have been flattered by those who wanted to rise through him, but he renounced purchased praise and loved quiet, untrodden paths where he met no one. When a man like that, growing very old, takes in everything that has happened, his world view has lasting value. But the future does not reveal it.

We feel that new world conditions are forming. Nothing spiritual has remained untouched by them. A veil is already falling over the 19th century: a something that forms a perceptible barrier between us and the recent past. Again and again the question arises secretly and aloud: Where do we want to go, where do we have to go? This uncertainty prevails in all areas of human existence. It produces strange new considerations. Transformation is taking place before our eyes [...].

Consider, my dear friends: a person who strives to find spiritual life in the life of humanity, who even sees the Christ in two forms, but does not want to speak of the form that is not simply human! For Herman Grimm continues:

I believe that for the history of the future, the beginnings of the community he founded point to the Christ as a historically established power of the highest order, as the real living force in human history. The history of Christ, the growing authority of his ideas and general political progress form an intricate web. Raphael's inner urge to depict Christ himself and his experiences did not arise from any coincidences, but from his national-Italian nature [...] We are giving the book that is most widely read today, translated into all the languages of the world: the New Testament, compatible with other books of national origin. These other books are recognized at the same time as the Gospels as a source of our spiritual uplift and education, although there seems to be an unbridgeable gap between them and the Gospels.

These other books, in contrast to the dubious authors of the Gospels, have certain authors who live on at the same time as their works. The most distinguished of them were poets, others were visual artists, alongside them were philosophers who observed nature, and the series is concluded by statesmen and generals. These men of the highest national rank have ruled over nations stretching back to the distant past, and their relationship to national character and to the teachings of international Christianity determines their presence and future everywhere today. A wonderful contrast.

Christ knows only humanity without distinction, whose salvation he sacrificed himself for. [ ] The most powerful men known to the millennia of human history have been five poets living before and after Christ: David, Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Goethe. An Oriental, a Greek, an Italian and two Germans. Their careers and poetic powers are very different, but their works have a scope and impact that continues to grow. They also resemble each other in that we can most deeply penetrate their souls critically. For these five we know best of all people's earlier lives. Yes, one could say we alone know them. For we do not know Christ. We gaze at him in awe.

But where is the possibility of presenting the Christ to humanity in a new form? - to present him in such a way that one will no longer need to say: “These five we know best of all people's previous lives. Yes, one could say that we alone know them. For we do not know Christ. We gaze at him in awe.

When humanity decides to accept the spiritual form of Christ in its hearts, the time will have come for which people yearn, because they cannot yet see the form that Christ must take if he is to fulfill their longings. When one enters the path that leads to spiritual science, one will find the possibility to speak about the Christ in such a way that life, content, and certainty will enter into human souls, that certainty which is at the same time the certainty of peace itself. For is it not like a question that is posed but still stands without an answer when Herman Grimm says: he believes that - for the history of the future - the formation of the first Christian community as the actual living element of human history points to the Christ as a historically firmly established power of the highest order.

Spiritual science is the answer to such questions, the answer that must be given today. For it is precisely with regard to the contemplation of Christ that humanity has arrived at a dead end. Herman Grimm felt it rightly when he said that he only had the questions but not the answers! The answers will have to be kept back as long as it is not firmly grounded in spiritual science.

But how it is also, my dear friends, with the placing of this Christ-figure in the culture of the present still! How far is still that, what pulsates through the present souls, from what we must seek as this Christ-figure! Indeed, it must be said that the unpleasantly that Herman Grimm spoke of in relation to the Christ biographers, confronts us more and more. For the way in which people of the present time seek to understand Christ on the basis of what external cultural life of the present still knows, has indeed more and more of the unpleasantly. The tones with which Christ was characterized in past centuries are worn out and can no longer live in the modern soul. New tones and new modes are needed for this very purpose. Therefore, we see how the representations of Christ become more and more unpleasant and unpleasant if these representations of Christ cannot draw from what spiritual science is meant to open up for humanity. They become increasingly unpleasant and unedifying the closer they approach the present day. I would say that we have experienced the most unpleasant thing in a portrayal of Christ in the very bad drama of a grand duke, which represents a blasphemy of everything that happened through and around Christ, and which so clearly demonstrates the low point in the portrayal of that which happened through Christ. How our spiritual life, according to the means of the present, leads to the impossible: this is precisely what this abominable Christ drama shows, which is actually an anti-Christ drama in its whole attitude. But from the spiritual life of the present, longings are developing that are good soil and are becoming more and more good soil from which to sprout what we strive to put into it as seeds, into this soil full of hopes and longings, in this soil in which the hopes and longings of those who already live as young children today must be transformed into certainties, and are condemned to live unhappily unless spiritual science comes among humanity.

We see the yearnings everywhere, we see them also in the soil from which the unfortunate Christ drama, of which I have spoken, sprang. We also see the yearning for an understanding of this Christ impulse, but we also see, so to speak, the lack of understanding that is shown towards this true yearning for true understanding. I must confess that it was quite a strange feeling for me when I read the words that Solowjow wrote. I only discovered them recently; they made a particular impression on me. You can guess why! Various attacks have come from this or that side in recent times: I have been called a Jesuit from one side; I have been denounced as a Jew in another place; I therefore had to have my baptism certificate photographed.

Well, my dear friends, that does not matter, these are necessary side effects of being forced to say, albeit only in stammering words, what humanity needs. But those others who speak of the longing for a correct understanding of Christ have also been able to report a strange understanding that has been shown to them. Hence the words of Solowjow, spoken in 1886: “I am literally persecuted, my writings are banned because they are said to be harmful to Russia and Orthodoxy. Today I am said to be a Jesuit, tomorrow a Jew, and so on... so that one must be prepared for anything.”

My dear friends, some of what needs to be said as that which comes from the deepest, but also the most necessary longings and hopes of life, some of it has already been found harmful, and it is believed that it must not be allowed! Only when people of the present time come to understand the painful events of the present as a test, and in the sense that I was able to hint at yesterday, allow themselves to be led to a spiritual life, only then will they also recognize the necessity of these painful present events and learn to judge them differently than according to their immediate impression. Yes, my dear friends, it will always be possible to communicate with people who speak like Solowjow, one will find the way to them beyond all national differences. But it is not me, but Solowjow, a member of the Russian nation, of whom I spoke yesterday, the same Solowjow, who spoke words for those with whom there is such a close connection to what afflicts us so painfully today. It is he who characterizes this clique with the words: “Our state, church, and literary scoundrels are so brazen and the public is so foolish that one must expect anything.” Of course, he is talking about those who “absolutely banned” his writings.

My dear friends, today, as we stand before the unfinished building for which we laid the foundation stone a year ago, let us renew our pledge that we will remain true to what spiritual science can give us. Let us absorb the awareness that spiritual science can meet the longings and hopes, the needs of humanity. Let us absorb the consciousness that spiritual science will make it possible for humanity to speak of the Christ impulse in a way that even free spirits like Herman Grimm did not dare to speak of, just as it is necessary to speak of it, especially in view of the painful events of today. And let us absorb the consciousness that if we learn to speak rightly about the Christ, we learn rightly to speak about human history. For the Christ does not belong to one people, the Christ belongs to all people, the Christ did not speak to the members of one people: “You are my brother...” He spoke to the members of all humanity. We then find the way to every human being and to the peace choirs of all higher hierarchies, and find the way to the Christ.

This, my dear friends, must also be a foundation stone that we want to lay in our hearts, on which we want to build the invisible structure, for which the visible structure is the outer symbol. May this outer symbol, in a primitive, elementary way, but at least to some extent fulfill that which we attempted to implore from the world powers a year ago! May it be fulfilled for our good, that in these forms one may see how the spirit, which has communicated itself to the earth through the Mystery of Golgotha, streams through our forms, takes hold of the forms, permeates them with the Christ impulse, so that the consciousness may permeate the soul, which is expressed in the words, which are still not understood deeply enough: Not I, but Christ in me! May this structure, too, upon people — even if it only imperfectly represents what is intended — may it at least to a small extent achieve what it wants: upon the human souls that enter it, make the impression: Not I, not my own is that which makes an impression on the eye through the outer forms... but the Christ wants to speak, who through the word of the higher hierarchies seeks an expression, a revelation. And the mouth shall be this structure!

May the souls, finding themselves in the spirit of this building, feel a little imbued with a similar feeling, which can be called: a feeling of the connection of the individual human soul with the soul of the earth, and of the feeling of how this soul of the earth lives today, how it has lived since the beginning of the earth, how it lives in all souls! May this soul then feel itself as a spirit at God's mouth, may this soul speak as Christian Morgenstern:

The animal, the plant, these beings still had
the inhuman patience of the earth;
there was a year, which today is only a second.

Now nothing can happen fast enough for them.
Man began to become impatient.
She senses: Now at last the great hour has come:

I have been breeding myself for millions of years for this.
Now I no longer need to spare my body,
now I will soon be hanging on God's word as a ghost.

May such feelings be able to enter the souls of more and more people when they become familiar with our designs! That is what our building is for. It should never be expected that it represents what it is supposed to be, even to a small degree of perfection: in its highest imperfection, it represents what it can represent of the hopes and longings of modern times. But even if we never dare to speak of the hour of laying the foundation stone as the great hour of world existence, but want to speak of it as the small hour of world existence, even if we say that we can only make a small, contribute a little to the great tasks of humanity, we still want to feel the great tasks of existence, to which, even with small means, we want to devote ourselves to what we laid the foundation for a year ago.

Automated Translation

Emil Grosheintz: It is necessary to discuss [the relationship between the colony developing on the Dornach hill and the Johannesbau-Verein] here because the Johannesbau-Verein has the greatest interest in the prosperous development of the colony and because it is precisely its aim to harmonize the interests of the colonists with the interests of our entire cause – regardless of the fact that what was presented here by Mr. de Jaager was directed directly at the Johannesbau-Verein.

