NEWSLETTER
Anthroposophical
Society in America
SUMMER 1980
Published by the Anthroposophical Society in America for its Members
CONTENTS
Hans-Werner Schroeder
Alan Howard
George O’N eil and
Gisela O’N eil
Sorath and the End of the Century
The ‘End of the Century’ is Already Here
Our Karmic Companions (Continued)
—The Human Life, Part 13
2
4
6
PUBLICATIONS
David Hill
Maria St. Goar
Maria St. Goar
Theodore Mahle
Agnes Macbeth
David Adams
A.H. (see above article)
Rudolf Steiner: The Spiritual Foundation of Morality
Craig Giddons (Comp.): Bibliographical Reference List of Rudolf Steiner’s
Work in English Translation, Vol 2
G. Hillerdal & B. Gustafson (Comp.): Sie erlebten Christus
(“They Experienced Christ”)
Herbert Witzenmann: Beppe Assenza
Nine Books for Children, Dawne-Leigh Publications
Ark, an Anthroposophical Youth Newsletter
F. Conway & J. Siegelman: Snapping, America’s Epidemic
of Sudden Personality Change
Other New Publications
9
10
10
11
12
13
4
13
MEMBERSHIP
Henry Barnes
Inge Dyrenfurth
Ruth Richardson
Chairman’s Report to the Annual Meeting
Minutes of the Annual Meeting
Ilse Baravalle Kimball Celebrates Her 80th Birthday
New Members
In Memoriam: Gordon Peter Weatherill
Other Members Who Have Crossed the Threshold of Death
14
15
16
16
17
17
REPORTS
Gilbert Church
Dietrich V. Asten
Heinz Grotzke
Andrew Linnell
Henry Barnes
Stephen Usher
Georg Unger
Ernst Katz and
Katherine Katz
Peter Menaker
Mary Rubach
Brian Butler
Eleanor Paul
Hans VanderStok
Nathan Melniker
Alan Howard
The Anthroposophic Press, Report to the Annual Meeting
News from the Anthroposophic Press
The Bio-Dynamic Farming and Gardening Association,
Report to the Annual Meeting
Pioneering Effort in North Carolina—Conference on Bio-Dynamics
Visit of Gisela Reuther, W. Ernst Barkhoff, and Rolf Kerler
Anthroposophic Initiative in Finance
Toward a New Star Wisdom—A Tribute to Willi Sucher
The Rudolf Steiner Institute in Ann Arbor
Public Activities, Spring 1980
Mystery Drama Performance, Easter 1980
The Western Regional Members’ Conference, April 1980
A Lecture Tour Through the USA Creating a Link with New Zealand
Our Anthroposophical Headquarters:
Recollection of Initiatives in Bygone Days
Recollections from 1921/22—Children Around Rudolf Steiner
Flashes from the Past —Michael Bauer Remembered
A Final Note Concerning the “Kreis”
NOTES
18
18
19
19
19
20
21
22
24
24
25
25
26
27
28
28
1
Sorath and the End of the Century
by HANS-WERNER SCHROEDER
Translated by Maria St. Goar from “Mitteilungen
aus der anthroposophischen Arbeit in Deutsch­
land, ” Michaelmas 1979. Published with permis­
sion.
In two previous articles of this Newsletter we
have dealt with the incarnation of Ahriman in the next
millennium (Summer 1979) and with the activity of the
Asuras that is now beginning (Spring 1980). It was
shown how the preparation for the incarnation of
Ahriman consists specifically in the development of
abstract thinking, the mathematical and mechanistic at­
titude with which the material world view is connected.
In contrast to this, the influence of the Asuras had to be
described as representing a separate grouping within
the threesome of opposing powers (the Luciferic, Ahrimanic, and Asuric beings). They have a more far-reaching effect: that of penetrating man’s physical body as
licentiousness and sensuality, and of bringing about the
destruction of the human ego; related to this is the de­
velopment of black magic.
Our new study will concern a third influence,
spoken of by Rudolf Steiner in connection with the end
of the century. This is the activity of the Sun-Demon,
also called Sorath, the two-horned beast of the Apo­
calypse (Chapter 13). The description in the Apocalypse
shows that he is not identical with Ahriman, since he
appears separately, with the dragon, and is pictured as
the lamb with two horns. The number 666 is connected
with him.
First, the few occasions will be listed where Rudolf
Steiner spoke of the influences of this Sun-Demon:
Munich, April 22, 1907 The Apocalypse
Berlin, April 27, 1907 (German GA 96)
Berlin, Oct. or Nov. 1907 (“White and Black
Magic,” unpublished)
Nuremberg, June 29 & 30,1908 The Apocalypse of
St. John
Dornach, Oct. 11,12,13,1918 Three Streams in the
Evolution of Mankind.
We are dealing with eight lectures, five of which
were given in 1907 and 1908, mostly in the context of
the Apocalypse. Ten years later the Sorath-theme sur­
faces again; independent of the Apocalypse, it is unfold­
ed in relation to historic events and to the number 666.
2
WITH WHICH BEING ARE WE CONCERNED?
To begin with, we can refer to descriptions given
in Nuremberg in the lectures about the Apocalypse.
Motifs appear there that are reminiscent of the Asuric
influence:
“Mankind will finally be divided into beings who
practice white magic and those who practice black
magic. Thus in the mystery of Sorath is hidden the
secret of black magic; and the tempter to black
magic, that most fearful crime in Earth evolution,
with which no other crimes can be compared, this
seducer is represented by the writer of the Apo­
calypse as the two-horned beast. Thus there ap­
pears on our horizon, so to speak, the division of
mankind in the far distant future; the chosen of
Christ, who finally will be the white magicians, and
the adversaries, the terrible wizards, the black
magicians, who cannot escape from matter and
whom the writer of the Apocalypse describes as
those who commit prostitution with matter. Hence
this whole practice of black magic, the marriage
which takes place between man and the hardening
in matter, is presented to him in his spiritual vision
as the great Babylon, the community made up of
all those who carry on black magic; in the frightful
marriage, or rather concubinage, between man
and the forces of deteriorated matter.” (6.26.1908)
In this description, especially in reference to black
magic, the motif of the Asuric influence appears. Yet
the impression can arise that Sorath is not simply an
Asuric entity. Rudolf Steiner relates the mystery-name
of this being to the four members of man. The Hebrew
spelling of this name contains four sounds:
S
Samech
O (orW) Wav
R
Raish
T
Tav
This spelling results in the name Sorath (with the
accent on the second syllable). In relating these four let­
ters to the four members of man, Rudolf Steiner
describes how, through the influence of the SunDemon, a hardening tendency is impressed into each
one of them. This is diametrically opposed to the Sunactivity of Christ. Hence we are dealing with a being
that influences man in an all-encompassing manner—
not as the other adversaries who work primarily into
single components of man’s being.
This thought of Sorath’s encompassing power is
supplemented by further descriptions, stating that
with this being “the greatest adversary of Christ
Jesus” is at work, the Sun-Demon who wills to prevent
mankind and the Earth from attaining a further, higher
evolution (1918).
It is perhaps permissible, by way of comparison time. We may assume that this influence has been in
between an inferior and the sublime, to call to mind preparation; perhaps some of the events we have ex­
how in Christ’s working for mankind—though on an ex­ perienced were foreshadowing this impending en­
alted level —something similarly all-embracing is at croachment of the Christ-opponent. In recalling the ef­
work. Through the Christ, the Father-God can mani­ fects of black magic, we may gain the impression that
fest; on the other hand, the active force of the Spirit as such magic effects already are making themselves felt.
well proceeds from the Christ. He has the fullness of In this context, the year 1998 will perhaps bring an ex­
power to unfold His efforts toward both aspects of the ternal intensification, then again it might only bring an
inner intensified impulse on the part of the opposing
Cosmos.
Perhaps, on a lower level, something similar is at power.
work in the nature of Sorath: a being who can take into
himself the other evil influences, then to let them issue
COLLECTIVE ATTACK AT THE END OF THE
from himself —but who is fundamentally perhaps of an CENTURY
Asuric nature. (This is intended more in the form of a
problem, rather than a conclusive statement.)
The Ahrimanic and Asuric activities and those of
Sorath
show a formidable concentration of opposing
THE TIME OF SORATH’S ACTIVITY
powers for the end of the century. The incarnation of
Ahriman is in preparation and will cast its shadow upon
In the lectures of 1918, Rudolf Steiner ties the time that period; for the first time in the history of mankind,
of Sorath’s activity to the number 666. (In the the Asuric powers attack; and Sorath utilizes the
Apocalypse, chapter 13, specific mention is made of this rhythm of 666, inherent in his activity, to intensify his
number.) He develops the number 666 from the number influence at exactly the same time. In regard to the end
value contained in the Hebrew letters of the name of the century, all three powers work together. For this
Sorath:
time period, it is mostly the human will, which could be
called the magical component, that will be decisive as
Samech 60
the
bearer of evil—through the Asuras and Sorath.
Wav
6
The
incarnation of Ahriman will follow in the next
200
Raish
millennium,
and the appeal then will be to human intelli­
Tav
400
gence; the course of the future will eventually depend
In the Mysteries the name Sorath provided the on the transformation of the intellect, its spiritualiza­
key for the number 666 and thus a symbolic meaning; tion.
The great problem facing men in the years ahead is
on the other hand —as was made clear in the lectures of
1918 —an actual historic date is connected, namely the therefore: Will it be possible for us to counteract,
year 666 A.D., during which time Sorath perpetrated a through the forces of a white magic, the destructive
powerful attack against the progress of mankind. This and divisive magical will-effects of the adversaries?
The powers of white magic become active through the
found expression primarily in Arabism.
In the context of Sorath’s activity, the number cooperation of human beings who out of responsibility
1998 —3 x 666 —was mentioned by Rudolf Steiner only toward the spirit think, feel, and work together. The
once. (This was to Friedrich Rittelmeyer and other common intent of those who resolve to dedicate them­
priests of the Christian Community.) It refers directly selves to the continuance of the spiritual life—this will
to the end of the century when this being will once determine the fate of mankind at the end of the cen­
tury.
again activate his evil influence among mankind.
Again, it should be emphasized that the incarna­
the challenge of the incarnation of Ahriman
tion of Ahriman is nowhere mentioned by Rudolf Stein­ in theFacing
next millennium: Will we be able to muster enough
er in connection with the end of the century. The refer­ strength and power—to be born of our common in­
ence to the year 1998 concerns Sorath, but only an in­ tent —to transform our ordinary, native intellect to
creased influence, not an actual embodiment.
such an extent that spiritualized, it can be freed from
In such matters it must always be remembered the clutches of Ahriman to serve humanity in the age of
that such dates never refer to an isolated moment in Michael.
3
The ‘End of the Century’
Is Already Here
by ALAN HOWARD
Back in the seventeenth century many people
came to this continent from Europe in order to find
religious freedom. When, a century or so later, their
descendants were framing a constitution for the coun­
try that had become their own, the freedom of each in­
dividual to choose and practise his own religion was
made one if its main principles.
Could anyone then have imagined, however, that
a time would come when this principle, so clear in its
intention, would be used to rob people of the very
freedom it upheld, and to make them a prey to the
worst of unfreedoms, the enslavement of the human
mind?
Yet this is something that is happening all over
this country now, according to a recent study* done on
movements like Hare Krishna, People’s Temple, Unifi­
cation Church, Divine Light Mission, Children of God,
Scientology, Transcendental Meditation and others.
The authors of this study wanted to know what it was
that attracted so many intelligent and well-educated
people to these movements, and —what was more im­
portant —why so many of them found it impossible to
leave.
Their discoveries are not pleasant reading. The
doctrines these movements preach, and the methods
they use, so permeate the normal thinking, feeling and
willing of their followers that they come to believe
there is nothing good or worthwhile outside the move­
ment. In fact, many of them come to believe that the
life outside, even the love of their family and former
friends, is something abhorrent, wicked and hell-bent
for destruction.
Some parents, alarmed at what is happening,
forcefully withdraw their sons and daughters, only to
find themselves taken to court by the movement con­
cerned, and obliged to relinquish their children on the
grounds that no one, not even parents and family, has
the right to interfere with another person’s religious
freedom.
Now religious freedom is all very well; but when
it condones carefully planned enticement, and a pro­
gram of brainwashing which completely inhibits a per­
son’s ability to make independent judgments, both
“religion” and “freedom” need re defining.
The procedure —allowing for minor dif­
ferences —is roughly as follows. The “victim,” as one
can very well call him or her, gets into conversation in
one way or another with a devotee of one of these
movements, and hears of a group of people who have
4
found the answer to all life’s problems, and who have
created a corresponding life style that has to be seen
to be believed. The “victim” is invited to meet some of
them over coffee, or perhaps even dinner. He finds it
all better than he could have expected —everything
having been carefully set up beforehand, of course. He
had no idea that people could not only be so sure of
what they believed, but that they could also behave to
one another with such openness and love. The possibil­
ity of spending a weekend with them is suggested.
Why not? And so he meets more of the same thing, and
gets “hooked.” He longs to know more; and as his new­
ly found friends are only too willing to give him more,
the time is not far distant when he agrees to become
one of them.
From then on he is subject to a form of on going,
cleverly programmed brain washing which gradually
breaks down every resistance that might arise from
former friends, family, lifestyle and ideas. He is con­
stantly bombarded with the movement’s message, the
authority for which he learns is in some outstanding
personality that all revere. Eventually something
“snaps” inside him (hence the title of the book). He is
caught up in what he believes is a “spiritual” exper­
ience which floods his being with new light (the move­
ment’s, of course) on God, love, life, society —every­
thing. He is a new man, reborn.
Actually he becomes a tool of the movement, in
which everything from now on is right and good,
everything outside hateful and wicked. Neither per­
suasions nor threats can wean him from it. His in­
dividuality is gradually eroded until he has no
thoughts, no desires, no friends, no ambitions but
what are centered in the movement.
Fortunate indeed is he who finds a way out of it
again. Often he has to be forcefully abducted before
that can happen; and then an exhaustive process of
“de-programming” has to take place before he “snaps”
back to the normal person he was. As mentioned
above, this is often successfully contested in the
courts, so that those who do the de-programming are
not only liable, but often find themselves subject to a
term in jail.
Here then in this country, at this very moment,
not at the “end of the century,” a well-organized
destruction of individuality is going on on the basis of
freedom itself, on the freedom of the individual to
“choose” his own spiritual path, irrespective of what
ends that path leads to, or what methods are used to
bring about his “choice” of it. One can hardly imagine
*SNAPPING: America’s Epidemic of Sudden Personality
Change; Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman; Delta; paperback.
252 pages plus 32 pages of notes, bibliography and index; $4.95.
(Available from St. George Book Service, P.O. Box 225, Spring
Valley, NY 10977; add 75 cents for postage.)
—indeed, in a perverted way, one can almost admire or spiritual science. The results of spiritual science,
—such a thorough way of destroying the human ego. however, can only have meaning to the extent that
What can we do about it? We, who, incidentally, they are thoroughly understood. If therefore there is
also belong to a movement; we, who also have any mere repetition of those results just because they
“chosen” to belong to it; we, who also look up to one belong to the total content of spiritual science; any in­
outstanding figure as the source of its wisdom and en­ discriminate use of spiritual scientific terminology
lightenment; and we, who also believe that the truth which has become more of a jargon than a reference to
we have received is the only way out for mankind? clearly understood facts; any use of cliches such as,
What can we do? Here is the “end of the century” with “Every anthroposophist knows that... etc., etc.” or,
a vengeance, and on our own doorstep!
“No anthroposophist would ever ... etc., etc.” —these
Officially as a movement we can do nothing. We play into the hands of the same forces that run riot in
should only be pitting one movement against another, other movements. Catchwords drive out thought;
which leads nowhere. As individuals we could, if we assertions expel critical judgment.
felt so inclined, offer our services in de-programming;
(ii) At the center of our movement, and permeat­
but we couldn’t do it “as an anthroposophist,” or on an ing all the activities connected with it is the figure of
anthroposophical basis. De-programming is a very Rudolf Steiner. Everything we do and say about an­
specialized job. It is not supplanting one world view throposophy is the direct result of his life and work,
with another, however superior the one we supplant it and reacts on his present and future reputation among
with. That only makes the “victim” stick all the more men. Although he made a tremendous impression on
rigidly to what has been built into him. He has to be those who knew him personally, Rudolf Steiner has
de-programmed solely on the basis of common sense if been dead some sixty years, together with most of
at all, so that he can “snap” back into his former way of those who had the opportunity to know him personal­
life; and that isn’t easy. It demands infinite tact, pa­ ly. A generation has grown up that can only know
Rudolf Steiner through his books, and to the extent
tience and initiative.
