NOTES
LECTURE ONE (Dornach, 10 June 1923)
- Bayreuther Blatter:
official organ of the Wagner Association, founded in 1878.
- cf. Rudolf Steiner.
The Course of My Life.
Translated by O. D. Wannamaker.
Anthroposophic Press, New York, 1970. Also Briefe I. (Dornach,
1955).
- Fyodor Mikhailovich Dostoevsky, 1821–1881, leading Russian
novelist. cf. also lecture of 13 February 1915 in GA 174b. Rudolf
Steiner speaks in some detail about Dostoevsky's book
The Brothers Karamazov
in the lecture of 13 February 1916 in GA 167;
typescript (C42) in Rudolf Steiner House library, London.
- Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, 1831–1891. Her main works are
Isis Unveiled
and
The Secret Doctrine.
Together with Col. H. S. Olcott, Blavatsky founded the Theosophical
Society on 17 November 1875 in New York, which soon thereafter
moved its headquarters to India.
- Alfred Percy Sinnett, 1840–1921.
Esoteric Buddhism.
- J. W. von Goethe.
Fairy-tale of the Green Snake and the Beautiful Lily.
Floris Books, Edinburgh, 1979. cf. Rudolf Steiner,
Goethes Geistesart in ihrer Offenbarung durch seinen Faust und durch das Marchen von der Schlange und der Lilie
(1918), GA 22. Also
The Course of My Life,
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXX.
- From 1890 to 1896/7 Rudolf Steiner was employed at the
Goethe-Schiller Archive to edit Goethe's scientific writings within
the Weimar edition of Goethe's works. cf. Rudolf Steiner.
The Course of My Life.
Chapters XIII-XXIII.
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XIII–Chapter XXIII.
Also
Briefe I, idem.
- Hermann Grimm, 1828–1901. cf.
The Course of My Life,
p.150ff.
- The article referred to is “Eine vielleicht zeitgemsse
persnliche Erinnerung” in the periodical
Das Goetheanum,
Vol. 2, no. 43 of 3 June 1923. Reproduced in GA 36.
- Herman Grimm.
Unüberruindliche Machte.
Berlin 1867.
- In detail on 16 January 1913 in GA 62 (not translated). Also on
6 February 1915 in GA 161; typescript (Z140) in Rudolf Steiner
House library, London.
- In the winter of 1900/1901, Rudolf Steiner delivered 27 evening
lectures in the Theosophical Library of Count and Countess
Brockdorff. They were published as a collection in 1901 (GA 7) and
appeared in English as
Mysticism and Modern Thought.
Revised edition:
Eleven European Mystics.
Translated by Karl Zimmer. Rudolf Steiner Publications, New York, 1971.
cf. also
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXX.
- Annie Besant, 1847–1933. Was elected in May 1907 to succeed H.
S. Olcott as President of the Theosophical Society.
LECTURE TWO (Dornach, 11 June 1923)
- Ralph Waldo Trine, 1866–1958. American author of philosophical
books. Pupil of R. W. Emerson. His best known work is
In Tune with the Infinite
(New York, 1897).
- The German Section of the Theosophical Society unanimously
rejected the absurd theories here referred to, which began to
circulate in the Society from 1910/11 (see also Lecture Six). The
Section's rejection led to a decision by the General Council in
Adyar on 7 March 1913 to expel the German Section. Since such a
move was not totally unexpected, the Anthroposophical Society had
been founded on 28 December 1912 with an executive committee
comprising Dr. Carl Unger, Michael Bauer and Marie von Sivers (Marie
Steiner).
- This principle, enunciated by Goethe, was chosen by Rudolf
Steiner as the motto for the constitution which he gave to the
Anthroposophical Society in 1912. From:
Sprüche in Prosa; Goethes naturwissenschaftliche Schriften,
edited by Rudolf Steiner. Dornach, 1975. Vol. V, p.360.
- Rudolf Steiner,
Philosophy of Spiritual Activity: A philosophy of freedom.
Translated by Rita Stebbing. Rudolf Steiner Press, Bristol, 1992.
- Johann Gottlieb Fichte, 1762–1814, philosopher. Georg Wilhelm
Friedrich Hegel, 1770–1831, philosopher. Karl Wilhelm Ferdinand
Solger, 1780–1819, philosopher and aesthetician.
- 1817.
Encyclopedia of Philosophy.