Does anyone else wish to speak on this matter?

It seems that everyone here is satisfied, that no ill will has been expressed, that it has never been said that whether or not one can do something here, get a piece of land and so on, depends on the goodwill of Dr. Grosheintz or Dr. Grosheintz.

Rudolf Steiner: It is a pity that these things, as we have heard them, are passed on, because the difficulty always lies in the transition from a special thing to generalities, to general sentences - I think. It is not right if it turns out that although some individual thing is highly unsatisfactory, the sentence is formulated as if there were fundamental contradictions between the colony and the Johannesbau-Verein, and if such a sentence is passed on, it creates bad blood in public and confusion in people's minds. This is something we should avoid at all costs.

Let us imagine how such a matter unfolds. So, let us start from the hypothesis that everyone really is of one heart and one soul – which is indeed how it turned out, isn't it – but nevertheless, in one case it is said: Yes, your interests as a colonist and those of the Johannesbau-Verein are two different things, two completely different things. If you have the first thing and then immediately say the second thing as an afterthought, then it may seem harmonious to you, but that's not how it's told. The individual matter in question is left out entirely, but the sentence that is told everywhere remains: the interests of the Johannesbau Association and the colony are two completely different things. And from this sentence, all sorts of accusations arise, so that one can no longer get out of the mutual recriminations.

Consider, please, that it is now a matter of how one says something and what follows from it as an interpretation. Isn't that what it is about! Let's assume that someone had presented in the form of a feature article what the whole discussion here was based on – let's assume that it was so. If you think about it, you will have to say to yourself: If you phrase the words just a little bit more sharply than they are in this feature article, then you come to a completely different conclusion. If, for example, this feature article were to say: “In the forthcoming establishment of the statutes of the colony, it would be valuable for our members to clarify the relationship with the Johannesbau Association,” and further: “The colony strives for a close togetherness, a close unity, a oneness with those who are working spiritually in the present Johannesbau Association, which will have a different significance in the future. Now you recognize the intended path: in the future, the colony is to take over everything material, except the spiritual. And then it will be said that the work of the Johannesbau Association should only be a purely spiritual one, an inspiring one. It should in no way undertake anything in the outside world without the mediation of the colony, which will represent all matters to the world. The colony should then consider it one of its duties to construct the individual buildings, found a university, own the land, and so on.

Once the colony had achieved victory over the Johannesbau Association, it would appear as the world's organ for the Johannesbau; it would now endeavor to realize all the ideals of the Johannesbau Association. However, the funds would not be provided by the colonists, but raised through voluntary contributions. In other words, the Johannesbau-Verein would have to disappear, that is, it would be restricted to the construction of the Johannesbau, and the Johannesbau-Verein's further work would be transferred to the colony. So there would be two links, so to speak: a Johannesbau-Kolonie and a Johannesbau-Rat with an advisory, non-voting voice. Those with an advisory vote: these are the people who are listened to and allowed to speak, but not to vote; only the others are allowed to vote. The members of the Johannesbau-Verein can then continue to work as the Johannesbau-Beirat, but the members of the colony as the executive power, as a major power, one might say.

Isn't it true that you just need to put it in a somewhat exaggerated form and spread it around, then it becomes self-evident, as we have seen here, that the Johannesbau Association is such a crazy thing that it needs to be taken over by practical people as soon as possible. These practical people will then put right what those people have made a mess of. And that will then be spread as a mood. And very soon we will hear that it must happen that way.

I think it's really about how to move from one thing to another. Because mistakes were made in this regard, it happened that lately these things were carried around so much; I mean, this word, that there was a conflict between the Johannesbau Association and the colony, should not have been said at all. Right? It shouldn't have been said at all, it doesn't really have any content. So I mean: why is it necessary to create difficulties that don't need to be there at all?

If it really is the case that everyone is of one heart and one soul, that no one distrusts anyone, then everything should be done to affirm this trust, to put it on a firm footing. This is precisely where we face a major difficulty: those who, in a sense, sacrifice themselves for our cause, who devote all their spare time to our cause, are often, and I cannot put it any other way, misunderstood in the most acute way. You hear words like, “It's a terrible economy, you don't know what's behind it!” Such words have already been said; of course it is not worth investigating who said them. It is true that such words have been said, and they are passed on. But why is this not avoided, especially by those who could avoid it? Why don't they see to it that the trust is reaffirmed, as is only right? Why don't they see how the chairmen of the Johannesbau Association devote themselves to our cause and put all their available manpower at the service of the cause? Why don't they want to consolidate and reaffirm the trust when they have it in their hands? Why do they instead do things that are likely to cause misunderstandings?

It is important, my dear friends, that a matter such as the one we have just heard is discussed afterwards, so that we can see how wrong things can turn out. It is wrong, of course, to come up with such documents as those read to us today. And what is wrong does not cease to be wrong if someone says afterwards: I only did it for idealistic reasons. The person who wrote the document may have had an idealistic reason, and another person may have had one as well, but when you send out such a letter, you are responsible for what you have done. You are not only responsible for what you intended, but also for everything that follows from it. Of course, the best of intentions may be behind it, but that does not change the bad effect. And there is also not a very thoughtful piece of work behind such a document. One should really pay attention to what one says.

I say all this on the assumption that there is now complete harmony here, in the fullest, most luminous sense. Why does it appear as if that were not the case? There are things that have happened, but did not have to happen.

approved at the third general assembly of the Johannesbau-Verein

Corrections by Rudolf Steiner are in italics in brackets and, where applicable, marked with strikethroughs.

Articles of association of the association
“Anthroposophical Colony Dornach“
(”Johannesbau-Colonie Dornach")

§1. Under the name “Anthroposophen-(J. B.-)Kolonie-Dornach” there exists in Dornach (Canton Solothurn, Switzerland) an association in the sense of Art. 60ff. of the Swiss Civil Code. It is to be entered in the commercial register of the Canton Solothurn.

§2. The purpose of the association is to establish and develop an anthroposophical colony in Dornach, as well as to protect and promote the ideal interests of the colonists. In doing so, it sets itself the further task of ensuring that the buildings constructed within the colony are related in their external architectural design to the Johannesbau as their center.

(It is formed from members of the Anthroposophical Society and aims to establish a colony with the Johannesban as its spatial center and to contribute to the realization of the intentions of the Anthroposophical Movement through its design.)

§3. The association seeks to achieve this purpose by the following means in particular:

a) by procuring suitable building land, whether by acquiring ownership or by acquiring building rights. (Art. 675 & 779 Z.G.B.),

b) by constructing road, sewerage and lighting systems,

c) by acquiring sources, supplying water, gas and electricity,

d) by constructing residential buildings, other buildings and facilities that can serve to achieve the purpose of the association (in particular by adhering as closely as possible to the architectural style of the Johannesbau),

e) by acquiring existing buildings, demolishing or converting them, in order to significantly improve the overall facilities of the Anthroposophical (Johannesbau) Colony in Dornach.

f) by giving developed or undeveloped parcels of land to its members for limited use,

8) by renting buildings for uses that do not disturb life in the colony.

§4 The land and buildings of the Anthroposophical (J. B.) Colony Dornach are to be permanently preserved for the purposes of the Anthroposophical Movement and therefore, if possible, remain the property of the colony itself or its members (or the Johannesbau Association). To achieve this, the following standards must be adhered to when land or buildings are sold:

a) When the land and buildings are handed over, an easement is to be imposed in favor of the Anthroposophical Colony (land parcel no.) to the effect that no business or trade may ever be carried on on or in the same that causes a nuisance to the neighborhood through noise (exceptions may ), dust, smoke, soot, odour, or which is associated with a risk of fire or explosion, and that no animals may be kept on or in the same which may cause a nuisance to the neighbourhood through noise or unpleasant odours. (With regard to noise, exceptions may be granted by the board.)

b) The purchasers of land or buildings shall grant the Anthroposophical Colony of Dornach a right of purchase to the effect that, after the purchaser has left the association, the Anthroposophical Colony is entitled at any time to purchase the land and buildings at a value determined by a joint expert opinion on terms agreed in advance with a one-year notice period. This right of purchase shall be entered in the land registry and renewed one year before its expiry in each tenth year (otherwise membership will be lost).

The Anthroposophical Colony will only make use of this right if the former member's continued ownership of the relevant parcel of land causes significant inconvenience to the colony or the anthroposophical movement , which shall be decided by a general meeting of the association by secret ballot with an absolute majority of all members of the association; the person concerned has the right to appeal to the arbitral tribunal provided for in $ 19 within one month of notification of this decision of the association.

In the event of the member's death, however, the right of preemption can only be exercised vis-à-vis the first generation of descendants when these descendants have reached the age of thirty.

c) Similarly, the purchasers of land or buildings of the Anthroposophical Colony of Dornach shall grant a (real) right of first refusal, which, in the event of a sale to a buyer outside the Anthroposophical Colony of Dornach, entitles the Anthroposophical Colony of Dornach to enter into the relevant purchase agreement. This right of first refusal should also be recorded in the land registry and renewed (one year) before its expiry in the tenth year (otherwise membership will be lost).

d) Finally, the buyers of land or buildings from the Anthroposophical Colony of Dornach must undertake to rent buildings only to members of the association, subject to a conventional penalty of 10,000 francs. (ten thousand francs), for which a land charge is to be registered on the property in question, which in its rank immediately follows the liens existing at the time of the purchase settlement, with the right of succession in the event of partial payments to the previously pledged'promotional funds. However, the board of directors may, in individual cases, freely grant permission to rent to non-members on a provisional basis and with the right of revocation at any time. (The paragraph with the comment is in italics: changed)

§5. To be admitted to the association, the person to be admitted must be a member of the Anthroposophical Society. However, associations of members of the Anthroposophical Society (associations, societies, local groups, country groups, etc.) can also be admitted to the association; they must designate a first and second representative, of whom the first, or the second if the first is prevented, exercises the membership rights for the association.