Perhaps the most important thing we can do is to that they understand those books as a result of close
try and understand the nature of what these and exact study. Any attempt, therefore, to traditionmovements have to offer; and then we might be able to alize personal impressions; or to extol him because
see to what extent the negative forces, which insinu­ some believe he was the reincarnation of a series of
ate themselves into it, might even find a way into our famous historical figures; or to explain his omission to
appoint a successor (Nachfolger), because of a par­
movement, too.
There are three basic features of all these move­ ticular property pertaining to the etheric body of out­
ments: (i) a view of life which offers a solution to man’s standing initiates whereby it doesn’t dissolve after
problems; (ii) an outstanding personality at the center death, so that there is no need for him to be in­
who is the unquestioned source and authority for that carnated, is also putting Rudolf Steiner on a level
view; and (iii) the practice of taking every opportunity which we cannot substantiate out of our own direct,
to be together with one another, frequently in large personal experience.
numbers, for mutual support, and for reaffirming the
(iii) Our movement has a large membership which
common viewpoint.
is scattered over the world. Its only bond of union is a
Now if we were given these three things as a spiritual one, uniting every member who studies
questionnaire to check with a Yes or No as to whether spiritual science in the consciousness and exercise of
they also applied to us, we should have to put Yes to that Thinking which is the “All-One Being that per­
every one of them. Can the forces which attack the vades everything.” We still find it necessary and de­
free individuality find an entry into our movement sirable, however, to gather together in large assem­
also? Have they already done so, however minimally? blies which provide an excellent opportunity for per­
If the immediate reply is an indignant, No, cer­ sonal meetings and conversations. We also devote a
tainly not, then that proves they already have; for any great deal of time, however, to listening to leading
person or movement that refuses to look at itself members, with a life time of practice in the technique
critically before answering such questions, has al­ of talking to large audiences, speaking to us about
ready answered them affirmatively without realizing what should already be familiar from our own studies.
To what lengths this can go was shown by a spe­
it. This is exactly the way these forces work; they pre­
cial Michaelmas assembly last year at Dornach, when
dispose their victim to the rejection of all criticism.
Let us look for a moment at our own movement over nine hundred active members spent a whole
week of three sessions a day listening to mostly pre­
with these three features in mind.
(i) We have a world view which we believe is the selected speakers telling them what, by and large,
only real solution to man’s problems, anthroposophy they knew already. What was even more noteworthy
5
was that many of them could not restrict what they
had to say to the ten minutes they were asked, and re­
peatedly urged, to conform to. None but the hardiest
consciousness could survive intact such a marathon of
listening, and carry away a complete and truly critical
assessment of what had been said. Perhaps this is why
words expressive of feeling, rather than of thought
and will (moral imagination and moral technique) with
regard to the future, tend to dominate the reports
that have so far appeared.
“What do we more than others?”
Certainly the premeditated use of nefarious tech­
niques which openly ally themselves with negative
forces, that the authors of Snapping give chapter and
verse for, are nowhere to be found in our movement;
but do they slip in unobserved, even to the accompani­
ment of good intentions? What do we do more and dif­
ferently than others? for it is by that “more” that the
destiny of the future will be determined, and the ef­
ficacy of our Society measured.
But that is a question that only the individual
member can answer, to himself and by himself. No
other person can, or should, answer it for him. Nor is
there any “official” answer to it; only that which the
individual gives out of his commitment to spiritual sci­
ence. On the collective answers of those individuals
however will depend whether our movement as a
whole will be both a bulwark and a refuge in the pre­
sent and oncoming struggle for the mind of man.
Our Karmic Companions (Continued)*
upon the passion, the feeling of love. The astral passion
surging hither and thither on the earth below, mirrors
the astral substances of the descending entity. So the
astral substance coming from above is encountered by
the astral feeling of those who love each other, which is
itself influenced by the substance of the entity descen­
ding into incarnation___The reincarnating individual
definitely participates in the choice of his parents.”
“Maternal and paternal love assume a higher and
more beautiful meaning when we realize that in a cer­
tain sense the child loves the parents before conception
and is thereby impelled to them. The parents’ love is
therefore the answer to the child’s love, it is the re­
sponsive love. We have thus an explanation of parental
love as the response to the child’s love that precedes
physical birth.”6
by GEORGE O’NEIL and GISELA O’NEIL
PARENTS AND CHILDREN
The strongest and most durable ties are those of
next of kin. It is these that are only seldom broken. Two
succeeding generations: The older welcoming the
younger into incarnation; the younger, although much
later, caring for and assisting at the end of life. This
relationship of soul between individuals, vaguely term­
ed “the blood tie,” is an inexplicable sense of belonging
and responsibility, based on a mysterious force called
“parental love.” Were blindness to the spirit not so
universal, it would be here that men’s questionings
would lead directly to the supersensible.
Since the study of this most intimate and universal
bond between humans touches upon so many things, of
complexity both spiritual and earthly, let us first let
Rudolf Steiner speak6 of the forming of the parental
bond that actually precedes incarnation. An imagina­
tion in words of the means whereby the child’s in­
dividuality participates in, nay, actually brings about
the meeting of his parents, engendering their romantic
love for each other, and his own coming into existence.
“It is the individual who is in the process of in­
carnating who brings together those who love one
another. The archetype wishing to incarnate has drawn
to itself the astral substance that now has an effect
*This is part XIII in a series on The Human Life and the con­
clusion of the theme in the previous issue.
6
NOTE
Parenthetically, it being currently of widespread concern, this
note to doctors by Rudolf Steiner from 11 March 1924 (GA 316,
p. 228) may be added here:
“To the question, whether the interruption of pregnancy
to save the mother’s life interferes with the karma of the
mother and with that of the child, it may be said: although for a
short time the karma of both is being led into different chan­
nels, it will soon —through its inherent nature —return to its
appropriate channel. Hence, of a karmic interference can
scarcely be spoken here. However, a strong intervention oc­
curs in the karma of the one performing the operation. He
must ask himself whether he, fully consciously, chooses to take
upon himself the karmic consequences thereby arising for him.
“Such questions are not to be answered in general,
depending as they do on the individual case; but deep, tragic
life-conflicts can occur, as they often do in life, when karmic
ties are broken.”
When speaking of such processes as love, choice,
selection, and affinity it will help to clarify and
distinguish. There are various kinds of love which br­
ing people together: romantic love, the child’s love, the
parents’ love, and the love that endures with maturity.
As to choice, we have the parents’ choice of each other,
the choice of the child for particular parents, and the
thought that these may be interwoven.
Selection includes that of particular hereditary
possibilities. These obviously go beyond the purely
“physical” traits of appearance, of talents, gifts, skills,
even intellectual faculties predicated on bodily organs,
and include those involving life-forces expressed in
character, temperament, disposition. And further, in­
heritance includes such psychological traits as eager­
ness to learn, interests, affinities, and all those im­
pulses welling up within the sentient-soul life.
And of course, selection applies as well to environ­
mental influences: the cultural opportunities and up­
bringing; affluence or privation; conditions of accep­
tance or rejection; permissiveness or astringency —the
list goes on and on.
Our destiny is thus a fabric of decisions by our ar­
chetype! The thought that choice and selection are
operative, at least where major issues are concerned,
gives meaning to, and some explanations of, encounter­
ed hardship, illness, or strokes of fate which, except
they be taken as challenges, could be felt as misfortune
or accident.
In addition to this realm of “nature and nurture,”
heredity and environment, there are those special in­
ner affinities between family members: Usually, strong
bonds exist between mother and son, and between
father and daughter —often becoming visible in pro­
nounced resemblance, a “selected” feature.
The oft-repeated aphorism: Behind every great
man stands a special mother —special, of course, in re­
gard to qualities of character and soul life —has been
well documented. Perhaps some day it will be observed
that in the shadow of a great woman stands a special
father.
When speaking of inherited characteristics there
is grave danger of becoming ensnared in a confusion of
half truths. We must hence keep clearly in mind that it
is not the separate attributes that matter, but the sumtotal of forces making up the personality. In each it is
the “mixture,” the groupings and combinations, that is
unique —even when dominant faculties are inter­
mingled. Together they make up the profile of the in­
dividual. The same family characteristics find differing
and individual expression among siblings.
Questions of heredity, environment, and affinity
are dealt with in a little-known public lecture by Rudolf
Steiner, given in Munich, 1911.7 Here we find several
keys to riddles of child-parent bonds.
To summarize them:
• Specific features derive from the paternal line,
equally definite ones from the maternal line of in­
heritance.
• From the mother derive, in the main, the inner at­
tributes of the mental life: “Everything concerning our
intellectual capacities, especially mobility of thought,
possibility to recall the external world (memory), to br­
ing it into definite pictures, to represent it by way of
ideas —the corresponding talent is usually derived
from the maternal line.”7
• From the father we derive aptitudes with which
we work into the world. “The realm of interests derives
from the paternal line ... also, temperament, desires,
passion ... his physical talents, including what he
achieves in the outer world.”7
• Head-pole: Mental capacities, including thoughtmobility, imagination, and artistic gifts —from the
mother.
• Action-pole: Interests, self-discipline of energies,
passions and desires; capacity to achieve things in the
outer life, ambition, career —from the father.
• There is no direct transfer of talents, they are all
metamorphosed: In the offspring, inner qualities of the
mother become outer faculties, and outer faculties in
the father become inner qualities.
• Heredity then goes predominantly, metamor­
phosed in form, from mother to son, and from father to
daughter. “The soul-life of the mother tends to live on
as physical, external faculty in the son, in his personal
ability and talent. Physical capacities of the father, the
whole configuration of his personality ... including his
achievements in the outer world, ascend and live in the
soul-life as inner qualities of the daughter.”7
Much must be left undeveloped here of this theme.
Suffice it to offer this as stimulus for reflection and fur­
ther study.
But we can realize from the above that what we
derive from those we casually call Dad and Mom, are
the very tools of our earthly existence. And we can
begin to understand that this division of humans into
men and women has significance deeper than current
culture would avow. It is part of the very scheme of
things whereby we are able to receive the special inner
and outer makeup of our personality, needed for each of
us to learn the most from the life we have chosen. Men
and women are far from that abstraction called “equal”
in the family constellation, and neither do they have the
same things to give nor do they, or can they stand alone
through life. Complement and supplement each other,
they do, they have need of each other.
In the end, these lives we lead can be seen as op­
portunities to school ourselves in mutual effort. What
more can be said of love!
7
HUMAN BONDS AT DEATH AND BEYOND
Earlier in this series we spoke of separations,
break-ups, among the living, and the pain involved.
But there are other separations, one of life’s lessons
we all have to learn —when death does us part.
Depending on the circumstances, the pain endured
cannot be likened to other earthly experiences.
Despite the materialism with the destructionist view
that “everything will be ended,” the belief in survival
after death is deep seated in human nature. According
to a 1975 Gallup poll, 69 percent of all Americans be­
lieve that there is life after death. This is a theme in
itself; of interest here are the human bonds, their real­
ity beyond death. Experiences of contact with the
dead are surprisingly widespread. “Have you ever felt
that you were in touch with someone who died?” was
answered affirmatively by 27 percent of a represen­
tative sampling in the U.S. “Widows and widowers,
who had lost a very meaningful person, reported en­
counters with their dead spouses twice as often ...
another study in Britain reached the same conclusions
... 47 percent had, at some time, experienced contact
with their dead spouses.”8
A theme, popularized in recent years, are the ex­
periences of near-death or deathbed encounters.
Again, here restricted to our theme: The deathbed vi­
sions of deceased relatives. A study called A t the
Hour of Death9gives a statistical report of “what they
saw.” One frequent experience: a close, dead relative
appears, visible only to the dying person —called by
the researchers “The take-away vision.” Such ex­
periences are transformative. They bring serenity,
peace, radiance, even bliss in the dying person who
rises above pain and the negative emotions usually re­
lated to the earthly situation. “The apparitions ‘seen’
by the dying are predominantly experienced as guides
assisting them in their transition to another mode of
existence.”8
In this study, covering over 1000 cases, the scien­
tists who reported the findings wondered —“We
would expect to see the traditional middlemen bet­
ween us and the other world, ministers and rabbis,
who are always around to perform the funeral ser­
vices and other evocations of the spiritual forces. Yet
not a single case occurred in which a dead clergyman
acted as an otherworldly envoy to his dying parishion­
er.” Instead, “The identified relatives were close ones:
mother, spouse, offspring, sibling, father —in that
order of frequency.”8
MEETING AND BEING TOGETHER IN
AFTERLIFE WITH THOSE WE LOVE
The more we reflect, the greater grows the
wonder of the mysteries of human interweavings. It
8
seems they have no end. And indeed, they may well be
the earthly aspect of the ultimate, the final goal: an
evolution toward the communion of all mankind.
In as much as we thus enter realms beyond the ac­
cess of mere mortal experience, we will close this part
of our study with an excerpt from a lecture by Rudolf
Steiner.6 Here a magnificent picture is given of the
continuity after death of what men weave together as
a tapestry of friendships while on Earth, and of the
significance of love and fellow-understanding for the
future.
Incidentally, that most intense communion, pure
spiritual love, depicted here as achieved on high, was
rather the essence of the Philosophy of Freedom,
1894. Perhaps a determined practice of ethical in­
dividualism among us here as anthroposophists on
Earth, is the task which fulfills the law of the Heavens.
“Threads from soul to soul are woven here in the
physical world as the result of the manifold cir­
cumstances of existence. Bonds of friendship, of love,
and so on, are firmly knit, and every contact made bet­
ween one human being and another has significance
and reality not only for this physical world but also for
the spiritual world. Indeed, it may be said that the
more spiritual the relationships here have been, the
more significant they are for the world of Devachan.
When the individual dies, everything that is physical
in these relationships of love and friendship falls away
from them and only what was of the nature of soul and
spirit remains. The relationship between mother and
child is an example. To begin with, this relationship is
founded upon nature; it becomes more spiritual as
time goes on, until finally the original, natural cir­
cumstances simply provide an opportunity for a bond
to be woven between soul and soul.
“When the human being dies, the factors provid­
ed by nature are eliminated but the bond that has
been woven remains. If you try to picture the whole
human race on the earth and all the bonds of friend­
ship and love that have been woven, you must picture
these relationships as a great network or web, which
is, moreover, actually present in Devachan. When a
clairvoyant gazes at the earth from the standpoint of
Devachan, he perceives this web of spiritual relation­
ships that a human being finds again when he passes
into Devachan after death. He is involved in all the
spiritual relationships he himself has woven.
“This is also the answer to the question: In Deva­
chan do we see again those who were dear to us? Yes,
we see them again, freed moreover from all the ob­
stacles of space and time that here on earth lie like
veils over these relationships of the soul. In Devachan,
souls confront each other directly. The relationship of
soul to soul is far more intimate and inward than it is
in the physical world. There can never be any doubt in
Devachan about one soul recognizing the other again,
even when one of them passes into Devachan before
the other. Recognition of loved ones is not particularly
difficult there, for each soul bears his inner, spiritual
reality inscribed as it were upon his spiritual
countenance. He himself proclaims his name, indeed,
in a much truer form than is possible here, as the basic
tone, which, as it is said in occultism, he represents in
the spiritual world. An absolutely undisturbed com­
munion is actually possible only when both souls are in
Devachan. Nevertheless, the disembodied soul does
not lose all consciousness of the one who is still on
earth; he can actually follow the latter’s actions. The
soul who is first in Devachan is naturally unable to see
physical colors and forms belonging to the earth
because in that spiritual realm he has no physical
organs. But everything in the physical world has its
spiritual counterpart in Devachan and that is what is
perceived by the soul already there.”