Philosophical Library, New York, 1959. Part One:
Logic.
- Robert Zimmermann, 1824–1912. Philosopher and aesthetician.
From 1861 to 1895 Professor of Philosophy at the University of
Vienna. One of the leading representatives of Herbartian
philosophy. cf. Rudolf Steiner,
The Course of My Life,
Chapter III.
- Franz Hartmann, 1838–1912. Doctor and theosophist. Founder of a
separate school within the Theosophical Society. cf. Rudolf
Steiner,
The Course of My Life,
Chapter IX.
Also
Briefe I.
- Geschichte der Aesthetik als philosophische Wissenschaft.
Vienna, 1858.
Anthroposophie im Umriss-Entwurf eines Systems idealer
Weltansicht auf realistischer Grundlage.
Vienna, 1882. The text of the dedication referred to is as follows:
To Harriet. It was your strength of soul, when night threatened to
blanket my eyes, which made me resolve to use the long and
involuntary leisure in my dark room to bring an ordered conclusion
to a stream of thoughts long maturing in isolation, for which a
willing hand kindly lent itself to write them down. Thus is the
origin of this book of whose content no one will be able to dispute
that, like the light, it was born in the dark. Who else but you
could lay claim to the same?
- Paul Topinard, 1830–1911. French anthropologist. A German
translation of his
Anthropology
appeared in 1888.
- The date and title could not be established.
- The name
Die Kommenden
was used by a society founded in Berlin by the poet Ludwig
Jacobowski which consisted of literary figures, artists, scientists
and others, with an interest in the arts. Rudolf Steiner delivered
24 lectures from October 1901 to March 1902. cf. also Rudolf Steiner,
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXX and
Chapter XXX.
- In the same winter, from October 1901 to April 1902, Rudolf
Steiner again delivered a series of lectures in the Theosophical
Library (see Lecture One, Note 12) which provided a comprehensive
expansion of the subject treated in the previous year (mysticism).
In 1902 these lectures were published as
Christianity As Mystical Fact.
Translated by C. Davy and A. Bittleston. Rudolf Steiner Press,
London, 1972.
- cf. Rudolf Steiner,
Eine historische Antwort.
From an address on 14 December 1911, reprinted in
Aus dem Leben von Marie Steiner-von Sivers.
Dornach, 1956. See also
Briefe II.
- The reference is to the second major lecture cycle of 27
lectures from October 1902 to April 1903 which was given to the
society Die Kommenden under the title
From Zarathustra to Nietzsche.
The inaugural meeting of the German Section of the Theosophical Society
took place on 20 October 1902 in the presence of Annie Besant. cf. also
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXX.
- Friedrich Wilhelm Joseph Schelling, 1775–1854.
Die Weltalter,
a fragment from his unpublished works; English translation
The Ages of the World.
Columbia University Press, New York, 1942.
Philosophie der Offenbarung.
2 vols. Stuttgart/Augsburg, 1858. cf. the chapter
“The Classics of World and Life Conceptions”
in Rudolf Steiner,
Riddles of Philosophy
(1914). Anthroposophic Press, New York, 1973. pp. 151–164. cf.
also the lecture in Dornach on 16 September 1924, in
Karmic Relationships,
Vol. 4. Translated by D. S. Osmond and C. Davy. Rudolf Steiner Press,
London, 1983.
- See Lecture Three, Note 10.
- Lawrence Oliphant, 1829–1888. His two most important books are
Sympneumata
and
Scientific Religion.
London, 1888. cf. Rudolf Steiner's lecture in London on 24 August 1924, in
Karmic Relationships,
Vol. 6. Translated by D. S. Osmond. Rudolf
Steiner Press, London, 1975.
LECTURE THREE (Dornach, 12 June 1923)
- These are the so-called Mahatma Letters which were printed in
A. P. Sinnett's
The Occult World,
London, 1881. They are linked with the so-called
Coulomb affair of a later date, which is what Rudolf Steiner is
referring to when he speaks about the rather sensational affair,
and all kinds of sleight of hand with sliding doors.
- Simon Ohm, 1787–1854. Famous physicist.
- Philipp Reis, 1834–1874. Teacher and physicist.
- Adalbert Stifter, 1805–1868. Writer and painter. The episode
concerning his discovery as a writer by Baroness Mink in 1840 and
his later appointment as schools inspector in 1849/50 is recounted
in every biography.