Admission is based on a written application for admission addressed to the board (after a debate) in a secret ballot by a resolution of the association with an absolute majority of all members of the association.

About the association the reasons for the admission or rejection of the persons involved in the association's decision (are put forward), as well as the names of the candidates for or against, the participants (in the votes) have to and to break this only if a legitimate claim to do so is asserted in the opinion of the colony's board of directors. Anyone who is granted a right of use to a property or a building or both by the Johannesbau-Verein enjoys the full rights, including all the voting rights of a member, and must fulfill the member's obligations.

Inserted list of members as of December 1, 1915 [abbreviated, here without first and last names]:

(Frau Dr. Grossheintz), Levy, Ehmck, Ostermayer & Lutz, Greber, Rebstein, Liedvogel, Peelen, Meebold, Peet, Muntz, Grossheim, Hilverkus, Gatey, Hagemann-Maquet, Ruffner, Collison, Smit, Herwarth, Freund, Strakosch, Richmond, Eiffe, Johannesbau-Verein, Gruppe Holland, Laute. Added by hand: Wilson, de Jaager, Mutach, Weigele theos. Art funds: Mackenzie (4 Building committee: de Jaager, Peelen, Mistach, Eiffe, Mrs. Grossheintz, v. Herwarth)

The admitted party is obliged to have a building plot or a house within the colony or to acquire one within a year. (!) This obligation does not apply to admitted associations; it is sufficient for them that one of their members has or acquires a building plot or house within the colony or rents it on a permanent basis. Failure to comply with this obligation will result in exclusion or suspension.

Upon admission, the admitted person submits to all provisions of these statutes and all amendments to them that will come about in a lawful manner.

§6. The ordinary annual contribution for all members of the association is Fr. 30 (thirty francs).

The extraordinary annual contributions are decided annually by the ordinary association meeting. For their collection, the members are divided into three classes according to the surface area of their property (the land tax assessment of their property) (I. Class up to 1500 m² (15,000 francs), II. Class from 1500 to 3000 m² (15,000 to 50,000 francs), II. Class over 3000 m² 50,000 francs), of which members of I. Class pay the simple, those of II. Class pay double, those of III. Class pay triple. (A special regulation will be established for the distribution of costs for road, sewer, water, gas and electricity installations.) The general assembly of the association shall determine the respective unit rate, while the board of directors shall assign members to the respective classes. Members who have not yet purchased property or who only hold property on a rental basis shall pay the simple rate. Beneficiaries within the meaning of §5 shall be treated the same as owners with regard to all rights and obligations under §6.

§7. Membership can be terminated by resignation, which is possible at any time, by loss of membership of the Anthroposophical Society (by death), and by expulsion.

A member may also be suspended for a specified period of time in the exercise of membership rights, namely in participation in association meetings, votes and elections; however, this does not affect their rights to property within the colony.

§8. Expulsion or suspension shall be effected by a resolution of the Association; there must be important reasons for this, which must be communicated to the person concerned in writing. The excluded or suspended person may appeal to the decision of the court of arbitration (§19) within one month by submitting a written reasoned appeal.

§9. Only the Association's assets shall be liable for the Association's obligations; personal liability of the members is excluded.

§10. The assets are formed in particular by:

a) the ordinary and extraordinary membership fees,
b) voluntary contributions, donations and bequests,
c) through land and buildings that the association acquires and their yields,
d) through the proceeds from the sale of land and buildings and their interest,
e) through provisions (§17).

§11. The organs of the association are:

1. The General Assembly,
2. the Board,
3. the Building Committee,
4. the Auditors.

§12. The (ordinary) General Assembly shall meet as scheduled once a year usually in August.

An extraordinary general meeting may be convened by the board at any time; it must be convened as soon as one fifth of all members of the association request it in writing, stating the subject of the meeting.

The board of directors shall convene the association's meetings by sending a registered letter to the members, stating the place, time and agenda; these invitations must be issued no later than 30 days before the ordinary (association) meetings and no later than 3 days before the extraordinary meetings.

The General Assembly is opened and chaired by the Chairman of the Board or the deputy appointed by the Board; he appoints the secretary and the tellers.

At the General Assembly, a member can be represented by another. The representative must hand in the written power of attorney at the beginning of the meeting.

Resolutions are passed by an absolute majority of the members present, subject to the provisions for admission (§5), dissolution (§20), amendment of the statutes (§21), exercise of the purchase right (§4b).

Each member has one vote. In the event of a tie, the chair of the meeting has the casting vote.

Voting is open unless a majority of the assembly decides on a secret ballot or such a ballot is provided for by the statutes. (§4b, §5).

The minutes of the association meetings are signed by the chair of the meeting and the secretary.

The written consent of all members to a proposal is deemed equivalent to the resolutions of a general meeting (Art. 66 2.6.8.).

§13. The following matters are reserved for the general meeting:

a) Election of the board and its chairperson, as well as dismissal of the same,
b) Election of the building committee,
c) Election of the auditors,
d) Determination of the extraordinary membership fee,
e) Approval of the annual financial statements,
f) Admission, exclusion and suspension of members,
g) Decision on the exercise of the right of purchase (§4b),
h) Approval of general construction plans,
i) Revision of statutes,
k) dissolution of the association.

In addition, the board of directors must submit important business to it for discussion and decision-making, which in individual cases results in an obligation or expenditure of more than CHF 10,000 (ten thousand francs).

§14. The committee consists of (at least) 5 - 7 members and is elected each year at the ordinary association meeting. If a committee member leaves during the year of office, the committee has the right to make an additional election for the remainder of the term of office.

The committee constitutes itself by electing the deputy chairperson, the secretary and the treasurer.

The participation of an absolute majority of the board members is required for a valid resolution of the board; the resolutions are passed with the absolute majority of those present.

Resolutions can also be passed by circular letter; for their adoption, the written consent of the absolute majority of the board members is required, but the circular letter must have been sent to all board members.

The board is the governing body for the management of the association; its responsibilities include all business related to the achievement of the association's purpose that is not reserved by law or the statutes (§13) for the association's meeting, or by the statutes for the building committee (§15), the auditors (§16) or the arbitral tribunal (§19). It prepares the business of the association's meeting and executes its resolutions.

It designates those members of the board who are to hold the legally binding signature for the association (§18).

The Executive Council is authorized to transfer certain responsibilities to individual members and to call in experts, who do not have to be members of the association, to examine and assess important business (however, experts who are not members of the Anthroposophical Society should only be appointed if no experts can be found within the Anthroposophical Society for the cases in question).

If the executive council concludes a business transaction involving an obligation or expenditure of more than 10,000 francs (ten thousand francs) without obtaining the approval of the general meeting in accordance with §12, last paragraph, those of its members who have not demonstrably voted against such a conclusion, are liable to the association for all damages arising therefrom and may themselves be required to personally take over the business in question; the ordinary courts shall decide on this, excluding the arbitral tribunal provided for in §19.

§15. The building committee consists of five people (members), of whom four belong to the association and one is taken from the “Johannesbau-Verein Dornach”.

The building committee decides on the external architectural design of the buildings that the association members wish to construct within the colony. It has to make its (motivated) decision within three (six) weeks of submission of the relevant building plans and notify the applicant. In the event of non-approval, the building committee has to provide the applicant with the plan amendments in the form of detailed projects within three months at the latest..

The building committee is only to assess the external architectural design of the buildings; the floor plan is to be determined by the builder.

The building committee is to consult with members of the Anthroposophical Society who are professionally or artistically trained for the assessment of the construction plans and consultations.

§16. Each year at the regular meeting of the Society, two members of the Society shall be elected as auditors. They shall audit the annual accounts and submit a report on them to the Society's meeting. The Society's meeting may not approve the annual accounts without this report.

§17. At the end of each calendar year, the board of directors shall prepare the annual financial statements in accordance with commercial principles. Appropriate provisions shall be made in the financial statements for securing the proper operation of a business and for extraordinary events.

§18. The legally binding signature for the association is held jointly by two members designated by the board from among its members.

§19. All disputes between the association on the one hand and its organs and members on the other, as well as all disputes between organs on the one hand and other organs or association members on the other, and finally disputes between association members among themselves regarding association matters, shall be finally settled, to the exclusion of the ordinary courts, by a court of arbitration consisting of three arbitrators, who shall be chosen for each individual case by the Centralvorstand of the Anthroposophical Society (the board of the Johannesbau-Verein designated). (Members of the board of the “Johannesbau-Verein” can also be designated as arbitrators.)

Should the Central Board refuse to establish the court of arbitration in an individual case, the ordinary courts shall decide on the merits of the dispute in question.

The court of arbitration also retains jurisdiction for disputes between the association and a former member or their legal successors until such time as a final settlement has been reached regarding the relationship between the former member and the association, including, in particular, the exercise of the right of purchase (Section 4b).

The court of arbitration is not authorized to decide on the liability of association bodies and their members in accordance with § 14, last paragraph.

§20. A resolution passed by a three-quarters majority at a general meeting at which three-quarters of all members are present or represented is required to dissolve the association. Any assets remaining after the liquidation shall go to the Johannesbau-Verein in Dornach.

§21. These statutes may be amended by a resolution adopted at an ordinary or extraordinary meeting of the Association at which at least three quarters of all members are present or represented, with a three-quarters majority vote.