“Existence in Devachan is not a kind of dreaming
or sleeping but in all respects a conscious life. It is in
Devachan that a human being develops the predisposi­
tions and impulses that enable the bond with those
whom he loved to remain closer, in order that in a later
incarnation he will find them again on earth. In many
respects the purpose of incarnation on earth is to
forge bonds of ever greater intimacy. Companionship
in Devachan is, to say the least, as intimate as any life
here on earth. Fellow feeling in Devachan is much
more alert, much more intimate than it is on earth; one
experiences another’s pain there as one’s own. On
earth, greater or less personal prosperity is possible
at the cost of others but in Devachan that is out of the
question. There, the misfortune caused by someone to
another human being in order to better himself would
reverberate upon him; nobody could prosper at the ex­
pense of another.
“Adjustment starts from Devachan. It is from
there that the impulse is brought to make
brotherliness a reality on the earth. A law that is a
matter of course in Devachan is a task that has to be
fulfilled on earth.”6
6. 7 June 1909, Budapest, Lect. 5 in Rosicrucian Esotericism.
7 . 12 February 1911, Munich, “Anlage, Begabung und Er­
ziehung des Menschen.”
8. Karlis Osis, Ph.D., and Erlendur Haraldson, Ph.D., At t he
Hour of Death, Avon Books, New York, 1977.
PUB LICATlONS
THE SPIRITUAL FOUNDATION OF MORALITY
by Rudolf Steiner, formerly published with the title,
“Anthroposophic Ethics.” Three lectures given at Norrk oeping, Sweden, May 28-30, 1912; Steiner Book
Centre, Vancouver, second edition 1979; 90 pages;
$3.95. Distributed in the USA by Anthroposophic Press,
Spring Valley, N.Y.
In a recent address at Stanford, Malcolm Muggeridge
spoke of the awareness, “that something had gone very bad­
ly awry with what we continue to call Western civilization.
To some extent this awareness is muffled, if not obliterated,
by the media, which manage to induce us to ... see as posi­
tively beneficial —as an enlargement of our freedom and an
enhancement of the quality of our living —the clear and
ominous erosion of the moral standards on which our tradi­
tional way of life has been based.” From another viewpoint,
the scholar, Fazeur Rahman, speaking of the Islamic up­
surge, says, “The Westernizing classes [brought] a naked
and frightening form of materialism which recognizes hard­
ly any moral demands whatever.”
Certainly we do not suffer from a shortage of moral
systems to choose from; these are offered to suit every taste
and preference. Evangelists, gurus, psychologists, and selfproclaimed leaders of all descriptions come forward. To
judge by the numbers and enthusiasm of their followers,
many are successful, at least monetarily. But to what effect?
The charge of an ominous erosion of moral standards re­
mains valid.
In the lectures given at Norrkoeping in 1912 Rudolf
Steiner avoids preaching morals, which he points out is all
too easy, but sets out to explore their very foundation. In
the first he states, “I hope in these lectures to show that it is
only by delving into the occult secrets of life that it becomes
possible to penetrate, not only to moral teachings, but to
moral impulses, to the moral sources of life itself.” The
moral principle is by no means a simple matter; “most mani­
fold conceptions and impulses have held good among various
peoples in different parts of the earth.” He gives as an exam­
ple of such contrasts India, where devotion to the spiritual
was most highly regarded from ancient times, and preChristian Europe, where valour was the principal virtue.
9
How valour can be transformed into spiritual weapons of
mercy, compassion and love, is illustrated by the life of Fran­
cis of Assisi.
In the second lecture, Rudolf Steiner provides a
panorama of historical facts to help understand the question,
“whence do moral impulses come?” Then, in explaining the
phenomenon of a Francis of Assisi, he goes back to Buddha.
After passing through his last incarnation in a physical
body, Buddha has worked down from spiritual heights. At
an occult school on the Black Sea that lasted far into the
Christian era, pupils were brought to the stage where they
could know Buddha and to advance his concepts of the
equality of man. The most advanced pupils also attained a
stage wherein they could receive the Christ impulse directly
in life. In his next incarnation, one of them became Francis
of Assisi, who worked through the resulting moral power.
(Rudolf Steiner did not propose that his listeners try to
become a Francis of Assisi, but, by a striking example, to
show how moral power enters man.)
In drawing a parallel between the occult history of
morals and the external course of evolution, Rudolf Steiner
points to Plato. In his writings on morals, the virtues of man,
Plato described them as Wisdom, Valour, Moderation, and
Justice. However, since man possesses free will, the
Mysteries taught that man is capable of going wrong in one
of two directions. For example, Valour can become on the
one hand foolhardiness, in which man loses touch with the
real world, or can become cowardice, in which man is lost to
the world. Next Rudolf Steiner points to interest, an at­
tribute of the sentient soul and more important than “thou­
sands of beautiful moral axioms.” The related extremes are
apathy and passion. The balance between these two Plato
called Wisdom. Wisdom acquired through Anthroposophy
can become transformed into the moral impulse, veracity.
(As Muggeridge pointed out in his lecture, veracity is hardly
characteristic of our times. In the media, in advertisements,
in political oratory and the propaganda of special interest
groups, we are continually being bombarded with untruth­
fulness.)
With respect to Valour, an attribute of the intellectual
soul, this “still existed in man as a divine gift,” during the
Graeco-Latin age. In our age another transformation must
take place. As with Francis of Assisi, Valour is transformed
by the Christ impulse into love. This, however, must be
guided by interest, which connects us to the world in the
right way. Human love accompanied by human understand­
ing brings the Christ impulse to life.
Between the extremes of asceticism and gluttony lies
Moderation, the virtue of the Consciousness Soul. Modera­
tion is to become a guiding ideal, “not merely instinctively,
but which has a conscious sympathy for what makes man in
a worthy way into a useful part of the divine order, and a
conscious disinclination for all that mars man as a part of the
universal order.” This may be termed life-wisdom.
As Valour is transformed into love, Wisdom to a sense
for veracity, Moderation to life-wisdom, so the harmonizing
Justice of Plato becomes wonder. “It is wonder that directs
our souls up to the spiritual sphere in order that we may
penetrate to the knowledge of that world...." All of these
transformations involve and depend on the evolution of con­
10
science and the capacity for consciousness in humankind.
In these lectures Rudolf Steiner is tracing the evolution
of human character in the past, the present and the future.
In his book Knowledge of the Higher Worlds he writes of a
golden rule of Spiritual Science: “For every one step that
you take in the pursuit of higher knowledge, take three
steps in the perfection of your own character.”
—David Hill, Santa Barbara
BIBLIOGRAPHICAL REFERENCE LIST OF RU­
DOLF STEINER’S WORK IN ENGLISH TRANSLA­
TION, VOLUME 2 compiled by Craig Giddons. Rudolf
Steiner Press, London 1979; 131 pages; $4.95.
The first volume of this compilation appeared in 1977. It
lists all the published works by Rudolf Steiner in English
translation, but it does not take into account the many
translations that exist as typescript or those that have been
published through the years in English periodicals. This se­
cond volume does list all these.
The table of contents is quite exhaustive. There are
nine different series of translations: lectures that appeared
in the Anthroposophical Quarterly, the Golden Blade, the
Anthroposophic News Sheet, and even earlier publications,
covering a period from 1920 to 1979; then in typescript form:
single lectures, courses, cycles, and notes and excerpts. The
index of the most recently published works, as contained in
volume 1, follows. A second index, most valuable for those
involved in translation and research, brings all translated
lectures arranged in relation to the German “Gesamtaus­
gabe,” the bibliographical edition of Rudolf Steiner’s works.
A third index lists in chronological order, from 9 November
1888 to 28 September 1924, all lectures by Rudolf Steiner in
English translation, giving the English and the German
bibliographic listing.
This compilation, published 23 years after Paul Allen’s
bibliography, The Writings and Lectures of Rudolf Steiner,
fills a need that has existed for a long time in the Englishspeaking world.
Whether in book form or as typescript, all the titles
listed are available at the national Anthroposophic library
(211 Madison Ave., NYC 10016).
—Maria St. Goar, Chattanooga
SIE ERLEBTEN CHRISTUS (They Experienced Christ)
Reports from a Research Project of the Institute for Re­
ligion and Sociology in Stockholm. Compiled by Gunnar
Hillerdal and Berndt Gustafson. German Edition by Ver­
lag Die Pforte, Basel, 1979; DM 18.
The title and the reproduction on the cover of a sketch de­
picting the countenance of a young man, emerging from a light
behind and slightly above it, command the reader’s immediate
interest. Translated from Swedish into German in 1979, the
book was originally published in 1973. How it came into being
is quite a story in itself. In 1972, Gunnar Hillerdal published a
book entitled Who Are You, Jesus? In the first chapter, “The
Countenance and the Form,” the author speaks of the contradic­
tory descriptions that have come down from the early Chris­
tian sources concerning Jesus’ appearance. He concludes that
since no early portraits exist, nobody can know what Jesus
looked like. To his surprise, Hillerdal received a number of let­
ters from readers claiming to have seen Jesus with their own
eyes. Theologian Hillerdal gave the matter much thought and
finally turned to Berndt Gustafson of Stockholm’s Institute for
Religion and Sociology. Together they decided to place an ad
in Sweden’s leading newspaper, Dagens Nyheter, asking peo­
ple to come forward and tell of their encounters with Jesus.
The responses exceeded their expectations; over one hundred
documents have since been on file at the institute. The most
relevant of these were edited, condensed and reproduced in
the present book.
The authors state that they have no doubt as to the au­
thenticity of the reports. Quoting from an article in Christian
Century, they state: “The new religious awareness is based on
confidence in personal experience ... that it is possible to
directly encounter the Divine ... to experience ... the Holy.”
Concerning the reports, Gustafson explains: “It is an en­
counter with ‘the Other,’ with reality per se. It comes as a
revelation, suddenly, without personal effort, unexpectedly. It
is followed by a reorientation in the person’s life and thinking,
an inner, and frequently an outer, personal transformation.”
A woman writes that she had not had a strong faith in
God. Deeply depressed, she suddenly experienced the
presence of “somebody” who radiated strength and compas­
sion. “Without hearing a sound,” she clearly perceived: “Do
not despair. You are not alone, I live.” She states that this ex­
perience has made her realize that “there are two realities...
separated as if by a wall... erected by our own I ... But in
moments when the I has lost all significance, when one feels
through and through: ‘My own strength cannot help me,’ then
the wall is no more. Then we can have contact with the other
reality where Christ lives.”
People write of encounters with Jesus during illness or
after the death of a loved one; some give detailed descriptions
of what Jesus looked like. One says: “He illumined me with the
Light that shines within so that I can never forget it.” A
painter credits Jesus with inspiring him to paint, teaching him
the nature and use of colors. Another artist, the one who has
painted the sketch appearing on the book cover, relates mov­
ingly how she came to paint the “Countenance” as she called it.
She describes a sudden intense awareness of Christ’s presence
in her room. “The whole time I held a wordless dialogue with
Him Who stood behind me and Who without doubt I assumed
to be the Christ. Time and space and all things became, as it
were, the picture that was manifesting. I cannot say that I felt
somebody holding or guiding my hand ... it was a condition
that made me feel as if something streamed from Him through
me and my hands into the picture, and I knew that it was His
countenance that was emerging.” Another person who relates
an experience of seeing Jesus, exclaims upon seeing this very
picture: “The face on the wooden board in your studio ... it is
an exact portrait of Him —that’s how He looked!”
One person writes: “... the trust is indescribable.
Whatever may befall me, nothing can ever seriously hurt me
any longer. I consider death a door through which one crosses
over into truth, light and freedom.” Several reports mention
the power of His eyes, their overwhelming love and compas­
sion. They seem to penetrate into the very core of the be­
holder. He feels enveloped by an all-encompassing under­
standing. “Oh, these eyes that radiated love —like an ocean of
love!” writes one. “Light and peace stream out from Him,”
writes another who ends his report: “A tremendous perspec­
tive opened up for me —I saw the Cross between heaven and
earth, the axis around which everything revolves —the inner­
most mystery of creation, the divine love.”
Though in every case, the onlooker was aware of having a
supersensible experience, there was never any fear or shock.
The fact that in some visions Jesus resembled the conven­
tional pictures of the Saviour —one person states that He look­
ed just like the famous statue by Thorvaldsen —is explained
by the authors in the following way: “Should Jesus signify
something to me, then he must appear in such a way that I can
understand him.”
In conclusion, the book lists experiences by well-known
Christian saints and mystics such as St. Francis, Suso, Tauler,
St. Birgitta, and Theresa of Avila. Most moving is an ex­
perience by Sadhu Sundar Singh, a Hindu, whose Christ vision
resembles that of St. Paul before Damascus.
Though these reports are clothed in conventional Pro­
testant language, the reader will find here much that il­
lustrates what Rudolf Steiner has said concerning the new
Christ revelation in this century, the appearance of Christ in
the etheric realm. In his preface, Boris Tullander, the trans­
lator (who is an anthroposophist) quotes several of Rudolf
Steiner’s statements concerning “the greatest Mystery of the
twentieth century” that could come to pass without men tak­
ing notice of it.
In one way or another, the reports in this timely book
point to experiences of the living Christ. They are told by eye­
witnesses as simple facts. What was prophetically proclaimed
seventy years ago —this is becoming reality for more and
more people.
—Maria St. Goar, Chattanooga TN
BEPPE ASSENZA, Introduction [Essays] and Aphor­
isms by Herbert Witzenmann. Translation by Sophia
Walsh. Rudolf Steiner Press, London 1979; 160 pages;
38 color plates; 11 black & white illustrations. $29.95.
The Art of Painting, hovering as it does at an almost in­
tangible threshold between matter and spirit, did not seem
to gain as much ground as the other arts after the burning of
the First Goetheanum. Of the painters who took up the
challenge to grapple with the new process only a few have
achieved significant results since that event.
One of these painters is the Sicilian-born Beppe Assenza. Already an accomplished artist before coming into
contact with the color lectures of Rudolf Steiner he has since
11
then worked intensively with these indications. Of his own
work Assenza says: “My painting now is the outcome of set­
ting aside a technique acquired over decades in favour of al­
lowing the form of the picture to arise out of the color.” This
volume presents color reproductions from paintings out of
his latest creative period.
Concerning the task of the artist, Herbert Witzenmann
writes in the Introduction: “His colors float from the ocean
of light and pour out inner light of their own. Color image
and color lustre interweave as a shimmering, singing act of
depiction in which color and form engender and motivate
each other. But this can only happen if the painter allows
two creative streams to flow together and guide his brush:
the heavenly one descending, from which he himself springs,
and the earthly one striving upward, which bears him aloft
as he unriddles its spell; the humanly spiritual stream and
the worldly natural one.”
These two streams, merging with crystal clarity in
Beppe Assenza’s paintings, come to rest in form, trans­
formed out of matter which during the process becomes im­
bued with spiritual content. Herbert Witzenmann discusses
this theme in great depth in his essays “Matter and Form”
and “The Art of Beppe Assenza,” also in this book.
The paintings encompass all possible subjects. Land­
scapes emerge freed from dependence on outer nature. A
painting like “Rondo” allows weaving elemental forces to
take on shape and in “Pastorale” man himself appears in
lyrical setting. A deepened mood pervades “In the Temple”
as the surroundings become part of his own soul realm,
while in “Faust” or “On the Road to Damascus” man par­
ticipates in the dramatic clash between darkness and light
and is responsible for putting them into proper relationship.
The Aphorisms accompanying the color plates, with
well-chosen words, quicken the observer to a sensitive
power of seeing. For “Horseback Clown,” painted with
strong slashes of orange and yellow, one reads: “Learn to
wait. Transmute the spiritual force that is not yet inwardly
mastered, bridle the will.” Next to the dynamic painting of
“Barrabas and Seraphita” are the words: “Turbid yellow—
heavenly blue: flashes of red lightning blaze decision, hurl
their cleansing charge. Nature becomes conscience.”
The realization dawns that a true path of observation
becomes a path of inner experience through which the
phenomenon can be penetrated far beyond mere appear­
ance. Through picture and word the reader is invited on this
unique path of discovery.