- Julius Robert Mayer, 1814–1878. Doctor and physicist.
- cf. Dornach, 11 October 1915 in
The Occult Movement in the Nineteenth Century.
Translated by D. S. Osmond. Rudolf Steiner Press,
London, 1973. Berlin, 23 October, 1911 in
Earthly and Cosmic Man.
Translated by D. S. Osmond. Rudolf Steiner Publishing Co., London,
1948. Address in Helsingfors, 11 April, 1912, in GA 158; typescript
(Z409) in Rudolf Steiner House library, London.
- Carl Gustav Jung, 1875–1961. Leading proponent of
psychoanalysis. cf. also Rudolf Steiner's lectures of 10 and 11
November 1917 in
Psychoanalysis in the Light of Anthroposophy.
Translated by M. Laird-Brown.
Rudolf Steiner Press, London, and Anthroposophic Press, New York,
1946 as well as the question-and-answer session related to the
lecture of 28 April 1920 in
The Renewal of Education.
Rudolf Steiner Schools Fellowship, 1981.
- Jakob Boehme, 1575–1624. Cf. Rudolf Steiner,
Eleven European Mystics.
pp. 123ff.
- Dr. Bruno Wille, author of
Offenbarungen des Wacholderbaums
(Novel of a Seer).
Leipzig, 1901. cf. Rudolf Steiner's detailed review reprinted in
GA 34. Also
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXIX,
and
Briefe II.
- The reference is to the lecture “Monismus und
Theosophie” of 8 October 1902. cf. also
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXIX,
and
Briefe II.
- Ignoramus et ignorabimus (we do not know and we will never
know). Phrase coined by the Berlin physiologist Emil Du
Bois-Reymond (1818–1896) in his speech “ber die Grenzen des
Naturerkennens”, which passed into common usage.
LECTURE FOUR (Dornach, 13 June 1923)
- Friedrich Nietzsche, 1844–1900.
The Anti-Christ.
Translated by R. J. Hollingdale. Penguin Classics, Harmondsworth 1988.
See Rudolf Steiner,
Friedrich Nietzsche
(1895). Translated by M. Ingram de Ris. Rudolf
Steiner Publications, New Jersey, 1960.
LECTURE FIVE (Dornach, 14 June 1923)
- Rudolf Steiner:
The Gospel of St. John
(Hamburg 1908). Translated by M. B. Monges.
Anthroposophic Press, New York, 1962.
The Gospel of St. John and its Relation to the Other Gospels
(Kassel 1909). Translated by S. and L. Lockwood, revised by
M. St. Goar. Anthroposophic Press, New York, 1982.
The Gospel of St. Luke
(Basel 1909). Translated by D. S. Osmond and O.
Barfield. Rudolf Steiner Press, London, 1975.
The Gospel of St. Matthew
(Bern 1910). Translated by D. S. Osmond and M. Kirkcaldy.
Rudolf Steiner Press, London, 1965.
The Gospel of St. Mark
(Basel 1912). Translated by C. Mainzer, edited by S. C.
Easton. Anthroposophic Press, New York, 1986.
Background to the Gospel According to St. Mark
(Berlin and other places 1910/11). Translated by E. H. Goddard and
D. S. Osmond. Rudolf Steiner Press, London, and Anthroposophic
Press, New York, 1968.
- Published in 1897.
- Theosophy: An Introduction to the Supersensible Knowledge of the World and the Destination of Man
(1904). Translated by M. Cotterell, revised by A. P.
Shepherd. Rudolf Steiner Press, London, 1989.
- From 18–21 May 1907 the fourth annual Congress of the
Federation of European Sections of the Theosophical Society took
place in Munich. Under Rudolf Steiner's guidance the attempt had
been made to create a harmonious correlation between the spiritual
activity in and the artistic arrangement of the conference room. In
addition there was a performance of E. Schure's reconstruction of
The Holy Drama of Eleusis.
See
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXXVIII.
Also
GA 284/285.
- In the lecture of 14 December 1911 Rudolf Steiner said: In
front of a witness (Marie von Sivers) who is willing to testify to
this at any time, Annie Besant said in Munich in 1907 that she was
not qualified to deal with Christianity. And that is why she, as it
were, handed the movement over to me, in so far as its Christian
aspects were concerned. See
Aus dem Leben von Marie Steiner-von Sivers,
p.45f.