Excerpt from the minutes of the discussion about the Goesch-Sprengel attacks

Dr. Steiner: Just with regard to that - only formally - I would like to say something, to interject, only formally. I would like to interject whether many members have thought about the actual intentions behind bringing about things, let's say first with Dr. Gösch, and perhaps also with Miss Sprengel, what intentions exist to bring about things that are somehow harmful to the Anthroposophical Society. No, such things, as those we are facing here, are relatively easy to deal with if one uses one's subjective judgment and says: We have been attacked in this way; such attacks require that one ignore them after a while.

Of course, one is indignant at such views, and it is a justified subjective judgment to ignore them. Of course you can do that. But the question is this: whether one should not study the real, objective question in such a matter: what can actually be done about such behavior? And one can only find an answer to this question based on the experiences of societies with a certain occult basis in such cases, where such things have been encountered.

The same thing that has been done to ruin occult societies is, of course, also being done in this case, more or less consciously or unconsciously. I do not want to describe it today, because I would prefer it if one or the other person from the Society were to find out what is actually intended by the whole attack. Really, this attack is much less about what is or is not said in one or the other document, but rather that, regardless of that, something is intended by placing one or the other sentence in this or that document. Isn't that right, Dr. Goesch is a lawyer, in addition to everything else, and he doesn't just put his sentences in his writings for the reason that many put them in their opponents' writings, I would say, in naive impartiality and in sweet innocence, but Dr. Goesch knows which sentence must be in a particular document if he wants to use these documents later in some way in a legal battle. He knows how to do it when this or that is inserted in some part of the sentence: They behaved in this or that way. So, it is not so important that we reject one or the other sentence, but that we study what is actually behind these attacks, and what is actually intended more or less consciously or unconsciously from all these attacks.

Of course, anything can be done. But if the letter that Dr. Grosheintz wants to write were to be sent off without further ado, then another few months would pass, with letters being written about the fact that the word “evil” is used in this letter, and not the word “bad”, according to the different dispositions; that have been used with him. It is written with the word “evil”, you have used the word “bad”. According to Dr. Goesch's arguments, this would require a long discussion; he would strongly object to having said “bad”, but having said “evil”, and you would become entangled in this; what in a less tasteful way a “sea snake” in a somewhat more tasteful way; the words “bad” and “evil” could give rise to a long discussion, discussions that are intended to be used in a completely different way than in mere speech and counter-speech.

So I think: consider, study occult movements or those who want to be occult. The Theosophical movement, for example, might prove to be a particularly interesting chapter for you if you study the Leipzig movement, and you could go back to the Coulomb story. Just think that it has not actually come out, has it, that nothing has actually come out, despite all the expert opinions, despite all the court proceedings. I don't know whether there were a great many court proceedings or not, but it was never revealed what actually happened in the Coulomb case. And only a few people know what actually happened in the Coulomb case. Very little has come out of such things. Director Sellin, you will know that nothing came out of any of the proceedings.

So it is of course also the case in this instance that, for the public that is being sought, nothing comes of course; but, don't you think, considering the history of such movements, one should reflect on how it is done if one wants to ruin the movements. That is what one must base one's actions on.

I am drawing your attention to this example, in order, as I said, not to talk in a completely mysterious way, right, that I am just cloaking all of this in obscurity. I am drawing your attention to how things are done. So, the Coulomb story in 1884 was about the fact that Mrs. Blavatsky and her followers were accused of having produced certain messages by having sliding doors in their walls. So let's assume that a room was prepared in advance, a room in which those to whom the messages were to be given were gathered. From this room, a sliding door - invisible sliding door, they say - should lead to a cupboard; the cupboard should have been behind the wall in the bedroom of Mrs. Blavatsky, and one should have been able to slide letters into the cupboard of her bedroom, which Mrs. Blavatsky could take out and spread as messages from some Mahatmas. That, briefly stated, is a long story. Now, there were two possibilities: Firstly, there was the possibility – well, in this case the matter is too important to take anyone into consideration – there were the views of the late Dr. Hartmann, for example, views that Dr. Hartmann had in the 1880s and 1890s, which were that certain inadequacies had developed between Mrs. Blavatsky and some people behind the scenes, who in turn were behind the Coulombs. The Coulombs were such that they were friends with Mrs. Blavatsky - Mr. Coulomb as a librarian and Mrs. Coulomb as a kind of housekeeper in Adyar - and these Coulombs were taken advantage of by the backers, and in particular were taken advantage of. Women play a certain role in these cases. Of course, Christian missionaries stirred things up, of course; they are still talking about it now; missionaries publish thick books about the things.

Isn't it true that one can have the opinion that the Coulombs were cajoled, made enemies of Mrs. Blavatsky, and that Emma Coulomb subsequently added the sliding door, which was not originally there, and that the commissions that came afterwards naturally found the sliding door. Dr. Hartmann was of this opinion: namely, that the world wants to be deceived, and that therefore Blavatsky had a certain right to deceive the world when the sliding door was inside. Isn't that right? He described that explicitly in a very detailed way.

Now, of course, you can have two opinions when you hear something like that, but can't you, both things are there, are there after all, not only distributed among different personalities, but only among one; and one and the same personality has had two opinions on this fact. How can any kind of investigation possibly clarify things, right? So just realize what you actually want to do in such a case, what is actually going on, what is intended, more unconsciously, to such societies that have an occult basis; and of course the course of action must depend on that.

I have just added this at this point because from this point of view it is by no means unimportant whether a letter is sent directly by post to Mr. Goesch and Miss Sprengel or whether it is sent through other personalities. Because that, in turn, is a fact that is brought into being, that one sends this letter through other personalities. These facts can all play a very important role later; for example, one could imagine events in which the fact that these letters were sent to their address via other personalities would play a very detailed role!

And all this, isn't it, only comes into perspective when you consider what was actually intended. And as I said, the study of Leipzig society and the study of the Theosophical Society can offer you some clues to see clearly. Because the principle of 'this or that offends me; this or that outrages me, and then this or that must be done in response, either ignore it, or file a complaint, or do something in return' really cannot be applied to the truth. Isn't it true that from the outset, the position of ignoring is just as defensible as the position of rejecting? I don't quite agree with Mr. Bauer when he says: If you don't hit, you'd better not do it. The point is, don't you think, after all, you know that certain duels are only carried out on the assumption that you won't actually hit. I don't want to act as a defense attorney here, but of course you all know that one of them knows from the outset that he is shooting into the air – to use the comparison. So it could be perfectly justified to fire a shot into the air. All the things that can be done on this side to bring about a conviction are more or less developed as shots into the air. So anyone who surrenders to this persuasion for the sake of improvement or peace is on the wrong track. But the point is to do the right thing based on the experiences of an occult society. So I really want to ask whether the members wouldn't want to get involved in seeing what is actually behind this, what is actually wanted.

It is an abstract statement to say that people want to harm the movement. So it cannot be just that, but rather: How do they want to prevent harming the movement? They certainly won't succeed in that. But what they want to do in order to do that, which then under certain circumstances causes greater damage, [that should] be prevented if you yourself figure out what needs to be done.

So I just want to interject this: wouldn't it be a good idea if some members embarked on a journey of reflection about what exactly it is that people want to do, to bring about, in order to harm the movement?

Emil Grosheintz: Does anyone wish to speak about the treasurer's report and the statement of accounts?

Rudolf Steiner: I would like to ask a question. So, this devaluation, which is calculated at 23,354.65 francs, is that an approximate equivalent or does it have a completely different context? We have always indicated the Swiss franc amounts corresponding to the German mark amounts, which is now a purely illusory thing. Is there now something that corresponds to the equivalent, or is there a different context?

Mr. Lupschewitz: The loans were originally valued at 123 per 100 marks. We have reduced all our mark amounts to 100, and that is why this exchange rate adjustment has been made.

Rudolf Steiner: Of course, but that is not what I mean. I mean whether the two items are equivalent to each other, whether they have a connection.

Mr. Englert: No, these 23,354.65 francs are the compensation because these loans were calculated at 123.

Mr. Lupschewitz: The conversion of this sum is already included in this amount.

Mr. Englert: The connection lies in the number 100.

Rudolf Steiner: Certainly, but I mean, if we don't have the francs 23,354.65 here in the balance account on the left side, we would have an illusory balance account because of these francs 23,354.65.

Mr. Englert: That is the balance of debit and credit.

Rudolf Steiner: The other thing I would have liked to ask is this: an account has been opened at the Munich branch, has it not? “The German marks in the account are a reserve for us for a later date under the current circumstances.” Are they not usable for the present, and can they not be redeemed at all?

Mr. Englert: Yes, but then we would have a valuta loss.

Rudolf Steiner: So legally it would be perfectly possible to transfer this account, and it is only because of the valuta loss?

Mr. Englert: Yes, up to 2,000 marks at a time. I was at a branch office in Berlin and that is where I was told.

Rudolf Steiner: I just wanted to say this so that the members are aware that this bank balance will remain in Munich for the time being, not because it is legally impossible to transfer it, but only because of the exchange rate.

Emil Grosheintz: Does anyone else wish to speak? If not, I will give the floor to the auditors.

[...]

Emil Grosheintz: Does anyone wish to speak about the chairpersons' report?

Rudolf Steiner: What I want to say, dear friends, is not to be understood as if I wanted to somehow supplement the reports of the esteemed chairperson or find them incomplete, but I just want to make a suggestion about something that has been on my mind for a long time. Anyone familiar with the research that is done on what has happened in such areas in the past and is still happening today, for example in our construction, knows how great the difficulties are for later analysts to get hold of some details and to establish the history correctly. I emphasize that, for example, even today it is not possible to state with complete certainty when Raphael moved from Florence to Rome. In the books, the dates vary between 1505 and 1508. But in such matters, one can get a little help from the future – and objectivity alone would require that.