—Theodor Mahle, Dornach
12
A CHILD'S FIRST BOOK: Nancy Jewel
CHILD STAR AND THE SUN CAKES: Lesley Rosenberg
OW AND THE CRYSTAL CLEAR: Betty Kane
ANGEL: Yutake Sugita
THE CHRISTMAS LAMB: Sekiya Miyoshi
SEVEN-YEAR-OLD WONDER-BOOK: Isabel Wyatt
THE BOOK OF FAIRY PRINCES: Isabel Wyatt
SEVEN TALES OF THE FORSTRANAN: Neil Drinan
THE LITTLE MERMAN: Ethel Reader
These nine books for children have been produced by
Dawne-Leigh Publications of San Rafael, California. Two are
successful works by Isabel Wyatt, now reappearing after
several years of being out of print. The other seven are new
works. We welcome them all.
We have listed the books more or less in the order in
which they should be presented to the growing child. Appro­
priately enough, A Child’s First Book leads the list because it
is aimed at very young children indeed. It has no text, being
only a series of twelve pictures in delicate colors for a child to
take in while sitting in its mother’s lap. Nancy Jewel has con­
ceived and executed the pictures very beautifully, concentrat­
ing on the animals, mother and young.
Child Star and the Sun Cakes moves on to the kinder­
garten age with the story of a small star that had trouble learn­
ing to twinkle and shine properly. Lesley Rosenberg presents
the tale in much the same form in which she tells it to her
kindergarten class, which gives it a charming simplicity. The
illustrations reflect the same pleasant classroom atmosphere.
Ow and the Crystal Clear is another classroom story con­
verted into a book. One can easily imagine the little rascal or
two for whose benefit Betty Kane told this tale. It is the
straightforward story of a mischievous gnome who learns to
make up for his naughty deeds. It is colorfully illustrated,
though one could wish that the gnomes were less sylph-like.
Gnomes have a form of their own, which has not always been
observed here.
Angel, last of those designed for the very young, is the
story of an angel, the littlest and newest of all, whose first mis­
sion is to a sick child. How she lands on a lush tropical island,
what her adventures are, and how she finally completes her
heavenly task all this makes an engrossing tale. The illustra­
tions are bright and amusing.
The Christmas Lamb is a simple retelling of the Christ­
mas story. The illustrations are an important part of the book,
but unhappily this reviewer cannot respond with enthusiasm
to their style. Delicate chalks or crayons on a glossy black
ground hardly convey the light and joy of Christmas.
Seven-year-old Wonder-book This is a weightier book
and Isabel Wyatt has weightier skills than most of our other
authors. The chief characters, Sylvia and her mother, are
figures whom the reader can follow with interest and admira­
tion. The mother has the right answer for every difficult situa­
tion. The book is fine for parents as well as children.
The Book of Fairy Princes. This is for children of nine and
over. The seven enchanting wonder tales will stir the imagina­
tion of young and old. They are beautifully told.
Seven Tales of the Forstranan. These are vigorous tales
of the adventures of the Forstranan (the People out of the
Storm). They are aimed at children from nine to twelve, but
will appeal to many more. They are told well, with humor and
love, but special praise should go to Alexandra Beresford for
her beautiful watercolor illustrations.
The Little Merman. This is for older children and is long
enough (159 pages) to count as a novelette. The story, full of
romance and suspense, is well told. The reviewer found it hard
to put down.
—Agnes Macbeth, Spring Valley
ARK: an anthroposophical youth newsletter, 227 Hungry
Hollow Road, Spring Valley, New York 10977
In March 1979 a bi-monthly anthroposophical youth news­
letter for North Americans was founded. It was named ORC,
after the spirit of revolutionary enthusiasm and fiery renewal
described in the poetry of William Blake. While these qualities
are very characteristic of the spiritual striving of the younger
generation, a radical breaking down of outdated tradition will
not be enough by itself to accomplish the full creative renewal
of our culture. These energies need also to be directed to the
formation of worthy vessels (“arks”) to carry anthroposophical
realities down to everyday reality in forms that are truly in
harmony with the inner needs of our time. Thus, the newslet­
ter was renamed ARK in January 1980.
The group of younger anthroposophists who work to­
gether on each issue is spread out between Detroit, Spring
Valley, Fort Lauderdale, and elsewhere. They strive to pre­
sent anthroposophy with a style and approach suited to the in­
ner character of the younger generation. This includes writing
and graphics which find the courage to tackle difficult con­
temporary problems, controversial issues, and neglected
aspects of anthroposophy. Recent issues have concerned them­
selves with disco, Jerry Rubin, nuclear power, new socialeconomic forms, and anthroposophical design.
Most issues regularly feature the following:
• “Anthroposophy Meets ...’’—Attempts to apply
anthroposophical understandings to varied aspects of the con­
temporary world situation.
• “Do It!” —A presentation of challenges for anthropo­
sophical activity, and descriptions of on-going projects and in­
stitutions, many of which include requests for assistance and
announcements of employment opportunities.
• Reports of youth events in North America and Europe.
• Most issues are built around a particular theme.
• All issues feature imaginative graphics and illustrations
in an attempt to weave content and form in a close unity.
Rudolf Steiner’s social-economic principles indicate that
endeavors of the cultural sphere should be financed by gift
money. In accord with this, persons must make a free subscrip­
tion contribution to receive ARK. If more funds are needed,
special appeals are made. Most back issues are also available.
—David Adams, Spring Valley, N Y
OTHER NEW PUBLICATIONS
In addition to those reviewed above, the following copies
have been received by the editor. Some of them will be re­
viewed in forthcoming issues; all are available through the An­
throposophic Press and St. George Book Service.
Anthroposophic Press
Rudolf Steiner: The Mission of the Archangel Michael.
Six lectures Nov. 1919 plus two lectures Feb. 1918.
Candeur Manuscripts
Valentin Tomberg: Anthroposophical Studies of the
Apocalypse of St. John (three chapters).
Floris Books
Michael Jones (coll.): Prayers and Graces
Alfred Heidenreich: Healings in the Gospels
Karl Koenig: Brothers and Sisters
13
MEMBERSHIP
CHAIRMAN’S REPORT TO THE ANNUAL MEETING
What follows is a summary and free rendering of what
was said by the Chairman.
In reporting progress on the reorganization of the Coun­
cil, I shall mention only the most recent events and refer you to
reports in issues of the Newsletter during the past two years
which give the background and development of the changes
that are underway. I should like only to say once again that the
Council has no interest in reorganization for its own sake, its
interest is to further a process whereby the organism of the
Society in America, as a branch of the General Anthroposophi­
cal Society, is seeking to differentiate itself in accordance with
the life needs of the anthroposophical movement as it unfolds
and develops in this country. It can not be a question of frag­
mentation because the whole is present in every part.
As has been mentioned from the beginning, this process
of differentiation has two aspects: that of geographic region­
alization and that of functional differentiation. Concerning the
former, it can be reported that progress has been made in all
three of the presently identified regions: West, Mid-West and
East. In the West, the process goes back almost seven years to
the initiatives of John Brousseau who, as the Western liaison
member of the national Executive Committee, made personal
contact with isolated members and groups of members up and
down the West Coast and laid the groundwork for the first
Members’ Conferences in 1974 and ’75. This work was then
carried forward by Hermann Rubach, culminating in a very
fine meeting of members in Berkeley last November in which
those who have been working together to coordinate the work
in the West agreed to serve as an initial regional council as
reported in the Spring issue of the Newsletter. This group met
again in Los Angeles in March and is to meet once more in
May, at which time it will select those one, two or three
Western members whom it wishes to ask to serve on the new
General Council for the Society in America as a whole.
As reported in the Spring Newsletter, the Mid-Western
members, through the instrument of a Search Committee,
have asked Werner Glas (Southfield-Detroit), Traute Page
(Chicago), Burley Channer (Toledo) and Mary Smith (Ann Ar­
bor) to serve as a coordinating Board. I am happy to be able to
announce that they have since completed their number by ask­
ing Sharon Keller (Madison, WI) to serve with them. It will
now be the responsibility of the new Board to select those one,
two or three members from the Mid-West to serve with their
colleagues from the West and the East on the General Council
which is to be formed.
Members of the Council in the East, meeting for the fifth
time on March 15th in Harlemville confirmed their willingness
to serve as an initial Eastern Regional Council and will meet
again on June 21 in Kimberton Hills, Pa. to recommend how
they think such a council might best serve Anthroposophy,
how it might be constituted and conduct its affairs, and, in addition, will select those members from the East whom it
14
wishes to ask to serve on the General Council. Suggestions for
the names of qualified candidates have been requested from
the members in the entire region. It has also been stressed
how important it is that the meetings of the Regional Council
circulate and that an active contact with the members and
groups in the several centers be striven for and maintained.
Once the nucleus of the new General Council has been
selected, a process which one hopes will be completed this
summer, it will have the task of envisioning its sphere of in­
itiative and responsibility, it will have to search out how it
can best serve the Society as a whole and find a fruitful way of
working with the regional organs and with the active, respon­
sible members in the various spheres of practical anthropo­
sophical work. The nucleus of members of the General Council
will have the possibility of co-opting up to six additional
members, bearing especially in mind the needs of the work of
the School of Spiritual Science and of its Sections which are
beginning to manifest themselves in this country. It is hoped
that the new Council will be a functioning entity by February
’81 when it should meet with the members of the present
Council in order to effect a transfer of responsibility.
An underlying thought which can become an ideal for the
new Council is that it seek to foster independent, but closely
related initiatives arising out of Anthroposophy in the
economic sphere as well as seeking in every way possible to
awaken and foster initiatives arising in the sphere of free
spiritual activity. If it can, in this way, become an active sense
and balance organ, keeping the needs of Anthroposophy in the
country as a whole in mind, linking the work in this country
with the life and work of the world-wide General Society, seek­
ing always to maintain a balance between the needs of the
public work, the work within the membership and the needs of
creative research within the School of Spiritual Science, it will
genuinely fulfill its task as administrative organ within a free
spiritual society.
In conclusion, I am happy to announce that plans are go­
ing forward for a Members’ Conference, late May-early June
1981, at which the Vorstand has promised to be present. The
theme as it is developing will have to do with the tasks of the
Society and of the School of Spiritual Science in our world to­
day and the strong wish has been expressed that these ques­
tions be dealt with in as spiritually practical a way as possible.
This would require most active participation on the part of
those attending and an emphasis on the “doing” of Anthro­
posophy, rather than on expounding and analyzing it. In this
sense, the conference should emphasize the cognitive and ar­
tistic practice of a spiritual-scientific approach. It is hoped that
the conference can bring together many active members,
group leaders, artists, speakers, teachers, researchers,
members active in practical anthroposophical pursuits, and, in
this way, help to bring about a living interaction between the
Society and the so-called “daughter movements.” The location
of the conference and the many details of its organization are
presently under consideration and will be reported to the
membership at the very first opportunity.
—Henry Barnes, Chairman of the Council
MINUTES OF THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
April 12,1980 at 211 Madison Avenue, New York City
MORNING SESSION
John Root, executive director, welcomed the members to
this 57th annual meeting and introduced the special guests
from abroad, Dr. Gisela Reuther, Mr. Wilhelm Ernst Barkhoff
and Mr. Rolf Kerler. His recitation of the Foundation Stone
Verses and of the Verses for the Dead united those present in a
moment of quiet reflection.
Report of the Chairman of the Council
Henry Barnes spoke to the further steps in the
regionalization of the Society and about a conference on
membership work planned together with the Vorstand for
Spring 1981. (See preceding report by Mr. Barnes.)
Report of the Executive Director on Membership
During the past year 163 new members have joined the
Society; 22 have either transferred, died or resigned. Six mem­
berships were inactivated. Total membership is approximate­
ly 1,900.
Address by Gisela Reuther, Treasurer of the General An­
throposophical Society in Dornach and Member of the Vorstand
(This was given in German and very ably translated by
Siegfried Finser.) Dr. Reuther conveyed greetings from the
other members of the Vorstand. They look forward to the con­
ference in 1981. She thanked the American Society for the in­
vitation to visit this vast country and expressed her, Mr.
Barkhoff's and Mr. Kerler’s eagerness to become acquainted
with it, its people and its anthroposophic work.
She described some of her earlier work with Mr.
Barkhoff, helping to establish Kindergartens and schools in
the Ruhr area (after the second world war) simply out of the
conviction that such healing impulses were needed. This then
led to the founding of the Gemeinschaftsbank in Bochum. Such
preparatory activities and experience had given her the
courage to accept the office of the treasurer of the General Anthropsophical Society. Her initial aims were to make the finan­
cial aspects of the work transparent (anschaubar), so that the
figures of a financial report would become a true picture of the
processes and relations taking place between individuals and
groups in the common work.
To begin with this was done for the work at the Goethe­
anum itself. The statements have a new arrangement in which
the expenses of the different activities are clearly expressed
—stage work, color laboratory, reading room, etc. —so that
members everywhere, but especially those working at the
Goetheanum, can survey all the details in relation to the
whole, and the changes occurring from year to year.
Three spheres of activities at the Goetheanum become
evident.
First —it is the center of the “Freie Hochschule,” the
School for Spiritual Science.
Second —it is the center of the Anthroposophical Society.
Third —the Goetheanum itself is a building standing in
the world as an outer manifestation of Anthroposophy, with
public programs, lectures, and performances.
The task of the Society is particularly dear to her, “To fur­
ther the life of the soul —both in the individual and in human
society —on the basis of a true knowledge of the spiritual
world.” It is difficult to understand each other as true spiritbeings; yet if this were not practiced the Society would be
merely another association or club, such as pigeon breeders or
suburban gardeners. To understand this —that in the Societywork, people meet one another more intimately —leads to a
comprehension that we all are interwoven in far deeper cosmic
ways. Such an attitude affects everything, including the handl­
ing of money.
It is important to bring full consciousness to this sphere.
There are only three things that can be done with money: to
give it away, to loan it out, or to spend it (gift, loan, and pur­
chase money). All three ways have to be learned, mostly at cer­
tain times of a person’s life. We need to learn how to buy. The
mature person needs to learn to whom and how to loan. The
old person needs to learn how to give it away. All three pro­
cesses are of course continually interweaving and even the
young person learns to make gifts.
Dr. Reuther made note of the rhythms according to which
the money flows. German dues are collected monthly, this pro­
vides a rather even flow. Other countries collect dues annual­
ly. In-between appeals are made by schools and other institu­
tions in more or less regular patterns. In addition, there are
gifts and bequests at unforeseen times.
Treasurer’s Report (see enclosed report sheets)
Siegfried Finser presented a budget proposal for 1980/81
together with an estimated statement for the period from July
1, ’79-June 30, ’80, including recommendations of the finance
advisory committee concerning the requests of the various ac­
tivities. With $47,000 budgeted for activities, $62,000 would be
needed in gifts and contributions. (Also presented in ab­
breviated version were an operating statement for the period
from July 1, ’79-February 29, ’80 and a balance sheet as per
Feb. 29, ’80.)
Following discussion of some items, Franklin Kane formu­
lated two amendments:
1) The budget should be made available to interested per­
sons prior to the annual meeting.
2) Individuals or groups receiving funds should submit a
short (one page) report describing their activities and how the
funds have been spent. The budget with these amendments
was accepted by a show of hands with a two-thirds majority.
John Root thanked the treasurer for his continued concern and
alert efforts in the handling of the Society’s financial affairs.
Confirmation of the Slate of Officers
Amos Franceschelli moved that the present executive
committee should continue in office until such time when the
new general Council will come into existence. Eliot Lampert
seconded. The motion was carried. John Root (director and
secretary), Siegfried Finser (treasurer), Ernst Katz (Midwest
representative), Hermann Rubach (Western region represen­
tative), and Henry Barnes (chairman of the Council).
AFTERNOON SESSION (2:30pm-4:30pm)
The afternoon session began with three moving and
beautiful presentations of eurythmy. Nancy Root (with John
Root reciting) performed Rudolf Steiner’s verse “Victorious
Spirit.” Kari Van Oordt (with Christy Barnes reciting) per­
formed a poem by Walt Whitman and “The Weaving Essence
of the Light” from the first Mystery Drama.
Brief Speech by Mr. Wilhelm Ernst Barkhoff, Founder and
Chairman of the Gemeinschaftsbank in Bochum.
(This was given in German with John Root translating.)
Mr. Barkhoff brought greetings and good wishes from the
Vorstand of the German Anthroposophical Society. He felt
from his few days’ stay in this country and from his travels in
other countries that everywhere similar problems arise. New
organs within the social structure are trying to form them­
selves everywhere and are urgently needed. He also noted the
different styles in which this occurs in different countries and
expressed his admiration for the way in which matters are
handled here, especially noting Mr. Barnes’ sober yet thor­
oughly anthroposophical report. He thanked for the cordial re­
ception he and his colleagues had been given.
Report on Special Activities
Gilbert Church spoke about the work of the Anthropo­
sophic Press. (See special report.)
Franklin Kane surveyed the work at various centers (Los
Angeles, San Francisco, Sacramento) of California. There is
now a formally established council of the West that will select
members for the new General Council. Its overall aims are to
meet the needs of the members and of public work, and to in­
tensify the work of the sections. Considering the expanse of
the area it is difficult to develop a common consciousness. This
may require a Western newsletter. Many of the activities are
now concentrating around Fair Oaks. The Rudolf Steiner Col­
lege has received authorization to award the state-recognized
master’s degree in education.
David Adams reported on his endeavors to bring the archi­
tectural exhibit to this country. It contains photographs and
models of the Goetheanum and of other architectural work
resulting from this impulse. Negotiations with museums and
Goethe Institutes are under way.
Fred Paddock described the work of the library. A
bibliography of Rudolf Steiner’s works available in German is
now available. It comprises about 750 volumes. A section of
NEW MEMBERS
Elizabeth Sawers
Transferred from Great Britain
Fentress Gardner
Transferred from Switzerland
Martha Rankin
Transferred from Hawaii
16
Peter Bruckner
Glenmore, PA
Lisa Weinstein
Oak Park, MI
Christine H. Inglis
Santa Barbara, CA
Western mystical and hermetic books is being built up, also a
Celtic section and a Goethe shelf. He thanked Eliot Lampert
for his continued and devoted help.
Amos Franceschelli drew attention to a newer magazine,
Ark, edited by David Adams, which directs itself to younger
anthroposophists.
Heinz Grotzke reported on the work of the Biodynamic As­
sociation. (See separate report.)
The session concluded with a discussion of these reports
from the floor.
Respectfully submitted,
Inge Dyrenfurth
ILSE BARAVALLE KIMBALL CELEBRATES HER
80TH BIRTHDAY ON SEPTEMBER 1
It has been said of eurythmists that they have access to
the fountain of youth —Ilse Baravalle Kimball’s life seems to
confirm this. Filled with undiminished enthusiasm for her art,
she is training a small group of future eurythmists in their
fourth year, still teaching full time, and still immersing herself
in the ordeal of arranging performances.
We have several members living in this country who—
over 50 years ago —heard Rudolf Steiner lecture. These were
fleeting moments compared to the years of work Ilse spent in
close vicinity and under the tutelage of Rudolf Steiner and
Marie Steiner, learning the “new art” of eurythmy and per­
forming it —during those incomparable years when it all
began.
As an outsider, it would be beyond anyone’s task to at­
tempt to write of those years and of the highlights of over 60
years in the service of eurythmy. Hence, the editor has asked
Ilse to tell of her life, herself. She promised to do this for the
next issue of the Newsletter.
Meanwhile, in the name of countless friends and acquain­
tances, and of many former students: Our admiration and
gratitude, dear Ilse, and our good wishes and hope for the con­
tinuing flow of that mysterious fountain of youth and life!
-ed.
Address: 6536 Landis Ave., Carmichael, CA 95608
Deborah Byron
Concord, CA
Angeln Ray
Fair Oaks, CA
Ken Humke
Fair Oaks, CA
Patrick L. Wacker
San Diego, CA
John A. Dawson
Arlington, VA
Yvonne K. Harvey
Carmichael, CA
Alice Bennett
Wilton, N.H.
John S. Morris
Watertown, MA
Margaret Gilmour
Copake, NY
J. Anthony Burton
New York, NY
Paul A. Corman
New York, NY
Denise J. Lair
Lanham, MD
Jeanne Whalley
Carmichael, CA
Thomas G. Whalley, Sr.
Carmichael, CA
Jennifer Nosier
Spring Valley, N Y
James P. Sparks
Denver, CO
Dana Williams
Spring Valley, N Y
Horizontina M. Da Silva
New York, N Y
Hilda Bell
Phoenixville, PA
Francis L. Bell
Phoenixville, PA
Blanch Loutfi
Brooklyn, NY
Gloria Gillespie
Covelo, CA
Bertrand Johansen
Sunland, CA
Nathan L. Ferris
North Hollywood, CA
Martin Novom
Ojai, CA
Janet H. Borsuk
New York, NY
Janet 0. Peterson
Spring Valley, N Y
Daniel B. Thomas
Woodland Park, CO
Joyce E. Reilly
Detroit, MI
Michael Page
Evanston, IL
IN MEMORIAM:
GORDON PETER WEATHERILL
June 1, 1893-Feb. 28,1980
Throughout his life, Gordon Weatherill was a deep and
earnest esoteric student. He had come to Anthroposophy
through the Theosophical Society and was a student of
Anthroposophy for most of his adult life. He joined the Society
in 1976.
When he was 74 he came to help in the Rudolf Steiner
library in Los Angeles and worked there faithfully until he
was 80, when after an eye operation he could no longer drive.
He was a deep student of Rudolf Steiner’s Christology. It
was in later years he realized that he wanted to be a member
of the Society before he died, because he intended to unite him­
self consciously —beyond the gate of death —with the spiritual
Society of Anthroposophy.
Without previous illness, he died in his sleep —while his
wife was in the hospital, dying of cancer. She was desperately
afraid of death; and he knew that he could help to receive her
Larry Young
Detroit, MI
Terry A. Mullen
Easton, PA
Michael R. Mason
Gainesville, FL
Maile Lowing
Southfield, MI
Diane Robitelle
Glenmoore, PA
Rosemary McKibben
Newton Centre, MA
Christian L. Schirm
Daly City, CA
Amy J. Hill
San Antonio, TX
Lona A. Callaway
Spring Valley, N Y
Jeannette Van Wiemeersch
Harper Woods, MI
Carol D. Fulmer
Rochester, MI
Patrick Kehoe
Royal Oak, MI
John H. Petering
Detroit, MI
Mary H. Ruud
Spring Valley, N Y
Dale B. Brunsvold
Fargo, N.D.
Deena Pewtherer
Ghent, N Y
Susan J. Horowitz
Lionville, PA
George F. Marcel
Alexandria, VA
Michael Horowitz
Lionville, PA
Dorothy R. Pedro
Cambria Heights, NY
Gerald Altwies
Detroit, MI
Margot W. Church
Nanuet, N Y
Carol L. McAndrew
Redondo Beach, CA
Edward Sutka
Hyde Park, MA
(he preceded her by ten days). The daughter-in-law, a nurse,
was with the wife when she died and reported that she struggl­
ed for 12 hours, but that all of that time the room was filled
with light and she was aware of Gordon in that light. Finally
she relaxed in the last hour and a great peace came over her,
and she quietly passed into the spiritual world.
Our Society grows, both here and here-after. A commun­
ity of souls —working at many levels —sincerely trying to
keep the “Light of Christ” evident in a very troubled world.
The only light that can dispel the darkest of darkness.
—Ruth Richardson, Los Angeles
OTHER MEMBERS WHO HAVE CROSSED
THE THRESHOLD OF DEATH
Elizabeth Spaey, February 19, 1980
from Spring Valley, N.Y.
Joined the Society in 1952
Frank J. Culverwell, June 16, 1980
from Birmingham, AL.
Joined the Society in 1961
17
REPORTS
THE ANTHROPOSOPHIC PRESS. Report given at the
annual meeting of the Anthroposophical Society, April
1980.
It has been four years since the last report was given on
the activities of the Press, and since I have now finished my
second seven-year period managing it, this is probably as good
a time as any to bring you up to date.
This year, 1980, the Anthroposophic Press will have been
in existence for fifty-eight years. It was founded in 1922 by
Henry B. Monges, the man designated by Rudolf Steiner to
bring the Anthroposophical Society to America, and it has
always been outstanding as an example of anthroposophical
activity in this country. It is with a certain pride that I can say
that from its very beginning those connected with the Press
have only given to it. In this connection, I would like to men­
tion especially the members of the Board of the Press —Dietrich Asten, Lisa Monges, Rudolf Lindenmaier, and Stephen
Usher —as being among those dedicated to its continuing ex­
istence. This also includes not only those who carry on its daily
operations, but also numerous members who have willingly
helped in all kinds of ways. Countless friends, often people who
to us are only names on our mailing list, have generously
volunteered their support. In spite of conglomerization, com­
puterization and the rest of the mechanization of our
businesses and minds, the Press has managed to maintain its
personal friendships not only with the members of the Society
but also with practically everyone who has come into contact
with it.
There is one notable exception, however, and here I must
introduce a sour note. Up until last year, 1979, the growth of
the Press was continuous —every year we produced more
books and sold more books than we did in the preceding year.
But in 1979 our sales dropped. I attribute this directly to the
unfortunate course taken by the Rudolf Steiner Press in Lon­
don. It would take too long to review this entire problem now,
but suffice it to say that under the management of Mr. Ulrich
Babbel, and certain members of the British Council and Socie­
ty who have backed him, the fourteen year old relationship
that had been established between the Anthroposophic Press
and the Rudolf Steiner Press —a relationship that had brought
reciprocal benefits to both sides —was destroyed. Due to Mr.
Babbel’s plans and schemes, much of which was carried on
behind our backs and without our knowledge, we received no
books from them throughout the whole year of 1979. As a
result, our sales were obviously affected, though I am happy to
say, not to a hurtful extent. Within the last month, word has
come that Mr. Babbel has brought the Rudolf Steiner Press to
the brink of bankruptcy and has resigned. There is now a
chance that things will return to something nearer normal. We
are beginning to receive shipments of Rudolf Steiner Press
books again and, presuming their financial affairs are straight­
ened out, shortages will disappear.
18
Let me finish by saying something more positive about
our work. Looking back over the past fifteen years, one cannot
help but be encouraged by the extent of the support the Press
has received from members of the Society and friends. It will
interest you to know, for example, that during the past fifteen
years contributions and gifts totalling $175,000 have been re­
ceived to support our publications program. Another $50,000
in loans has supported various individual publications. Our
gross sales are in the neighborhood of $175,000 per year. The
Verein Hausserstiftung of Stuttgart, West Germany, which is
dedicated to making Steiner’s works available throughout the
world, has on two occasions made it possible through their
generosity for us to distribute sets of books by Rudolf Steiner
to public and college libraries throughout the country. A whole
group of members have contributed their time and talents
toward translating Steiner’s works into English. Another
large and active group has taken on the responsibility of sales
by setting up book stores throughout the country.
There is much more that could be said to demonstrate
the strength of the Press; all of it goes to point up one fact: In
spite of the hindrance to our work and the rough road we had
to travel last year because of the Rudolf Steiner Press, all-inall, I believe the future of the Anthroposophic Press is secure.
Our publication program is larger than ever, our sales are
again approaching normal. With your continuing friendly and
generous understanding and support, we cannot possibly fail.
—Gilbert Church
NEWS FROM THE ANTHROPOSOPHIC PRESS
As of August 1 of this year, Stephen Usher will join the
staff of the Anthroposophic Press. Mr. Usher is a graduate of
the University of Michigan and holds a Ph.D. in economics. It is
anticipated that he will take over the management of the An­
throposophic Press by January 1, 1981, thereby releasing
Gilbert Church to concentrate on editorial work.
We would like to take this opportunity to pay our tribute
to the untiring and devoted efforts shown by Dr. Church on
behalf of the written work of Anthroposophy. During his fif­
teen years with the Press, the sale of books has gone up by
more than tenfold.
With the support of the members of the Anthroposophi­
cal Society, we expect to continue this growth record in
response to the ever increasing interest in the work of Rudolf
Steiner.
—D.V. Asten, President, The Anthroposophic Press
THE BIO-DYNAMIC FARMING AND
GARDENING ASSOCIATION
The Association continued to pursue the goal to spread
knowledge and practical application of bio-dynamic farming
methods.
Membership has reached 1,010, including Canadian and
foreign members. Donations helped to underwrite the year’s
activities.
The Board met three times in 1979 and, in addition to the
regular administrative and educational issues, addressed in
particular the topic of training as it is related to bio-dynamics.
The annual conference in Spring Valley had as its theme
“Goethe and Bio-Dynamics.” The main speakers discussing this
relationship were Jochen Bockemuehl, Herbert Koepf, and
Maria Linder. The conference attendance was lower than in
previous years, but study intensity was reported to have been
satisfactory.
Within the literature program the book Culture and
Horticulture by Storl was published and the booklet Compost
by H. H. Koepf was reprinted. Work on the Herb Chart by
Evelyn Gregg progressed to make a new printing in early 1980
possible. The book on Chromatography by Pfeiffer is schedul­
ed for a new edition in 1980.
For publication in 1980 work began on 1) a book on nutri­
tion by Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, 2) a collection of lectures on
agricultural subjects by Dr. Karl Koenig, and 3) a translation
of a botanical text on the language of forms in plants by Dr.
Ernst-Michael Kranich.
A weekend meeting in January at Kimberton Hill Farm
addressed the topic of the archetypal plant of Goethe. In July I
lead a one-week course on bio-dynamics in Natick, Mass. (with­
in the Rudolf Steiner Institute program as part of a threeweek seminar). Dr. Koepf taught the same subject the fol­
lowing two weeks.
In October I attended the annual gathering of the interna­
tional representatives of the bio-dynamic groups, in Dornach,
Switzerland. The emphasis at that meeting was on the
renewal of agricultural work through anthroposophical in­
sights and ideals.
Currently the most effective results within bio-dynamic
work in the U.S. can be observed in the increased demand for
bio-dynamic literature. It would be desirable that this interest
eventually transferred to the cultivation of soils and produc­
tion of food crops.
—From a report given at the Annual Meeting by Heinz Grotzke
PIONEERING EFFORT IN NORTH CAROLINA Conference on Bio-Dynamics, May 24-25,1980
The first Whitsuntide Conference on bio-dynamics at 3
Oak Farm, Mt. Gilead, N.C., was attended by 26 new-comers to
bio-dynamics and to anthroposophy. The small group allowed
for personal contact in an informal atmosphere. The very
positive evaluation has encouraged us to make this an annual
conference.
Peter Escher opened the conference on the theme of
forces at work in the soil of North Carolina. He gave a descrip­
tion of the relationship between soil characteristics and those
of the three Indian tribes that inhabited this state. With the
soil of this region being a heavy red clay with delicate organic
structure, the workshops of clay modelling by Alwyn Moss
and marionettes by Olga Wierbicki complemented the confer­
ence theme. The marionette workshop group then delighted
us all with a performance. Andrew Linnell closed the first day
with a slide tour of Italian art from the 5th century through
the Renaissance.
Research done in Sweden comparing various agricultural
methods was reported by R. Otto. Olga Wierbicki then gave
an introduction to Waldorf Education and the work being done
to establish such schools in North Carolina. The interest was
so great that she had to carry on as a separate group while R.
Otto began his remarkable workshop on chromotograms —the
equipment, method, reading results, and applications. Peter
Escher then closed the conference with a reminder of what the
essence of Whitsun bids us —to speak out of love the language
of others. Support was found at this conference for the estab­
lishment of a regional chapter of the Bio-Dynamic Farming and
Gardening Association, tentatively called the Appalantic
chapter.