I would like to suggest that in the reports that will be given at our general meetings and that will form the basis for the history of the building movement, the names of our loyal supporters should really be listed in detail, along with the movement of funds and other matters. Anyone who is aware of the endless labor that has gone into the great building work will actually consider it a matter of course that all the loyal contributors appear in the reports in the first place, with a description of their work and so on. Perhaps this will be of particular importance and significance under the current circumstances, quite apart from the fact that, in my opinion, objective reporting has to pay tribute to those who have done a truly invaluable and immeasurable amount of work to complete the group and our construction.

If, for example, it has been emphasized how hard we have worked on the group, I would like to stress that one thing must be kept in mind: this group could not have been created without the loyal cooperation of those who have dedicated their labor to the cause; it could not have been created at all, least of all under the present conditions. You know how often I was unable to be here on the spot, and how much work had to be done without me being able to be there in any way. The sentence, for example, that Raphael would of course be Raphael even without hands is a very beautiful paradox, but I would ask you to consider more carefully whether we would have any paintings by Raphael if Raphael had been born without hands. Likewise, I ask you to consider more carefully how much of the entire structure would be there, despite all the ideas and so on, if we did not have such a large number of loyal, dedicated employees, truly dedicated not only with their physical labor, but dedicated with their whole soul, their powers of invention and their entire artistry.

My dear friends, we have much to complain about, especially in view of the actions undertaken by some members against our society and our movement. This may also seem paradoxical, but it is not without connection to the fact that it is compensation for some things that are somewhat lacking in our movement. And that is: in our movement, we do not understand how to be grateful enough for achievements; we do not understand enough how to recognize the achievements of others. And if we want to improve the karma that brings us such strange, irresponsible, even unbelievable opposition from our own members, then a great deal can be done to improve it if we understand how to be truly grateful for such loyal service to the movement. I ask the chairpersons not to take this as a criticism of their reports, but only as a suggestion that I would like to make. I would very much like to see an appreciation of the loyal service of our members included in our reports.

Following the discussion of Mieta Weller's motion to rename the Johannesbau at the Goetheanum:

Emil Grosheintz: According to our statutes, we cannot make a decision today; we can only express our views, we can only explore whether it is desirable at all to change the name, and if so, when it could be changed. Or perhaps someone would like to suggest a different name? After all, Goethe used the name “Humanus” in his secrets. Could we not tie in with this name?

Albrecht Wilhelm Sellin: Dear friends, this is also new for us who are present here. Those out there in the branches don't know anything about it yet. But it seems to me that it would be more considerate to first spread the word in the branches about what has been discussed here, namely that we intend to call our building the “Goetheanum”. If we were to take a decision now, we would be presenting the members outside with a fait accompli. I therefore propose that we do not take a decision until next year and in the meantime work in the branches to prepare the understanding for this decision.

Rudolf Steiner: There is certainly no need to rush into a decision right away. And besides, it would be desirable for statutory matters not to play too great a role in such things, so that it is not something regulated that plays into these things, but the living life. You see, my dear friends, a decision would be extremely difficult today anyway and, under the current circumstances, would have to be very one-sided, because it seems to me that if the decision were taken today, a large number of members would not be able to vote. Under the present circumstances, only the members of neutral countries and the Entente powers could vote today; the German members would, of course, be excluded. A very one-sided decision would have to be taken, would it not? But it is not a matter of taking a decision, but rather of knowing whether you really want to accommodate the intention that I have expressed in the last few days in the public lecture, which is my subjective intention, my subjective conviction, because I never express anything other than my intention, than my conviction. If one wants to accommodate this, then it will be more a matter of making this thing popular so that it becomes established.

This corresponds more to the sphere from which this suggestion comes – if one wants to call it a suggestion, because, isn't it true that Goethe, in addition to being international, is also a German, and that is very important under the current circumstances. And, isn't it true that one might also say that one makes such a proposal not out of German chauvinism – which has to do not with attitude but with origin – but out of German spirituality. And here I must confess that when one really says something like that out of the German temperament, it is already linked to a certain quality in the German that is less well known. The true German character is an enemy of all organization, an enemy of all organization, an enemy of all regimentation, because [true] Germanness does not correspond to regimentation, to the ubiquitous drawing up of statutes and so on. I consider the existence of statutes, of statutory matters, to be a necessary evil in relation to the outside world, but as a curse on any social activity, which must be based on living together. And this is actually the German view, because to say that the German is based on regimentation, on organization and so on, is one of the most incredible defamations of the German character, which in reality is based in its depths on precisely the opposite qualities.

Therefore, I personally do not really care whether the statutes, which after all are not made for us but for the external representation of the matter, state the name “Johannes-Bau” or “ABC-Bau” or “Goethe-Bau” or any other name. I believe that what matters is how we see things and what we are able to do for ourselves and for the cause, not for the statutory, in order to make it popular in this way in the world.

Have we not unfortunately always distinguished these two things far too little, kept them far too little apart? The anthroposophical movement only gains in significance when it is based on living activity, on direct living activity. My dear friends, it makes no difference to the anthroposophical movement whether it has these or those statutes, whether it bears this or that name, but it is of the utmost greatest conceivable value for the anthroposophical movement if it has valuable members who, with full hearts and full understanding, intervene wherever they can, wherever it is in their power and karma, in the current cultural currents. Our movement is actually based on the human personality of our members. And that is what must be taken into account: that everyone carries the matter in their hearts, regardless of what name it has. There are difficulties associated with changing the name “Johannesbau” and difficulties associated with keeping it.

Unfortunately, not all of our members have a clear idea of the difficulties that will arise for the anthroposophical movement in the near future and how they will manifest in all their details. There are certainly difficulties such as those mentioned by Mademoiselle Payen. On the other hand, powerful difficulties will certainly arise if we retain the name “Johannesbau”, if only for the simple reason that in the near future - I am only drawing attention to one point among many - it may be very important to have a name that does not cause any misunderstandings in public. The name “Johannesbau” not only gives rise to the misunderstanding that it takes its name from Johannes the Baptist, Johannes the Evangelist or even Johannes Thomasius; above all, a large number of people associate the name “Johannesbau” with the Freemasonry of Johannes. And the fact that we differ from St. John Freemasonry and have nothing to do with it may, under certain circumstances, be something that has great significance for the near future, especially in the current war conditions. The things that are developing out of our present cultural porridge and cultural chaos will play a much greater role than one might think. Of course, some difficulties may arise if the misunderstanding persists that some kind of offshoot of St. John's Freemasonry has been established on this Dornach hill, which is not the case given the nature of our movement.

All these things are only intended to show that difficulties will arise whether we leave the name or change it. Much is being done to keep our cause out of misunderstanding, if such things do not recur as I had to fight against four years ago in a way that was so unpleasant and unappealing to me. At that time, articles about our, as it was called there, “temple building” came from a certain quarter and were published in the entire European press. The tendency to create misunderstanding after misunderstanding, to press the whole thing into a sectarian hustle and bustle - unconsciously, of course, with the best will in the world - this tendency, which was the basis of those articles at the time and which I had to fight hard, this tendency must not be repeated. If at that time the action against these things had found more support - of course all this should have been done in a friendly way - that would have been very good. It was very unfortunate that at that time these things about the 'Dornach Temple' and so on went around the whole world.

So, what we can do personally to put things in their proper perspective, to give everyone a clear idea, that is what we should do. But this has by no means happened everywhere in our circles, because there were really quite different tendencies in many cases. How often I had to say – which I don't really like – that someone here or there represents something with which I strongly disagree, but which he says I myself would have said. These things are related to a certain trait in the members: they want to represent something, but not take responsibility for it.

Our task should be to create clarity. Perhaps the whole thing can be brought to a favorable conclusion if we do not focus, as if hypnotized, on bringing about a change of statutes and name, but rather concentrate on creating clarity personally in all areas and, above all, on putting this fact into the proper perspective, namely that it really corresponds to the matter when we speak of the “Goetheanum”. This occurred in the most unbiased way, for example, in the report of our dear and esteemed Mr. Sellin, in which the name 'Goetheanum' appeared [as a matter of course]. And if this wish is not forgotten the day after tomorrow, but if we work in this direction, we will serve the cause much better than if we were to make a decision right now. Otherwise, we will only provoke one person saying 'Johannesbau' and another saying 'Goetheanum', while a third person will think: 'Yes, I no longer know what the name actually is, one person says one thing and another says another. It will be much more useful if we imprint the matter into life than if we organize and regulate it, which would not be in Goethe's sense at all, but if we try to bring it to life.

I think that is how it was actually meant, what has been suggested here, otherwise it would be really difficult to find the right thing today. For it is also a matter of tact as to who can vote and who cannot, because the different regions of the world naturally have very different views and feelings about these things. I imagine, for example – and I do not wish to offend anyone – that if a Goethe Society did not yet exist in the British Isles and one were founded there today, it would perhaps not find too many members. But if a Shakespeare Society were founded in Germany today – it is already there, of course – it would have no end of work filling its membership lists, because people in Central Europe today would join a Shakespeare Society in huge numbers.

Of course, there are different feelings and opinions about such things, and stirring up these wasps' nests naturally causes all sorts of difficulties. That's just the way it is. But, as I said, if a Shakespeare Society were established in Germany today, it would be very popular and would find numerous supporters. But it no longer needs to be founded, because it has been in existence for decades.

Emil Grosheintz: Does anyone else wish to say something about this matter? In any case, we have come so far today that no one should be prevented from donating a “Goetheanum” in our “Johannesbau”. If no one else wishes to speak on this matter, I would like to ask if anything else needs to be said under “Miscellaneous”. If this is not the case, I declare today's meeting closed and ask Dr. Steiner to say a few words.

Rudolf Steiner: It has been requested that I say a few words about the purpose of the group, which has been mentioned in the various reports.