Andrew Linnell, Harrisburg, NC
VISIT OF GISELA REUTHER, W. ERNST BARKHOFF
AND ROLF KERLER
It is too soon to attempt to evaluate the remarkable im­
pact of the visit in April of Frau Reuther and Messrs. Barkhoff
and Kerler, representing the Gemeinschaftsbank in Bochum,
Germany, but what can be reported is that they visited
Copake/Harlemville, Spring Valley, New York City,
Boston/Wilton, Toronto, Detroit, Ann Arbor, Chicago,
Denver, Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Sacramento and Eastern
Pennsylvania within the space of twenty-six days and that
everywhere they went what they had to say and the humanity
and anthroposophical experience out of which they spoke
aroused the greatest interest, provoked fundamental ques­
tions and awakened a desire to know more and to work fur­
ther. The real fruits of their visit will take time and intensive
work to ripen and mature, what is already evident is that
spiritual science will sooner or later challenge us to rethink
our assumptions concerning the ownership of land, the
economic support of agriculture and of all cultural-spiritual
work, the role of money and many other similar questions. We
owe our three visitors a very great debt of gratitude that they
undertook this strenuous trip and gave so generously of
themselves out of the richness of their experience.
—Henry Barnes
19
ANTHROPOSOPHIC INITIATIVE IN FINANCE
During April, three friends from Europe visited the
North American anthroposophical community: Mr. Wilhelm
E. Barkhoff, Dr. Gisela Reuther, and Mr. Rolf Kerler. The
visitors have concerned themselves for many years with br­
inging an anthroposophic impulse to the sphere of money and
banking. Their accomplishments include the establishm
ent of a
foundation, a loan-guarantee organization, and a savings bank
—institutions differing from their common counterparts as
much as a Waldorf school differs from an ordinary school. The
home of these institutions is Bochum in Germany, where both
Mr. Barkhoff (a practicing lawyer) and Mr. Kerler (a profes­
sional banker) reside. Dr. Reuther has recently joined the
Vorstand of the General Anthroposophical Society in the
capacity of treasurer and has taken residence in Dornach,
Switzerland. This report will discuss some of the principal
ideas at work in our visitors’initiatives and then the initiatives
themselves.
Let us begin with money itself. Rudolf Steiner has called
it, “the spirit realized.” To understand this, one must look to
the origin of money in economic life. It appears at the point
where man, through his spiritual activity, creates physical
capital —machines, equipment, buildings, etc. —and intro­
duces the division of labor in the production of goods and ser­
vices. With this it becomes possible to produce values in ex­
cess of immediate consumption needs. These goods and ser­
vices will not simply be hoarded but will pass into the
economic life of the community. Imagine, for example, a
primitive time and the man who invented the cart. With his in­
vention he begins a hauling business. Work that was previous­
ly done by each person alone, i .e., hauling, is now done
together with the man who started the business. Labor has
been divided. After a time, in this barter economy, the inven­
tor of the cart owns many carts and has many people in his
employ. He has acquired a considerable wealth in the form of
many carts. When he becomes old and no longer able to run his
business, he wishes to give away his wealth, let us imagine, to
a journeyman smith. The smith intends to build a smith’s shop.
He has no use for carts. At this point, what is needed is
something totally abstract, which allows the excess values ac­
quired by the inventor to pass to the blacksmith. This
something is money, “which is related as an abstract element
to all the specific elements that are contained in the economic
process.” This abstract element can be given to the black­
smith, who can then bring forth a smith’s shop by the applica­
tion of his faculties together with the materials and helpers he
can assemble by use of the money.
From the above we see that there is a connection between
money and man’s will. The will of the journeyman smith was to
build a smith’s shop, but to do this he required money. Had he
not received it, either as a loan or gift, his will could not have
realized itself, because the will alone was not sufficient to
transform the idea into physical reality. The world would have
been that much the poorer.
Because of the connection with man’s will, the allocation
of money is a question of great importance. Today the alloca­
tion of money, of “the spirit at work” in the economic life, is for
20
the most part in the hands of mammoth impersonal institu­
tions. Indeed, Rudolf Steiner noted that already in his time
money had begun to do business of itself. Objective forces in­
herent in the masses of accumulated capital determine their
own flow and use. Human wills are carried along by the pro­
cess and determine little of themselves. The consequence is a
feeling of helplessness. (How many people in America would
even dream of starting their own school, business, or bank?
Such a deed is unthinkable to most.) This statement holds true
even for those who manage the great corporations. An anthro­
posophical consultant, working with the president of a large
concern, reported the executive to have said: “People under
me think I am running this corporation. My own experience is
that of a man sitting on the back of a giant sow —wondering
where the beast will go next.” The conclusion: the allocation of
money, and hence, the guidance of the economic process, is on­
ly partially in human hands.
Behind the inability of men to master the economic pro­
cess lies egotism. This isolates men from one another, each
worrying only about his personal concerns. As the great forces
of economic life cannot be wielded by the single individual, but
only by human communities, their determination falls into the
domain of other powers. The result is that egotism unleashes
in man’s environment forces which determine his surroun­
dings virtually independent of himself. His sense of isolation,
initially of his own making, is reinforced from without, and a
sense of helplessness, hopelessness, and fear pervades.
The opposite of egotism is altruism. It is remarkable that
altruism emerged as the underlying driving force of economic
life simultaneously with the origin of labor’s division, capital,
and money. Prior to the time of the division of labor, men cared
for themselves. Small family units grew their own food, made
their own clothes, etc. With the advent of the division of labor
this ceased. Today, men are dependent in the widest sense on
the efforts of others. The food on our tables has reached us
from the four corners of the world, and has required the col­
lective work of literally millions of people. Similarly, the
clothes on our backs, the roofs over our heads, and the cars we
drive are the result of many hands and many thoughts pulling
in unison.
While in truth altruism is the driving force of economic
life, man continues to think egotistically. This reveals itself in
the attitude men adopt toward work and income, an attitude
summarized by the expression “I work for my living.” A man’s
income signifies his claim on a portion of the values produced
by the collective efforts of humanity, but this income does not
alter the fact that what the individual receives to satisfy his
needs was produced by others. Because the reality of the divi­
sion of labor is altruism, man’s thinking, based on the assump­
tion of egotism, cannot grasp economic phenomena. When im­
balance emerges in the economic life, a false understanding
leads to cures often worse than the disease. The consequence:
economic life tends to grow outside the control of human wills
and to move under the guidance of other powers.
At the heart of our visitors’ work is an attempt to help in­
dividual wills unfold their impulse; to help individuals realize
their ideas. This of necessity requires the conscious cultivation
of altruism. As mentioned earlier, this work has taken form in
three institutions: a foundation, a loan-guarantee organization,
and a bank. The word “institution” carries certain connota­
tions which are not appropriate in this case. The tendency is to
think of an institution as an entity having existence beyond
the people who work “in it.” Many of the large institutions of
our time are “legal persons” leading a life of their own. It is
precisely the forces at work in these institutions which usurp
control of the economic process when human egotism creates
the space in which they can unfold their power. The institu­
tions founded in Bochum must be thought of only as tools used
by individuals to realize their aims. Perhaps the image of a
glove which can be put on and taken off at will is of some help
here.
The foundation (Gemeinnuetzige Treuhandstelle) was the
first to be established. A tax-exempt institution under Ger­
man law, its purpose is to channel gifts to its members, all of
which are tax-exempt organizations. Current membership
comprises some 170 organizations including the German An­
throposophical Society and the Waldorf School association.
Representatives of the foundation members elect a board of
directors and an executive committee. The board has no fixed
membership but generally averages 12 members. The ex­
ecutive group is comprised of three members and is subor­
dinate to the board. Membership in the foundation is at the
board’s pleasure; on its approval a new member can be admit­
ted and any membership can be terminated without explana­
tion.
The principal work of the foundation is to aid the in­
itiatives of individual members on the one hand, and on the
other hand, to help those who wish to give. The board meets
with representatives of member organizations requesting
funds. At these meetings board members do not represent
their particular organizations. They come as individuals
whose life-experience enables them to listen and to discuss the
request in a selfless manner. In such discussions, the initiative
or need is considered from many sides. Does the requesting
member have a clear picture of his initiative? What initiatives
of other members will have to be left unfunded if this one is
funded? After discussion, the board members make their
views on the request clear and the meeting is adjourned
without any decision being made on the initiative. The re­
questing representatives and the board members “sleep” on
the discussion. A final decision is made, not by the board, but
by the member making the request. This is a truly remarkable
arrangement, which follows this form at the board’s pleasure.
Meeting and working with those who have something to
give is the converse side of the foundation’s activity. The fact
that a person has something to give must be understood as a
destiny. A great deal of care is required to understand what
lives in that destiny. The implication is that those working
with a donor must not be overanxious to channel funds to a
particular initiative. They must try to find the right fit. A
significant part of this work involves older people, preparing
to cross the threshold of death, who are trying to disentangle
themselves from things that play no role on the other side, i.e.,
wealth. The work thus involves helping in the process of disincarnation.
An additional point should be made. The money given to
the foundation is passed on, 100 percent, to the recipients. This
fact helps to create an essential atmosphere of trust around
the work.
An institutional difference between the U.S. and German
financial environment is the presence in the latter of loanguarantee organizations. These institutions hold a portfolio of
assets which can be used to guarantee normal bank loans. In
the absence of a guarantee, banks would hesitate to make
funds available to some initiatives because of their riskiness.
Under German law, loan-guarantee organizations can
guarantee loans equal to eighteen times their capital.
The loan-guarantee organization (Gemeinnuetzige
Kredit-Garantiegenossenschaft) established by our visitors is
a non-profit corporation with guarantee capital of about DM 2
million. This capital was provided by some 2,800 members,
who buy “shares,” which are in essence gifts, of DM 200 each.
The share price is sufficiently low so that anyone with the will
to participate can do so. Those with greater means can buy
more than one “share.”
Shareholders form a community of interest for new initia­
tives. They are informed of initiatives seeking guarantees, and
can suggest projects for guarantees. For example, a group of
shareholders might feel there is a need for an anthro­
posophical M.D. in some area, perhaps where they live. This
could lead to an arrangement for a guaranteed bank loan to
help a medical student finish his studies and set up a practice.
In such cases the shareholders begin to control the flow of
money, and thus bring a human element to work in the sphere
of capital.
The above example illustrates something the loan-guarantee organization is planning to do on a larger scale with con­
sumer groups and economic endeavors. To do this, the
organization must be expanded somewhat. The idea is to
reverse the way products typically come to market. The stan­
dard sequence is that a corporate planning group thinks up a
new product, manufactures it, and then organizes an advertis­
ing campaign to make people want it. (A famous example is
aerosol spray deodorant. When this first came on the market
consumers would not buy, feeling no need for such a product.
Only after a massive and manipulative advertising campaign
was the product accepted.) The expansion of the guarantee
organization will enable organized groups of shareholdersconsumers to decide what products they would like. When
they have determined their needs, guarantees will be made
available to individuals who have the impulse and ability to
establish economic enterprises to produce these products.
The third and last established organization is a savings
bank (known as the Gemeinschaftsbank). It is chartered under
German law. Currently, it has some 3500 depositors with
deposits equal to about DM 30 million. The bank differs from
ordinary savings banks both from the side of savers and from
that of borrowers.
The manner in which both the bankers and savers view
savings deposits is the first departure from tradition. The
word “deposit” gives many the sense of something kept in
storage. Indeed, the first deposit-taking institutions were
nothing but storage facilities for gold. This is not at all true of
contemporary bank deposits which are materially nothing
more than a record in a computer memory. In reality, a deposit
is a relationship between the saver and the bank and, indirect­
ly, between a saver and a borrower. The relationship enables
the borrower, often a “legal person,” to carry out activity that
21
would otherwise not be possible. In some circumstances the
saver might be rather unhappy to discover what sort of activi­
ty he was supporting. The savings bank in Bochum alters this
state of affairs. First, depositors receive regular reports on
loan requests. Second, depositors have the option of specifying
to whom their funds will be made available. A depositor who
chooses this option must agree to bear some of the risk. The
bank also gives savers the option of taking less than full in­
terest on their savings. This makes it possible for borrowers to
receive funds at a lower cost.
The relationship between banker and borrower is quite
untraditional at the Gemeinschaftsbank. At an ordinary bank
the profit motive is the driving force. The loan officers’ chief
concern is whether the borrower will be able to pay back a
loan: principal and interest. Consequently, the focus of at­
tention is on loan collateral and the borrower’s credit history.
The initiative which has led the borrower to seek a loan is also
considered. Here the chief considerations are whether the pro­
ject will yield a sure profit and whether it is planned out in full
detail. If the borrower lacks collateral, a good credit history, or
a clearly planned and safe project, he probably will not receive
a loan.
At the Gemeinschaftsbank, the center of attention is
shifted from earning profits to aiding human initiatives. When
a borrower approaches the bank for a loan, he sits and
discusses his initiative with the bankers. It is often found that,
more than money, the borrower needs help in thinking
through his own goal and how he will attain it. In short, he
needs help with imagination. The bankers thus help the doer
plan. An essential aspect of the will, however, is that in its un­
folding it often does not go according to plan, since planning
derives from thinking and eventually progresses in a straight
line, while the will unfolds along a more circuitous path. With
full awareness that the outcome of the initiative will likely dif­
fer from the plan, the bankers assist in its formation. (This may
seem paradoxical. The following analogy may be of help. Im­
agine a car traveling along a winding road at night. The car’s
headlights correspond to the thinking-planning activity.
Because the road winds, the headlight beams do not point
along the road, except for a short distance. The winding road
of the will is thus illuminated for only a short distance ahead.
However, no one would suggest making the trip in the dark
without headlights.)
If sufficient clarity regarding the nature of an initiative
has been reached, a loan will be granted provided a number
of individuals can be found to support the initiative. The sup­
port required is a formal agreement to bear a part of the risk.
Thus, if the loan were DM 100,000, forty people —each willing
and able to bear DM 2500 of risk would be needed. The princi­
ple is to find enough people so the risk born by a single in­
dividual is not too high. Since the depositors receive notice of
prospective borrowers, they all have the opportunity to
guarantee part of the loan. In such a case the depositor is, in ef­
fect, choosing to lend his money to the initiative and agreeing
to carry part of the risk. The guarantors form a community of
interest for the initiative, and indeed it is their altruistic deed
of underwriting the risk which makes the initiative’s realiza­
tion possible. The community formed by guarantors and the
individual with the initiative can be termed a guarantee com­
munity.
22
A related social form is the loan community. Such a com­
munity is created when a group of people come together to ac­
complish a deed of mutual interest. As an example, imagine a
Waldorf School in need of an auditorium. The parents and
friends of the school could meet with an architect and deter­
mine the cost of the project, say $250,000. If there were five
hundred people in the group, each would arrange for a per­
sonal loan of $500, which would be handed to the architect. In
addition, each of the five hundred people would undersign the
loan of each of the remaining 499. With 499 guarantors for each
loan, the risk to the lending bank is very low. The Gemein­
schaftsbank works with loan communities of this form.
As with the guarantee community, there is more to the
loan community than obtaining capital. Such a community
represents an advance, or evolution, in conscious human in­
teraction. If one contrasts the type of social involvement as­
sociated with the traditional means of financing a school
auditorium, the importance of the loan community becomes
clear. With the old form, a few individuals determine the need
for an auditorium and ask individuals for contributions. The
group of people who contribute never are deeply involved. In­
deed, in the modern extreme case, they are simply taxed by
government authorities. With a loan community the entire
group must begin by jointly contemplating the task; a task
toward which each consciously directs his will. By undersign­
ing each of the other members’ loans, a single member takes a
conscious responsibility for the entire group and project. This
creates a strong social bond. Loan communities are a step in
overcoming human isolation and egotism. They offer to human
wills the opportunity to determine their environment.
We in America can be thankful that our visitors took the
time to share their experience with us. It is indeed satisfying
to know that some of Rudolf Steiner’s economic insights are
being realized in practical ways. Their example should fire our
enthusiasm to take similar initiatives in this country. To this
end, a group of businessmen in New York City, the author
among them, is currently exploring the possibility of establish­
ing a combined foundation and loan-guarantee organization in
this country.
—Stephen Usher, Park Ridge, NJ
TOWARD A NEW STAR WISDOM- A TRIBUTE TO
WILLI SUCHER — Report on a Conference of the
Mathematical-Astronomical Section at the Goetheanum
(This report was originally written for the German
Goetheanum News “Was in der anthroposophischen Gesell­
schaft vorgeht." It was translated by Robert Powell (Dornach)
and submitted by Georg Unger, the head of the mathematicalastronomical section and author of the report.
Willi Sucher is a member of the American Anthropo­
sophical Society and has lived in California for the past 20
years.)
In the lectures “Christ and the Spiritual World —the
Search for the Holy Grail” (Leipzig, 1913/14), Rudolf Steiner
speaks about the transformation in our time of the instinctive
star wisdom of the Egypto-Chaldean culture, after mankind’s
necessary “forgetting” of this wisdom over a long period of
time. Also later —and finally in the Members’ lectures of 1924
and in the “Letters to the Members” of 1924/25 —he calls for
the attainment of a new reading of the “stellar script” in place
of the totally decadent form of astrology.
Two years ago I wrote a report concerning the first con­
ference of the Section on the theme “Towards a New Star
Wisdom,” which, through my initiative, took place in 1978 (see
“Goetheanum News,” May/June 1978). At that time I wrote
that future work on this theme would be reported on.
Thus, there was a second conference in 1979, for a circle of
invited participants, who contributed to the theme by way of
discussion. This found a continuation in the third conference
on the theme “Towards a New Star Wisdom” held at the
Goetheanum (8. to 12. April) this year. To our great joy, we
were able to greet Willi Sucher as one of our guests. (As may
be recalled from the first report, during the 1930’s, Elisabeth
Vreede energetically took up this task of developing a new
star wisdom.
In this connection attention may be drawn to the early
Astronomical Letters of the Section, where Elisabeth Vreede
wrote much of significance on this theme. These Letters
appeared in book form in 1954. They have been newly re­
vised and the resulting book is soon to be published by the
Philosophisch-Anthroposophischen Verlag under the title
“Astronomie und Anthroposophie.” However, the later “Let­
ters of the Section” containing the early work of Willi Sucher
(written under Dr. Vreede’s supervision) are not included in
the book. It is envisaged that these will also be revised and
published in an appropriate form. They contain in seed form
much of the content of these three conferences on the theme
“Towards a New Star Wisdom.”
Two primary elements (amongst others) belonging to the
“reading of the stellar script” for our time are: (1) research into
the relationship between cosmic events and earthly processes
in Nature (i.e. to broaden the field of natural science to include
research into the activity and effects of cosmic-spiritual
“forces”); and (2) the study of the “horoscope of death” in con­
nection with the laws of reincarnation and karma. Work in the
first area of study has been going on for several decades, in­
cluding experimental research, and the second field of study
has been opened up by the research of Willi Sucher and Guen­
ther Wachsmuth.
It is of great significance that in both instances the usual
rules of astrology cannot be simply taken over. Here it is
nothing other than as is the case with “traditional occultism.”
Thus, much that Rudolf Steiner communicated during the
course of his all-embracing research activity is seemingly in
agreement with other occult sources. But here one should not
overlook the fact that, fundamentally, Rudolf Steiner com­
municated in Anthropsophy only those results which he had
investigated through his own research. It would be a real mis­
understanding if one were to speak here and there of “sources”
in Anthroposophy. It would be a similar misunderstanding to
conclude on account of the partial agreement of correspond­
ences (e.g. that of the planets and metals, or that of man’s
physical constitution with the zodiac) that one could also take
over other elements of traditional astrology without first in­
vestigating their validity.
In this connection it is important to note —as became
clear from the working meeting with him —that Willi Sucher’s
research has been carried out in full accordance with the
above-outlined principle. Perhaps one can characterize the
orientation of his research as follows. It is neither deductive
nor inductive —at least, deduction and induction do not play
the leading role. (It would be deductive, for example, to draw
conclusions solely from Rudolf Steiner’s indications or even
from traditional astrology; the inductive approach would be
purely empirical research such as the tabular comparison of
biographies with horoscopes or historical dates with certain
planetary configurations). Rather, his method is to seek in an
individual way for intuitions on the basis of a great quantity of
research material, or, in other words, to wait for intuitions and
then to strive to penetrate them in thought and to test their
correctness empirically.
How far this has been achieved in all cases, or how far this
comes to expression in his writings, is not the point under dis­
cussion here. It is, rather, the exemplary presentation of his
method of research, and the strong impression of personal re­
sponsibility, during the numerous contributions that he gave
at this third conference, which oblige us to extend our heart­
felt thanks to Willi Sucher. Indeed, it may be said that his par­
ticipation in the conference was in a certain sense an event in
the history of our Section.
—Georg Unger, Dornach
THE RUDOLF STEINER INSTITUTE IN ANN ARBOR
Public Activities, Spring 1980
Various public activities have taken place in Ann Arbor
this term.
There were the festivals directed by Katherine Katz:
Easter —with music (Nathalie Dale, violin), recitation (Gerald
Juhr), two short talks (E. and K. Katz), a children’s program
(Marilynn Channer) with egg hunt and a potluck meal. St.
John’s —with music (Miha Pogacnik, violin and Janet Crossen,
piano), a talk, a play, “Baldur’s Death” (directed by Katherine
Katz), singing by the fire, and a potluck meal —each attended
by some 60 friends.
There were lectures by D. V. Asten (PA), Brian Butler
(New Zealand), Hans Gebert (MI), Anthony Taffs (MI), and Er­
win van Asbeck (Holland) —all attended by a rapt audience.
There were the weekly meetings of the introductory
Course in Anthroposophy by Ernst Katz, and the biweekly
study circle on the first Mystery Play.
There was the Biodynamic Day, conducted by Hilmar
Moore (MI) which attracted a crowd with many new faces (the
other events also bring regularly a few new interested per­
sons).
A particularly successful venture was the Whitsun Art
Weekend —from Friday evening till Monday noon —con­
ducted by Antje Ghaznavi (eurythmy) and Barbara Glas (pain­
ting), offering an introductory lecture and a short course of
five lessons each in eurythmy and in watercolor painting.
23
A visit by Frau Gisela Reuther of the Vorstand in Dör­
nach, together with E. Barkhoff and R. Kerler from Bochum,
Germany, accompanied by Siegfried Finser, contributed to a
most stimulating panel discussion evening, which threw new
light on many socio-economic questions.
The library and reading room, open to the public accord­
ing to a regular schedule —ten hours weekly —and before lec­
tures, are used regularly; we hope their use will increase in
time.
A book table and sales after public events in the Rudolf
Steiner House is operated by Gerald Palo. Weleda products
are also available. Eight residents of the Steiner House
(mostly students) assisted in various ways in the activities.
In addition to the activities of the Institute, the Rudolf
Steiner House hosts presently several other activities:
•The Office for the Midwest of the Anthroposophical
Society in America.
• The Saturday Club for elementary school children, con­
ducted by the Rudolf Steiner School Association of Ann Arbor
(Ruth Nilsson and Robert Miller).
• Parent meetings of the Christopher Preschool (Susan
Seidman and Barbara Hertz).
• A Toymaking course, sponsored by both educational
organizations and conducted by Alison Gebert.
• Various activities generated by the residents of the
Rudolf Steiner House.
—Ernst and Katherine Katz, Ann Arbor
MYSTERY DRAMA PERFORMANCE
Easter, 1980
“This performance should lead our hearts into a
mood of soul that is necessary, if what we are to en­
counter in the area of Anthroposophy is to be per­
meated with the right warmth, with the right in­
wardness. We have often been able to underline the
fact that abstract thoughts, even ideas coming to
meet us from this sphere can unfold their full power
and effectiveness in us only if they are imbued with
this warm inwardness of experience.”
(Lecture in Munich, 16 Aug. 1916, GA 122 —in com­
mentary on the Portal of Initiation.)
This past Easter, as was announced in the first issue of
“News from the Goetheanum,” the Portal of Initiation by
Rudolf Steiner was performed in its entirety for the first time
in the U.S. since 1935. (Then it was performed at the head­
quarters of the Anthroposophical Society in America in New
York City, under the direction of Hans Pusch.) The drama was
performed by the Mystery Drama Acting Group of the Three­
fold Educational Foundation in Spring Valley. This event was
shared by a larger group of members and friends in that per­
formances were also experienced at Copake by those in the Copake/Harlemville/Great Barrington area, as well as at Kimberton Hills by members and friends in the Eastern Pennsylvania
area.
24
Standing alone in the Threefold auditorium after one of
the performances, I was struck by the powerful reality which
lives and speaks through the event of a Mystery Drama per­
formance. For months the acting group had struggled with the
question: What is a “Mystery Drama”? and How does it differ
from other drama? We had taken on the task of bringing the
Portal of Initiation to performance, and were searching to
work with these questions in such a way as to not necessarily
develop conceptual answers, but rather to develop a deepened
understanding in our hearts. We had come to see that the
Mystery Drama can only live in an environment consciously
prepared and responsibly supported by actors and audience
together. We saw that, although the preparation of the actor
differed greatly from that of the audience, the Drama itself can
only be born out of a common hearing and participation.
We had been faced with three different performances,
three different audiences, three different life situations. We
knew that preparation would differ in each locale, and we tried
to take this into our preparation as well. During all three
weekends one was able to feel an enhanced and activated will
to participate, a deepened reverence and understanding for
the greatness of the dramas, and above all, a mood of openness
and warmth shared by all who participated.
The Portal of Initiation is a drama of karma and destiny,
where different characters on varied paths of soul develop­
ment meet, interact, work through past karma and create that
of the future. As the Mystery Drama Group prepared and
traveled from center to center, what stood before us was a liv­
ing manifestation of all that we had been studying. During
these weekends groups of individuals, who in the “normal”
course of events might not have come together, shared exper­
iences which in other circumstances would not have been
possible. Large and varied groups of people moved together in
eurythmy, spoke together both artistically and in conversa­
tion, shared meals and of course, the experiences of the scenes
themselves. For many people, even if just for a brief moment,
the awesome living reality behind the Mystery Drama could
be heard.
We of the Mystery Drama Acting Group are grateful for
this experience and feel a deepened sense of responsibility for
this important work. We hope to broaden the base of our study
and work next year, and to deepen our understanding of that
which we have undertaken.
—Peter Menaker, Spring Valley, N.Y.
THE WESTERN REGIONAL
MEMBERS’ CONFERENCE
The theme was “Approaching the Threshold: Conscious­
ness and Initiative.” As in the previous conference held in
Berkeley last November, there was an emphasis on small
group activity, but the whole group took part in two plenary
sessions. In addition, two lectures were given entitled “Im­
moral Imaginations —the Path into Subnature” and “Moral
Imaginations —the Healing of Consciousness.”
We were very fortunate in having John Davy as our
lecturer. He is the director of Emerson College in England, but
it was his special interest and understanding of current scien­
tific trends that came to the fore on this occasion. He took as
his base the last of Rudolf Steiner’s essays from The Michael
Mystery, “From Nature to Subnature.”
These lectures brought light to bear on the concept of
“subnature” and the dangerous times we live in. They awak­
ened a fresh impulse to undertake exercises that Rudolf Steiner
repeatedly recommended but which, just as repeatedly, get
neglected.
—from a report by Mary Rubach, Berkeley, CA
A LECTURE TOUR THROUGH THE U.S.
CREATING A LINK WITH NEW ZEALAND
When the Dornach News Sheet was started in 1924,
Rudolf Steiner stressed that “in future the individual member
should take an active spiritual share in all that goes on in the
Society___The Society must know where and how anthro­
posophical work is being done, how it is being received in the
world, and all these things. We want the life that goes on in the
several groups to live in the consciousness of the whole Socie­
ty. If members keenly interested in the life and work of the
groups will write to the editor, their letters will be turned to
good use by him. We shall thus work towards a common con­
sciousness in the Society, which will only arise if the members
in New Zealand can hear of what is being done, maybe, in a
group in Vienna.”
In 1924, members had to rely on the printed word in order
to share in the activities of distant groups and this is still large­
ly the case today. However, jet travel has now made possible a
direct personal participation in the work of others that is more
in accord with the characteristics of a Michael age. Even in
New Zealand, so far from other lands, we have been fortunate
in recent years in being able to welcome fellow members from
Holland, Britain, Sweden, Denmark, Switzerland, Australia
and the U.S.A. We have thus experienced in a more living way
something of what is at work in other countries. The regular
meetings of General Secretaries with the Vorstand have also
contributed to developing this greater awareness of Anthro­
posophy as a world movement, which Rudolf Steiner con­
sidered so essential.
Thus, when Ernst Katz (Ann Arbor), during a lecture tour
in New Zealand last year, suggested that it would be good if
the American and New Zealand Societies could develop a
closer contact by such means, one could whole-heartedly agree
with such a hope, although it was difficult to see how it could
be made to work out in practice.
However, the idea was taken further and early this year
the American and Canadian Class readers invited me, as a
New Zealand representative, to attend their conference in
Copake, NY at the beginning of May. The financial problem
was solved by a generous offer from the American Council to
share some of the expenses with the N.Z. Society, and the pro­
posal that the major part of these travel costs should be
covered by my undertaking en route a lecture tour of the
U.S.A. Dr. Katz kindly undertook to make all necessary ar­
rangements with the groups concerned.
Apart from the Conference in Copake, the six weeks tour
involved visiting Honolulu, Los Angeles, Denver, St. Louis,
Ann Arbor, Toledo, Harlemville, Wilton, New York, Spring
Valley, Washington, D.C., Kimberton, and Cincinnati. It was a
remarkable experience to move so rapidly from one region to
another and to observe the different ways in which groups
have been influenced by historical, geographical, and personal
factors. Although some are large, some small, some well-established and others at an early, lively stage of growth, one could
feel so quickly at home, not only because of the common con­
cern with anthroposophical life, but because of the remarkably
friendly response which one met everywhere.
Twenty lectures were scheduled altogether, some to the
public, others to members and friends, and the many conversa­
tions that developed so readily after the lectures gave many
opportunities to gain some insight into the way that Anthro­
posophy is developing in the face of immense counter-forces in
the U.S.A. On the other hand, Americans expressed a very
lively interest in the New Zealand situation. The personal re­
lationships established on such a tour, when one receives so
much generous hospitality were, for me, a richly rewarding
feature of the visit.
The whole venture could not fail to help in bringing our
two Societies a little closer together and I would like to ex­
press my deep gratitude, particularly to Dr. Katz who initi­
ated it and was then involved in a great deal of detailed plann­
ing, and to all those other American friends whose cooperation
made it possible.
—Brian Butler, General Secretary,
Anthroposophical Society in New Zealand
OUR ANTHROPOSOPHICAL HEADQUARTERSRECOLLECTION OF INITIATIVES IN BYGONE DAYS
Many of us have at least a small idea of all the thoughts,
love and labor, of all the sacrifices and enthusiasm which went
into the building of the first Goetheanum. How many of us on
the other hand have ever wondered about the thoughts, love,
labor and, certainly, sacrifice and enthusiasm which went into
the little building that became the first self-owned home of the
Anthroposophical Society on the North American continent?
It was a handful of dedicated members who had the fore­
sight and determination to move the Center from unsuitable
rented headquarters into a home of its own; to give the Being
of Anthroposophy a bit of physical soil into which and from
which to plant its seeds in the New World. How significant
that the building which they found was an abandoned stable on
the street known the world over as the harsh and glaring
world of advertising; yet, at the same time, adjacent to a
church called Church of the Incarnation. How wonderful that it
was an empty shell rather than an existing auditorium, so that
members could implant significant architectural forms into it.
Wonderful creations have emanated from this building,
creations and activities that are living realities which are not
25
lost to the world, and which live on and influence this dismal ci­
ty which surrounds them, as well as the whole country. We
mention but a few: Plans and sketches by George de Ris, car­
pentry by Carl Schleicher, electrical knowledge of lighting by
John van Vliet. Lectures by men of the stature of Hermann
Poppelbaum, Ehrenfried Pfeiffer, Hermann v. Baravalle,
Friedrich Hiebel, Arnold Wadler, Egon Weber, Christoph
Linder. Our own Americans, Olin Wannamaker, Henry
Monges, Ralph Courtney, Paul Allen, Ted van Vliet, John
Root, Henry Barnes, and many more not named here. Visitors
such as Alan Howard and Francis Edmunds. Then there were
the first Old English Christmas Plays under the direction of
Lucy and Neo Neuscheller. Add to this eurythmy, which
became alive through such artists as Lucy Neuscheller, Ruth
Linder, Ruth Pusch, Lisa Monges, Genevieve de Val, Eleanor
van Vliet, Ilse Kimball, Hanni Schlaefli, Kari van Oordt, Nancy
Root and so many others. Add the wonderful translations of
Rudolf Steiner’s verses by Arvia MacKaye Ege and her own
poetry tonefully recited by Christy Barnes, Betty Kroth and
Sarah Burton. Recall, too, the art exhibits by such artists as
Dick Kroth and Maulsby Kimball. And the first scenes of the
Mystery plays brought to the stage through Hans Pusch. And
a Fairy Tale Opera by the composer Egon Lustgarten ...