Perhaps the best way to understand the thoughts that express the meaning of this group and, ultimately, the meaning of our entire structure, is to continue the train of thought that I expressed just last Monday in connection with the artistic development of Europe in the period of transition from the fourth to the fifth post-Atlantic era. The aim has been to carry out this construction in such a way that it presents a unified whole in all its parts and components. And if one disregards the fact that this unity has been somewhat compromised by the history of the building, then one will be able to see this unity when it is finished, and also notice that this unity has been somewhat compromised by the vicissitudes that have taken place around the building. This is also something that should of course be made a little more popular by our members.

You have to remember: the building was originally supposed to be constructed in Munich. As it was conceived in Munich, the idea was that it should be built in a city, among other building complexes and the like. Of course, it was out of the question to connect such a building idea with current architectural styles and forms. Therefore, it was necessary at the time to think of the building primarily in terms of interior design, and to make it as simple as possible on the outside, inconspicuous. I often said during the Munich period, when the building was still conceived in Munich – of course such things are paradoxical, but it does not matter – that I would have liked most of all to see the building in its basic idea as interior architecture after entering through the gate, and if it appeared as a hill on the outside, covered with grass, so that you could walk over it; on the outside you would only have a hill, you would not see anything at all, and inside you would only have interior architecture. This was, of course, not feasible, if only for the reason that one cannot allow something hidden to become overgrown with grass, and because of the effects of the weather, of course. And so attempts were made to do it in a somewhat modified way, in that they wanted to place the building in the middle of the terrain and erect tall apartment buildings around it, so that actually nothing of the building would have been seen from the street, from the surrounding area, in terms of the external architecture.

As I said, this and many other related aspects were justified at the time when it was intended to erect the building in the middle of a city. When the necessity arose to transfer the building to Dornach, to erect it as a building on a hill that can be seen from afar, it was necessary to at least create some kind of exterior architecture for the interior architecture. For now the building was visible from all sides; now it was necessary to demand that the building be in harmony with the landscape in a certain sense.

Our members at that time naturally had a tendency, in the most commendable way, to stage the matter as quickly as possible. Rethinking the idea of interior design in such a way that there would now be complete unity between interior design and exterior design was not possible at that speed. Therefore, the original interior design concept remained essentially unchanged, and the exterior architecture was then designed around it. Of course, if you look at the building with an artistic eye, you can see this today, and it must be emphasized that the unified concept is compromised as a result.

However, it is always good to make it clear to people who approach this building with an artistic mind that it is intended to provide a starting point, that we do not intend for this building to represent the completion of some kind of idea. A suggestion should be given. If later times express in similar buildings what was inaugurated here in terms of architectural style – perhaps the expression is not correct – but rather in terms of building forms and building ideas, then of course some things will appear infinitely more perfect than they could ever be in the first attempt. In this respect, of course, the unity has not been fully expressed; but one can already see the intention; because it has of course been tried later, with various difficulties, to maintain the unity in some way.

If it is said that the group is in a sense a kind of crowning of the whole structure, then that is absolutely right. Only one must bear in mind that precisely in the design of this group the whole basic impulse of our movement comes into consideration, that therefore precisely in this group everything traditional, everything merely historical must take a back seat to the future-oriented, inspiring. Those who wish to give a group the name of a Christ-Group must do so out of their own personal conviction, if the matter makes an impression on them, so that they can address the central figure as Christ. Here too, it is not good to set anything in stone from the outset.

What one encounters at first is the representative of humanity, the all-spiritual, internalized humanity. Of course, some will immediately associate this internalized humanity with the Christ presence. They will be right. But to stigmatize again, to call the group the Christ group and the like, that will not be good. Leave it to each person who wants to interpret this group, who looks at it, to decide what name to give it. The works of art are always the less good ones that need names to make them clear. A work of art must speak for itself. This work of art should also – it is quite paradoxical for me to say this, of course it cannot be, but it is good for characterization if I say it – this work of art should also have an effect if the history of Christianity were not there, if one did not know it through history, only through what is placed in the room. As a work of art, it must have an effect. It must speak for itself. Any interpretation is already a mistake.

Therefore, of course, all traditional Christ physiognomies and the like had to be avoided, which have changed a lot over time - I have often spoken about this in lectures. Above all, one thing had to be taken into account for the whole group, which is closely related to the impulse of our movement. The representations of Christ have increasingly taken on a form that places Christ in the midst of the physical hustle and bustle of people. Especially in recent times, in the age of naturalism and materialism, it has been welcomed everywhere as appealing to bring Christ as close as possible to humanity. “Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest": People are sitting around the table, Jesus enters as a human being among humans, distinguishing himself as little as possible! After all, this is what theology strives for: the ‘simple man from Nazareth’ who has as little of the divine as possible. For the divine disturbs people of the present.

In the case of our figure, the exact opposite had to be aimed for in the representative of humanity. We are dealing with something that takes place purely in the spiritual. We are dealing with the representative of humanity's struggle with Ahriman and Lucifer, with something that is deeply rooted in human existence, and that is therefore going in the opposite direction to what is currently popular. The times we live in are characterized by a desire to reduce everything to naturalism, to the immediacy of everyday life! In keeping with the impulses of the anthroposophical movement, we had to get as far away as possible from the sympathies of the present day, we had to embody a narrative, an action, an event that completely eludes external sensory observation, and we had to do it in sculpture. It would have been impossible to try it with a material other than wood. For some truly secret and mysterious reasons, the spiritual and soul-like can best be shaped in wood, can best be expressed in wood. And what might have to be considered rules for sculpture, as it is often done today, had to be broken, had to be replaced by something else when creating this group.

Figures such as Ahriman and Lucifer, and to a certain extent the figure in the middle, must be created from within, from the self-creative spiritual-soul, disregarding any model in the usual sense of the word.

But this is the hope for art in general. Because enough models have already been created. And the fact that contemporary art repeatedly goes back to models is precisely what makes it dead. I have already explained in my considerations that the Greeks did not rely on models, but created from other sources. Creating from a model is only a transition, an intermediate state of artistic development. And so, with this group in particular, a start had to be made on creating out of living spirituality itself, overcoming everything naturalistic.

Perhaps these things contain some of the main values of this group's attempt. But this is the case with the whole building. If you consider that the whole idea of building is based on something opposite to what has been valid so far in building ideas, you will have a basis for what you as members of the anthroposophical movement should actually popularize in relation to this building.

You see, I have expressed this wish today out of a truly heartfelt desire to take into account the achievements of the individual contributors to the artistic works, because in the work, in which positions were available for the work on this building, a great deal of selflessness was really necessary, and it was most necessary for the artists. In a sense, everyone who provided their labor had to make sacrifices in relation to everything else that is demanded of them, for example, when they work as artists or otherwise in the external world.

Take just one thing: every building from the architectural point of view that has been valid until now is based on the fact that an interior space has walls and these walls close it off. This enclosure, whether in ancient times the image of a god or the god himself was enclosed in the temple, or in the Middle Ages the community was enclosed in the Gothic building, it was all based on enclosure, on the concept of the wall as an enclosure, as a covering to the inside, to cover the space. For us, of course, only when you are inside the room, the opposite is the case: for us, the walls, with everything that is sculpturally and architecturally intended for these walls, do not give a conclusion, but a self-abolition. So that when you are inside, you get the feeling through the walls of being connected to infinity, not closed off from the outside by a wall, but of being continued into infinity through the wall. The wall cancels itself out; the wall destroys itself in itself through its forms.

Once you understand this, in the forms, then you will know what the building idea actually rests on in this case. It is the opposite of how such building ideas were before. It will also be possible for other buildings. If you look at the basic forms of the house Duldeck, you will see that once it is inhabited, it will also give a feeling of merging with the world, of striving out of being locked up, out of being closed off.

Our principles are not at all in line with certain aspects of the most immediate present. The experiences of the immediate present are very much taken from the past.

Not true, you couldn't even see through the old walls with your eye, with an “eye pass” through the old walls, you just had to stop at the “border” with your eye. Such were the forms, everything that was appropriate. Well, that is common practice today, isn't it: people seal themselves off from each other. Naturally, our movement cannot agree with these things; it breaks through everything through the form itself. It does not stop the eye, but if you understand the forms that are on the building, you will see everywhere: you can imagine such a form where it is, but you can just as easily imagine it fifty miles further on, only it may be a little larger in perspective, you can imagine it in outer space. When you place it in outer space, you can suddenly get the thought: It grows and grows and actually only stops growing at the firmament, and starts there in the appropriate size. The forms do not prevent you from using them as you like to fill the macrocosm, to fill the universe. That is how the forms are conceived. And so, of course, everything is placed in these forms.

If you look closely at the glass windows, you will see that they already express this interweaving with the world. This is because the glass windows, as they stand, are not finished in themselves by their material, nor by what the artist has done to them, but the artist has created in a confederation, in the confederation with the sun! The sun must come and shine through, then the work of art is finally complete. The artist and the sun together do what actually makes an impression on us in the glass windows! There you see how the sun is invoked through every single form, how one creates together with sunlight, how one truly regards light as one's ally.

Look at the dome paintings. All these dome paintings do not have the tendency to respect the space on which they are painted, but they have independent,

macrocosmic entities. And selflessness on the part of the artists was present because something completely new was considered. These figures had to shine from within, by their own light. While one is accustomed to reproducing the striking light, which is then reflected, in the picture, here the auric self-illumination had to be envisaged, which is again something that contemporary art does not consider to be its task at all. For example, for today's painter, it is not the human being who glows aurically, but sunlight falls on him, reflects him, and he paints the reflected sunlight. The model human being is always only the opportunity to paint this reflected sunlight. We paint the glow of the human being from within, and the connection of this glow with the movements of light, with the light impulses of the cosmos.