We have stressed the past. But activities continue today,
day in and day out, as we can easily convince ourselves by
reading the regular programs of members’ meetings and
public lectures and courses at 211.
A city of 8,000,000 people, and this building is threatened
with extinction.
All of us, in the East, the West, the North, the South, are
connected with the building. Let us not imagine that it gives us
no benefit. The library alone is for each and all, it reaches out
to the whole continent.
If we are convinced about the importance of continuing
the anthroposophic work here, it will become possible to main­
tain this building. A way will be found! It must work as a
beacon in this dismal city for those who are searching. Let
them have the opportunity of finding their way into the build­
ing and through it to Anthroposophy. Let us in all earnest try
to find ways to open the doors to more and more people, so that
the hall will again be filled. Then each and every one of us will
be satisfied that there is truly a need to keep this building.
—Eleanor Paul, Syosset, N Y
RECOLLECTIONS FROM 1921/1922
- CHILDREN AROUND RUDOLF STEINER
(The following is part of an article that was originally
published in German in the Goetheanum, March 30, 1980. It
was translated and submitted by Gertrud Teutsch from San
Diego, CA.)
It was the year 1921 when I, a nine-year-old Dutch boy,
walked up the Dornach hill for the first time, accompanied by
my mother. I was overwhelmed by the new impressions.
Earlier, from the streetcar, I had seen a glimpse of the
Goetheanum. The wondrous building with its cupolas, glisten­
ing like silver, born by the golden-brown and powerfully elo­
26
quent forms of the wooden structure, rose above a sea of rosered cherryblossoms. For the child, this first, unforgettable im­
pression merged with the idea of the grail-castle, encountered
somewhat later in the Parsifal story. The ascent to the Goethe­
anum must have occurred around noon-time, since the street
was completely empty. Near the “Speisehaus” (restaurant),
where the lodging-house was located at that time, mother and
son encountered the first person. It was Rudolf Steiner. He
greeted the mother, whom he already knew, and then turned
to the child with friendly words and a warm handshake. The
child remained speechless at this first encounter, not only
because German was still strange to him, but also because he
was overwhelmed by the encounter with the creator of the
wondrous building he had already seen. It was the eyes of
Rudolf Steiner, above all, which touched him most deeply. As
mother and son proceeded, he said, “Dr. Steiner could move
mountains, if he wanted to.” With these words he indicated a
problem which had already occupied him in Holland. He had
read in the Bible that a faith strong enough could move moun­
tains. He would never have doubted this, but he was also sure
he had never met a person before who did give him the impres­
sion that he possessed such a faith. Now the good fortune had
come to him to meet such a human being.
At that time there existed a little school for the children
of anthroposophists who lived near the Goetheanum. We
formed one class that included all ages. I recall that the oldest
was an English girl of 17, while an American boy of eight was
probably the youngest among us. Of the teachers, I remember
particularly Miss Groddeck, Mrs. Boos, Dr. Bluemel, and the
South-African eurythmy teacher. The relationship of the lat­
ter was decisive for the most intensive encounter of the boy
with Rudolf Steiner, so it is necessary to say a few things
about this teacher. In retrospect the impression arises that
this kindly person may have been somewhat nervous, probab­
ly because she was not quite sure of herself. The children ex­
ploited this quality pitilessly. The teacher also was con­
spicuous because of her clothing. Especially a violet veil
fastened to her hat was experienced by us as a challenge and
was the cause of the following occurrence.
It must also be pointed out here that the children growing
up around the Goetheanum were left on many evenings
without the necessary parental supervision, as there were con­
tinually lectures while Rudolf Steiner was there, which the
parents attended. Admonitions did little to stop our ventures
in the evenings.
So it happened that we were playing hide-and-go-seek
around the Goetheanum (many events at that time still took
place in the carpenter shop). When one of us noticed that the
usual guard was not stationed at the entrance hall, we decided
to expand our game area to this hall as well and into the cloak­
room area which looked very inviting. There we could not miss
the coat and hat (with veil) of the teacher in question. The idea
to put this hat on a life-sized doll was immediately carried out.
Since I lived close by, it was up to me to find the necessary
utensils. These were a broomstick, a clotheshanger and a stuff­
ed pillowcase painted with a face for the head. Dressed in coat,
head, and veil, the doll was placed in the entrance hall next to
the main entrance. The culprits hid behind some roughly join­
ed boards which occasionally served as table tops when re­
freshments were being served, and therefore were stored
against the wall. The cracks in between made it possible to
survey the whole scene.
After the lecture, as the audience streamed downstairs
toward the exit, we heard laughter and calls such as, “Those
mischiefs have played a joke on Miss X.” We listened at­
tentively. However, the confrontation we had planned and
hoped for, that of the eurythmy teacher and our caricature did
not take place. Instead another confrontation, unplanned, oc­
curred.
We boys were sitting in the hideout, impatiently waiting
for more footsteps to come downstairs. Instead of the expect­
ed teacher, however, there appeared the shape of Rudolf
Steiner turning with quick steps toward the exit, hands on his
back. For a moment it seemed as though he would not notice at
all the grotesque doll, but then he suddenly stopped and
turned his face towards the garish figure. With this he showed us
his profile and we saw an understanding smile lighten up his
serious features. After he had stepped still closer towards the
doll to look at it from various angles, he suddenly turned on his
heel and looked toward our hiding place. We knew at that mo­
ment that he knew that the culprits were sitting behind the
tabletops. We felt completely exposed, as though the
tabletops had suddenly become transparent.
In those short moments something happened in us that
can only be explained in retrospect. Rudolf Steiner was still
smiling. No hint of anger or indignant expression were to be
seen on his face. Only his glance was serious. I suddenly
understood that the joke we had permitted ourselves was not
very funny since it was played at the expense of a lovable per­
son. I believe that I can say that it was my true inner being
which, called upon by Rudolf Steiner’s glance, became
ashamed of the prank. Nothing else was needed to bring to our
awareness that our action was morally questionable. This is
probably why Rudolf Steiner considered it unnecessary to get
us out of our hideout and to admonish us. Anyway, he turned
around slowly and left the building. Without exchanging a
word, we crawled out, returned the teacher’s coat and hat to
their proper place in the cloak-room and sneaked home, abash­
ed, carrying the rest of the pieces for the doll.
—Hans van der Stok
FLASHES FROM THE PAST MICHAEL BAUER REMEMBERED
In a previous issue of the Newsletter (Spring 1980), de­
scribing a few of the facts concerning the life of Carl Unger, it
was mentioned that he, Michael Bauer, and Marie von Sivers
were the three members of the Committee of Founders of the
Anthroposophical Society in 1913. A few words about Michael
Bauer (1871-1929) would be appropriate at this time as he pass­
ed into the spiritual world in the same year as Carl Unger.
Published in the Anthroposophical Movement in 1929, Albert
Steffen wrote,
“Michael Bauer is dead! For those who have known him,
as they hear the sad news his form rises up before them trans­
figured with light, noble and lofty in bearing, the head gently
inclining forward.”
“... Far and near he directed his keen sight and quick
hearing, and all that the senses gave him he turned to thought
apd meditation, he brought into the warm sunlight of his
heart ...”
“He transfigured everything he perceived and that is how
he himself stands so transfigured before us ...”
“Michael Bauer’s thoughts grew and sprouted like plants;
they obeyed the laws of the plant, not those of the crystal.
They underwent metamorphosis, changing into higher and
higher forms. They had color and scent. They spoke ever of life
and resurrection.”
“... Quite early in life a diseased lung obliged Michael
Bauer to make sacrifices. The giving of lectures became dan­
gerous for him. Before and after the lecture he had to summon
his forces to the utmost. Rudolf Steiner once said in a more in­
timate circle that it was a miracle how Michael Bauer kept
alive so long. It was in truth a miracle of the spirit overcoming
the body. It needed for its accomplishment such selfless de­
voted care as Frau Margareta Morgenstern, wife of the poet,
was able to minister to her friend. Michael Bauer worked with
her untiringly at the editing of the works of Christian Mor­
genstern, who has seen more deeply into the hearts of men and
into the cosmic worlds than any lyric poet since Goethe. This
work of Michael Bauer also stands out as an example for all
time. In very truth was Michael Bauer rightly named, ‘peas­
ant,’ true son of his native soil, the truest German we have
known.”
“... Never was a man more rightly loved than Michael
Bauer. His friends were the Saints of the World, in Goethe’s
sense of the word. Actors, poets, theologians received im­
pulses from him. He ... united all types in himself. Men who
were opposed to one another met in his presence as friends.”
In describing his activities in connection with the foun­
ding of the Christian Community in 1922, Alfred Heidenreich
wrote as follows in Growing Point:
“... Eventually, at long last, in the second half of August,
a much sifted and reduced group gathered for a final retreat in
the little village of Breitbrunn, twenty miles west of Munich,
on the shores of the Ammersee at the foot of the Bavarian
Alps. One of the true saints of the anthroposophical movement
lived at Breitbrunn, Michael Bauer, who was one of the most
intimate disciples of Rudolf Steiner and an intimate friend of
the poet Christian Morgenstern. He lived now in retirement.
Frau Margarete Morgenstern, the widow of the poet, took
care of him. He spoke very little, but it was an experience to
see him walk through his little orchard. He seemed a personal
friend of all his trees which confided in him and communed
with him ... Frau Morgenstern and he, as far as his strength
allowed, had made the preparations for our stay.”
And finally, Friedrich Rittelmeyer, writing in Rudolf
Steiner Enters My Life, devotes five pages in the early part of
the book to describing the character and personality of
Michael Bauer and wrote particularly as follows:
“So there was Michael Bauer, sitting in front of me. In a
tone of smiling superiority I tried to introduce the conversa­
tion with the question: ‘And so you believe in reincarnation?’
But I saw immediately that I would have to drop this once and
for always. A shadow passed over that open, spiritual face.
27
Not unkindly, but in a tone indicating an unmistakable defen­
sive, came the answer: ‘I cannot do otherwise.’ And then, in
this and subsequent conversations, he proceeded to tell me
how his innermost strivings had always been directed to
Christ. The fact that he could reverently bear Christ within
him as the veritable Son of God, while maintaining a firm, im­
partial position in the modern world of science and re­
search —this he owed to ‘Theosophy.’ Even if everything else
that it had given him were taken away, this supreme realiza­
tion could never be lost. The best evidence of the truth of his
words was the man himself. Here was a Christhood different
even from that of men like Friedrich von Bodelschwingh or
Christoph Blumhardt [Founder of the Society of Brothers],
with whom I had also sat and talked. In such men Christ was
living in the depths of the heart and in the feeling of the reality
of the higher world. In this man, Christ was living in the light
of a pristine spirit, in the holy-of-holies of a free Ego. And this
was something higher. Blumhardt especially was a splendid
product of Protestant belief —a man worthy of all admiration.
Michael Bauer was an unlooked-for herald of a Christianity to
come...”
—Nathan Melniker, Spring Valley, N Y
A FINAL NOTE CONCERNING THE “KREIS”
(ii) How people can become members of this Kreis is also
clear. From Ernst Lehrs’ letter it is obvious that the material
and tasks of this Kreis were left exclusively in the hands of
those to whom they were originally given. They alone would
decide, by certain evidences which would become apparent to
them, whom they should ask to join. This explains why some of
us had never heard of it. Obviously we have never given those
evidences, or have never been in the presence of those who
would recognize them. Consequently it would be a surprise to
many to hear that there was such a Kreis —as it was to me
after forty years of active work in the Society, spanning two
continents and innumerable friends, some of whom I have only
since discovered had been members of the Kreis for years.
Finally—
(iii) the reason why it caused some concern is probably ex­
plained by what a correspondent in Germany, whom Ernst
Lehrs consulted before writing to me, says about it. The Kreis,
he says, is “not an earthly institution while the Class and
Society are” (Ernst Lehrs’ own words in his letter to me were,
“this community [the Kreis] is in no way an institution on
earth, thus differing from e.g. the Hochschule”).
“Earthly” and, by implication, “not earthly,” are, like
“esoteric” and “intellectual,” words which have an unfortun­
ate emotive as well as a conceptual content. They might cause
some people to imagine that a certain disparity in spiritual
development or maturity was implied in the members of the
one vis-a-vis the members of the other; but as any such idea
would never occur to the members of the Kreis for one mo­
ment, nor could they imagine anyone else entertaining it, we
can perhaps now let the matter rest.
Thank you once again for your help, and may I through
you add my thanks to all those who have written to me private­
ly on this subject.
—Alan Howard
Beginning with the Autumn ’79 issue of this Newslet­
ter, a letter by Alan Howard and then two European replies
were printed concerning the so-called “Jugendkreis” or
“Kreis. ” The private responses were voluminous and var­
ied, ranging all the way from outrage to warmest apprecia­
tion. Some members felt very strongly that our Newsletter
is not the proper forum for such discussion; others wel­
comed the open attitude that enabled our members’publica­
tion to deal frankly with such a seemingly delicate topic, one
that had been on the minds of many in previous months—
due mostly to much puzzling talk or confused gossip, based
largely on misinformation. And this openness, leading to
In our previous issue, an unfortunate typing error, left
Ernst Lehrs’informative letter, was interpreted as reassur­ uncorrected, gave the wrong street number (506 instead of
ing —that members were indeed free and able to speak up 5906) for the address of Mr. Rick Mansell.
on questions of concern.
Readers will recall that this was in connection with the
Parenthetically, the editor would like to add that much cassette-tapes,
a non-profit, personal initiative of Mr.
has been learned, hither and yon, about the history of the Mansell. He would
like to have it emphasized that these lec­
Society and —incidentally —about human nature.
tures,
by
Rudolf
Steiner
by eminent anthroposophists,
With the following final note by Alan Howard we will have not been published inandEnglish
translation.
consider the issue closed.
For
details:
(213-373-3075)
5906
Pacific Coast Hwy.,
—ed. Redondo Beach, CA 90277.
To the Editor,
A training course for beginning and advanced painting
Newsletter of the Anthroposophical Society
students will begin its second year in September 1980, at
Thank you for the publicity you have given to the reaction Donald Hall’s studio in Harlemville, Ghent, N.Y. 12075. Mr.
to my original letter about a so-called “secret society” within Hall received his training at the Goetheanum in the painting
school of Beppe Assenza. Write for details and an outline of
the Society. It is now clear to me —
(i) that there can be no question of a “secret” society. Athe three-years course.
society cannot be secret anyway, only people. As Ernst Lehrs
For members who live near the Goetheanum: in case
has made it quite clear how this “Kreis” (circle/society)
came about and how it operates, it can no longer be unknown your Newsletter gets lost in transit —this seems to happen
(which is what “secret” really means) —at least to the readers occasionally —please contact the librarian at the Goethe­
anum who will be mailed an extra copy for such a need.
of this Newsletter.
NOTES
28
Gisela O’Neil, Editor
Ilse Gruenberg, Editorial Assistance
Florin Lowndes, Layout
Philip Raiten, Typesetting
Rudolf Steiner quotes are published in agreement with the Nachlassverwaltung.
Final Dates for Receiving Contributions:
(when possible typed in double-spacing)
March 1 —Spring Issue
June 1 —Summer Issue
September 1 —Autumn Issue
December 1 — Winter Issue
All communications should be addressed to the Editor, c/o Anthroposophical Society in America, 211 Madison Avenue, New York,
N.Y. 10016. Copyright and all other rights reserved by the Council of the Anthroposophical Society in America. Responsibility for
the contents of the articles contained attaches only to the writers.