Hence the endeavour to make the things that occur on the human being in terms of lighting effects and so on grow together with what is in the environment. The light approaches the human being and forms his hair, as was really the case during the solar age. For the hair has not grown out of the human being, but into it – I have often explained this – it is actually crystallized sunbeams that have been placed into it. All these secrets of the world are, of course, not to be expressed dogmatically or scientifically, but in a lively, artistic way, as attempts to be carried out in art. And so it is really intended in all its details in this middle group.

The difficulties that the individual artists had to take on are truly enormous. For example, on the one hand we needed to realize the principle of painting with plant-based colors. Now, one can certainly say that it would, of course, be much easier to achieve certain effects if one could paint with traditional painting materials and colors. Many things cannot be expressed in this way because the preparation of the colors is not yet as advanced as it should be. One must selflessly accept the challenge of painting worse than one could actually paint. It does not only depend on how well one paints or can paint, but on how far our means have been developed, and so on.

So these things just prove the tremendous debt of gratitude one has towards those who have worked with us, who have really put their art and skill at the service of this cause, who have necessarily had to compromise themselves for the outside world, because the outside world does not recognize such things from the outset.

What I hope for most of all from the Christ Group, though I also hope for the whole building, is that it is seen as a first attempt. It was intended to be made in different wooden forms and types of wood, but because of the war we could only make it in one type of wood. I hope that people will see this group of Christ sculptures as a first attempt to artistically depict spiritual realities and to create such things on a larger scale in all their aspects. If they can provide any kind of artistic inspiration in this direction, then they will have done the world a service, quite apart from the contribution they are intended to make to the Bauhaus.

I believe that when this group is installed in the building, some artistic prejudices will have to be abandoned, which are still perfectly understandable and comprehensible today in view of this sculpture, because after all it is not what one imagines a work of art must be. But of course in earlier times people also did not imagine what later artistic forms of creation in the course of human development would become.

With these few words, I would like to conclude today's meeting on behalf of our esteemed board. There would, of course, be much more to say about this group, but we can postpone that until a later occasion.

Albrecht Wilhelm Sellin: Dear friends! Just as in the previous year, we auditors, Günther Wagner and I, have to confirm that the books have been kept with great clarity and transparency this year as well, so that we were able to check the individual items in a quick and thorough manner. We did not find any difficulties in doing so and can only express what I would now like to read to you about our actual findings regarding the cash situation.

Martin Lupschewitz: There is no other way to do it!

Albrecht Wilhelm Sellin: There is no other way to do it!

Martin Lupschewitz: It has happened because we are not a commercial company in the true sense of the word. So it serves no purpose for us to always enter the marks according to the actual exchange rate; that would always result in a back and forth.

Albrecht Wilhelm Sellin: Yes, but...

Albrecht Wilhelm Sellin: So I have the following report to make: “The undersigned have examined the accounting and cash management and found them to be in order. The balances from the last annual accounts have been correctly carried forward to the new accounts. The cash balance for June 30, 1918, as shown in the cash book, was found to be correct during the cash audit. The securities portfolio tallies with the amount stated in the balance sheet, as does the total of the individual bank accounts. All other accounts have also been checked and found to be correct. On this basis, the undersigned propose the discharge of the accounting and cash management and sign: Günther Wagner. Sellin.”

After the welcoming address by the chairman, the report on the technical work, the statement of accounts and an exchange of views between the members, Dr. Steiner takes the floor.

Now, if no one else wishes to speak, I would just like to add a few aphoristic comments in connection with the meeting of the Goetheanum Association.

I would like to touch on the moral side of our cause. First of all, following on from what has been said, I would like to emphasize that those who see it as their task to work on the completion of the Goetheanum are, as is basically self-evident, also of gratitude to the leading personalities of the Executive Council, who for many years have devoted themselves to the task in often quite difficult circumstances, providing the foundation for the entire undertaking with their personalities and their work. I believe that it is not always considered what it means that here, for example, in Dr. Grosheintz himself and all that belongs to him, we have a personality who, already connected with the area on which the Johannesbau stands, , has become connected with the idea of creating the Johannesbau here, which then transformed into the Goetheanum, and which has devoted itself to this work in such a self-sacrificing way for many years, which must stand behind everything. And so I would like to express my gratitude to him and to all those who, in a similar way to him, selflessly devote their strength and time to this work in a board-related and connected way, and to express my thanks to them, which certainly comes from all of your hearts. Above all, I would like to emphasize the hope that we can continue to find such noble and understanding support from this quarter in particular. [Applause]

When our artistic work here is discussed, it would always be of particular importance not to lose sight of the way in which the artistic work of the Goetheanum in particular is to relate to the world today. Whenever I have the opportunity to guide any outside visitors through the building, I repeat over and over again, almost at every point where something is said and explained to people, that with regard to everything that is artistically and otherwise considered for the building, it is first and foremost a transition, an intention that should be thought of as a continuation.

It is particularly important that we see ourselves as a beginning for many things related to our movement. It is also particularly important to always teach the world, which is so hard of hearing today, so that judgments can be formed from this point of view about this Goetheanum and everything related to it.

Our spiritual scientific endeavor is itself a beginning. And if this is misunderstood, false judgments will be formed in the world over and over again. Therefore, it is important to me that this be emphasized in all its details: It is intention, beginning, and the intentions that are to find further expression and independent development in the world that matters. I tried to somehow represent this in every detail.

I would like to mention one of the last details, one of the details that unfortunately came to grief. When we were in the very satisfactory position of being able to organize a public eurythmy performance in Zurich, the question arose as to whether — well, how should I put it, it's always on the tip of my tongue, to say something disrespectful — for the philistines who were to be invited, introductory words that could then be printed. And I also wanted to emphasize for this matter of eurythmy, which will certainly be extraordinarily important for the world one day, that with what is now to be presented to the public, one has a beginning, an intention, which is to be worked out, which is to undergo its development, which is to progress. Criticism of beginnings can only be directed in this direction if we always remain aware that they are beginnings.

And so I believe that much of the gossip that is spread about our movement could be replaced if our dear friends were to thoroughly impress upon the world, which is so hard of hearing today, that we are not at all foolish enough to bring anything even remotely perfect into the world in any direction, but that we just want to give a start, something that is an intention, which is not at all regarded by us as something perfect. In more recent times, as I said, when I have the opportunity to show people around, I repeatedly emphasize that now that the matter has progressed so far, I recognize the errors most precisely, and that a second time such a building is erected, it would not be done as it has been done now, and as it must now, of course, be continued accordingly, since one cannot build on top of each other contradictory things.

Above all, however, something else is also necessary in connection with this. Isn't it true that I must emphasize it again and again, because it should lead to the understanding that is to be conveyed, on the one hand, by the members of the Anthroposophical Society, but, on the other hand, by all those friends who are interested in the building. The point is that the inner structure of the building, the artistic inner structure of the building, in a certain respect – why should we not speak quite freely when we are among ourselves? – that the artistic structure could actually only be brought to the stage it has reached today through a kind of struggle.

We must not forget that, due to a peculiar karma, which I will perhaps talk about in these days, the Anthroposophical Society — not Anthroposophy, but the Anthroposophical Society — grew out of the Theosophical Society. Time and again during the years when we were still a “Theosophical Society”, artists made certain objections to the Society, and I emphasize that I still value their judgment particularly valuable to me now, for the reason that artists themselves are only in a few cases, let me say – I want to be polite for once – in a few cases, completely seized by the general philistinism, philistrosity of the world.

The artist, in so far as he is an artist, always retains – I won't say anything about in so far as he is a human being – he always retains something of a certain still freer judgment, which is now one of the rarities in the world. And so it may be said that especially in the last decades of the 19th century and in what has passed so far in the 20th century, in an age of the most widespread philistinism with regard to public judgment in all areas, he has already developed a somewhat – or much – freer, more independent judgment that is more closely related to the intellectual. This still existed in the world of artists. And in the artistic field there are still phenomena of a literary, scientific or critical nature that one likes to follow; while even the most proficient work in the technical, especially the scientific, field, which one must of course recognize as a great achievement of the time, is almost enough to make one sick to death of it, due to the way in which it presents itself to the world in a philistine manner. Because even the most accomplished work in these fields, what must necessarily be accomplished in these fields, in the fields of science and technology, is presented to the world in such a philistine way, in such a way of thinking, that it can really get on one's nerves if one is forced to follow it.

It is different with regard to much of what comes from the world of art. It is connected with this that it has always pained me when, during the years of our affiliation with the Theosophical Society, artists repeatedly and repeatedly tried, sometimes with great goodwill, to look at what was hanging on the walls as such stuff, not true, such huge rose crosses with the correct seven roses, where the question was always: How should these roses be attached? How should one do this and that? What is the right symbolism? and so on. When they had looked at these things and seen what had actually been achieved, artistic natures naturally always came and said: Yes, of course, one cannot object to this spiritual movement of Theosophy, one is interested in it; but one is so taken aback when such artistic Botokudentum prevails precisely within the Theosophical Society. And of course it was painful, because I was the last person who could be inclined to contradict such a judgment. Because such a judgment was entirely justified in the broadest sense with regard to the artistic impulses that lived in the Theosophists.

Of course, it was only possible to fight against it – not theoretically, not through teaching, since you can't achieve anything in these areas through teaching – but slowly and gradually. Of course, we could only achieve something by having truly artistic natures in our midst. I need only think of one personality who must be remembered again and again, who must remain unforgettable for all those things that have been and are being undertaken as vital things in certain areas within our movement. I need only remind you of Fräulein Stinde, but I could also remind you of others. I will only say that by combining what was there from the artistic side, it was possible to take up the fight against all the symbolizing, all the abstract, idealistic stuff in the shaping of our things. And of course, today there is still the need to turn against it when people come again and again and ask: What does that mean? What does this mean? In the sense in which people ask, “What does this mean?” nothing means anything to us! What matters at the Goetheanum – even if it is only a beginning and a rather incomplete one – is to really bring something into the world that is truly artistic in color, form, and so on.

What matters is not where artistic feeling is concerned. I say it again and again, and when people come and see our [sculptural] group over there [under construction], that at the center stands the Christ, and above is Lucifer and below is Ahriman. That is a private feeling, and basically has nothing to do with the artistic feeling and the whole work. Of course, it can be seen as a discussion drawn from the artistic to further explain the matter itself; but it has nothing to do with the matter as a work of art. The line that was added to express the falling Lucifer, the line that breaks away in its harmony with the whole structure in its organism, is infinitely more meaningful than the artistically actually boring explanation: This is Lucifer, this is Ahriman, and so on and so on. What is important is a line that goes from right to left and is felt as a line!

I could, of course, go on in this direction for a long time and draw attention to many things that actually occur in the assessment of these things, but I do not want to put anyone off. Of course, everything is heard with love, no matter what is said, even if it happens that someone holds the raised hand of Ahriman over his head because he thinks Ahriman is a snake and so on: that is even in some circumstances quite interesting in itself; but it does show that with regard to what is actually to be achieved here through the building, there is a lot to be done. And what it comes down to is – I have expressed it for one area in my first mystery drama, for example, that the form of the color is the work and so on.

Of course, saying such things has no particular value, but it does have value if the opportunity is really given to implement such things in reality, in fact.

But that is what I would like to emphasize. I have actually had a great deal of experience in this field, not only in the artistic field, but also, for example, in the field of individual scientific achievements. My aim has always been to introduce spiritual science, but as a living force, not as something dead, into the various branches of life.

If you express any spiritual-scientific idea in an external form, you kill the idea. What is at stake is that, through the intensity of spiritual-scientific inner attainments, one becomes a different person who, in relation to everything in him, learns to feel differently than one can learn anywhere else today. Then, in the particular field in which he is working, he abandons himself to the impulse that has been placed within him, and a different art arises from the roots of spiritual science, but always indirectly through the human soul, so on the detour through the human soul, that all the idealism of spiritual science first disappears, is transformed in the human soul and only in the transformation does art become art. If you still see any forms that are created, anything of what must be given as an idea in spiritual science, then it is artistic nonsense, it is not real art.

That is what I would like to emphasize. And that is why my ideal in this area would be – as I said, I want to emphasize the moral side of our meeting today – my ideal would be if, by everyone reflecting on: What is intended here? What has not been achieved? How could we achieve what we actually want? if, above all, there were a truly fruitful effect on artistic judgment, if there were a real intention to educate oneself artistically through what this Goetheanum wants. This is something that has so far been rejected by the minds of many of our friends — my dear friends, I have to say it. And there is a danger that people will ask: Why are there seven pillars, why exactly seven pillars? And so on. All of this should really be secondary to how one should feel. And then one must also feel the initial intention behind it.

My dear friends, what our very dear Mr. Linde said about my contribution to the small dome is not something I myself value particularly highly, and I also stand by the fact that it is quite a beginning, a beginning that is a bit of picturesque scribble, but a beginning that may perhaps show what is actually wanted, perhaps better in this than in anything else. And I may well make the confession to you that I would perhaps achieve what I want if I were not fifty-eight years old today, but if I could still learn for thirty-five years, in order to then carry out approximately what I would like to carry out and what I would like to see in the small dome. This will also make it clear to you that I myself do not have such an enormous desire to do something in the great dome either.

Of course, I will do whatever is desirable in the given case for each individual part of the building, whatever I consider to be my duty, and I will lend a hand wherever possible. But I also want everyone to know how I myself think about these things, which I view with a fair amount of modesty on the one hand, but on the other hand with a bit of immodesty: because I do believe that what could be achieved by people after a long period of independent work, after a long time when we ourselves can no longer be there, in a way that is fruitful for the future, as intended by this building, inaugurated, initiated. So that one could get a great deal out of what is wanted here, if one understood it in precisely this way. Whether there are external possibilities to intervene in the large dome as well, depends on powers that I am not inclined to call the wise world powers, but which currently force one to live from day to day, in whose goings-on – well, I just don't call them the wise world powers – in whose goings-on one cannot intervene so directly. I will, of course, do everything I can to be on site as much as possible; but one cannot even know whether one might not be prevented from doing so in the coming weeks due to current events and have to be absent for a while. Well, somehow it may be possible that the dawn of a new era will bring greater freedom here as well. But for the time being, precisely for this reason, one cannot say anything particularly definite. I can only say that I will do everything that is necessary to make this building what it should be and what it can become after what has been started.

Then I would like to say a few words about the trust company, which I welcome with such great joy, my dear friends. The first thought of this trust company occurred to me through a conversation that Mr. Molt, on his own initiative, had with me in Stuttgart at the beginning of this year. I do not need to share the content of this conversation with you, because the content was then practically included in the actual reasoning of the trust and in what has been shared with you today. I will just say that at the time I welcomed the establishment of this trust with tremendous satisfaction, for the following reason.

Please understand me correctly, my dear friends. I welcome it with deep joy when there are many idealists and spiritualists in the best sense of the word within our society – even if many of them are quite impractical people who do not always carry so-called practice, especially not business practice, on their noses – when there are many people within this society who get their intentions from a certain idealistic point of view. But if you just look at this financial account, you will understand that the Johannesbau, which has now become the “Goetheanum”, is something that also requires quite a strong intervention of practical impulses. Our friends who initially turned to the Johannesbau out of their idealism cannot always bear this in mind. And I would be the very last person to want to introduce even the slightest discord into the very deep, honest gratitude that I feel for those who, as I said at the beginning of my words, have dedicated themselves to the Johannesbau in the background, so to speak, in the role of directors.

However, my dear friends, the progress of the work over the years has shown that the intervention of a certain practice is necessary. It is so difficult to bring together idealism and practice in an individual. As I said, I don't want to introduce the slightest discordant note. But the esteemed and dear chairmanship will not take it amiss if I now, for example, mention a small but truly kindly intended damper that I felt during the meeting. This does not in any way affect my deep, honest gratitude. But isn't it true that I, who am accustomed to seeing meetings go in the way they should, winced inwardly at the failure to touch on the very first necessary point on the agenda and to request that the minutes of the previous general assembly be read or at least that a vote be taken on whether or not they should be read. These formalities must not be omitted. And so there are many things that must be considered. Right? You have to be a stickler at the right moments, and you won't hold it against me if I say such things. It's just a personal problem, and it really doesn't do any harm in practice today. But that's the way it is with these and other things.

Well, my dear friends, in February of this year, the idea of the trust company approached me, and I will now tell you quite frankly why I welcomed it with particular joy. You see, all that is said there, interest on loans and so on, is certainly very nice, but that actually goes without saying when you set up a trust company; what else could you do if you didn't do that? But that is not what impressed me about the idea of the trust company back then, my dear friends. I believe that it will be realized and could perhaps be particularly important for our time. What was important to me was that precisely those personalities in our society who are somehow involved in the rest of the world, who are involved in it through one or other social aspect, should come together under a certain aspect.

A cause such as ours, when it is as tangible to the world as the Johannesbau, can only flourish if the members do not just pursue it in the way that many do. I am not criticizing them, that's just the way it is; they are members of the Anthroposophical Society or the Johannesbau Association in secret, so to speak, but they don't want it to be known, do they? I believe that there are some who even like to come to the lectures of the Anthroposophical Society, but are very reluctant to have it known at their bank office that they are members, and so on. Well, there are such things. But you can't get anywhere with that. Of course you can have an ideal society, but you won't get anywhere with it if you want to create something like the Goetheanum, which has to be run in a business-like manner. You can only make progress if the personalities who belong to it also really make use of the other social affinities they have in the outside world, in other words, if someone is this or that, they use the respect they have in their circle to create a foundation, a real foundation, for what is to be created there for the good of humanity.

So I welcomed the trust company as a collaboration between personalities who have a position in the rest of the world and who use this position in the interest of the Goetheanum. Therefore, my dear friends, it was immediately plausible to me that the name “Goetheanum” emerged precisely in connection with our society. There will be many idealists in our Society who do not like the fact that the beautiful biblical name, or whatever it is, 'Johannesbau' is being changed to the name 'Goetheanum'. But, my dear friends, everyone can carry in their hearts what is actually being achieved here for humanity. The matter is to be presented to the world in such a way that the world understands it as simply as possible. And to attach importance to something happening differently, so that the world understands it, I think that is very damaging to our cause. Therefore, it was quite right for the trust company to say to itself: if we call ourselves 'Johannesbau', everyone thinks: well, that's just something, well, 'something'! And if we call ourselves “Goetheanum”, then that connects with something [recognized], and those people who would say about “Johannesbau”: well, that's just “something”, would at least be embarrassed not to acknowledge Goethe.

I am certainly not overestimating our contemporaneity, because, after all, they may well think of the “Goetheanum” as “something” in their hearts, but then they feel a little embarrassed. And we also have to be aware of such impulses from our revered contemporaries. All kinds of things come together. As for why one should say 'Goetheanum' for spiritual and intellectual reasons, I have dealt with this sufficiently in my lectures. But I wanted to mention the example of the trust company to show that there is also a very practical reason for doing so. And if, in the present difficult times, when we are heading towards such chaos, everyone in the trust company uses what they have to stand in the world, to connect with it and to bring it into the building of St. John, which will certainly also have a difficult position in the world, then the trust company will do something good. Otherwise, it would, of course, be necessary to set up a super-trust company for the trust company at a later date, so that the super-trust company would relate to the trust company in the same way that the Johannesbau relates to the trust company, and so on.

Emil Grosheintz: Does anyone else wish to speak? - If not, I would like to close today's meeting.