- The lecture — Theosophy and Imperialism. A Lecture by
Annie Besant. London (Theos. Publ. Soc.) 1902 — was delivered
at the Theosophical Society Congress in London in July 1902. cf.
Rudolf Steiner's lecture of 12 March 1916 in GA 174b (not yet
translated).
- See Lecture Two, Note 2.
- See
Aus dem Leben von Marie Steiner-von Sivers,
p.70f.
- See Lecture Two, Note 2.
LECTURE SIX (Dornach, 15 June 1923)
- The appearance of
Occult Science: An Outline
(Translated by G. and M. Adams. Rudolf Steiner Press, London, 1969)
had been announced in 1905 as a continuation of
- Theosophy
which was published in 1904. For technical reasons, however, it did
not appear until 1910 (the preface is signed: written in December
1909). “Only the absolute necessity of uninterrupted
lecturing activity by the author has delayed the publication of
this book for so long. Now it is to be made available to the public
whatever the cost.” (Rudolf Steiner in the journal
Luzifer-Gnosis,
No. 33 from 1907.)
- See Lecture Two, Note 8.
- William Quan Judge, 1851–1896. One of the co-founders of the
Theosophical Society. In 1895 he split away from the Adyar-based
society and became the leader of a secessionist movement in
America.
- August Weismann, 1834–1914. Medical doctor, zoologist. Disputed
the heredity of acquired changes.
- Dr. Wilhelm Hübbe-Schleiden, 1846–1916. From 1886–1896
edited the occultist monthly journal
Sphinx.
See Rudolf Steiner,
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXXII,
and
Briefe II.
- Charles Webster Leadbeater, 1847–1934. Prominent member of the
Theosophical Society in England. See in this context the book
Occult Chemistry
by Annie Besant and C. W. Leadbeater, a series of clairvoyant observations
about the chemical elements and atomic theory.
- Dr. Eugen Kolisko, 1893–1939. Medical doctor and teacher at the
Stuttgart Waldorf School.
- The scientific research institute was one of the sections of
Kommende Tag, a company set up for the promotion of economic and
spiritual values, Stuttgart 1920–1925. The biology department (L.
Kolisko) was transferred to the Goetheanum by Rudolf Steiner in
1924.
- Dr. Ernst Blümel, 1884–1952. Mathematician and teacher,
first in further education at the Goetheanum and subsequently
(1927–1938) at the Waldorf School in Stuttgart.
- The journal appeared from June 1903 to 1908. cf.
The Course of My Life,
Chapter XXXII.
Rudolf Steiner's essays in
Luzifer-Gnosis
have been reprinted in the volume of the same name in GA 34.
- See
Aus dem Leben van Marie Steiner-von Sievers,
pp.40ff.
- Rudolf Steiner.
The Spiritual Guidance of the Individual and Humanity
(1911). Translated by H. B. Monges. Anthroposophic Press, Hudson,
New York, 1992.
- The Portal of Initiation (1910),
The Soul's Probation (1911),
The Guardian of the Threshold (1912),
The Soul's Awakening (1913):
Rudolf Steiner,
The Four Mystery Plays.
Translated by A. Bittleston. Rudolf Steiner Press,
London, 1982.
- Max Seiling: member of the Anthroposophical Society for a time.
He turned against it when a book which he wanted to have published
by Philosophisch-Anthroposophischer Verlag had to be turned down.
See Rudolf Steiner's lecture of 11 May 1917 in GA 174b (not
translated).
- Bhagavan Das: prominent member of the Theosophical Society.
Resigned his office as General Secretary of the Indian Section in
1912 because he disapproved of the goings-on within the Order of
the Star of the East in connection with the Krishnamurti-Alcyone
cult, and of the behaviour of the President of the Theosophical
Society who approved of and encouraged these events unworthy of the
society.
- Henry Steel Olcott, 1832–1907. Founder President of the
Theosophical Society. See Rudolf Steiner, “Henry Steel Olcott
(Obituary)”, in the journal Luzifer-Gnosis, No. 33
(March/April 1907). Olcott had proposed Annie Besant as his
successor. Some of the circumstances surrounding this nomination
had become public, which is why Rudolf Steiner wrote in this
issue:
“… The deceased
President did not merely state that he nominated Mrs Besant as
his successor, but he informed the General Secretaries through a
variety of circulars — which then found their way into the
theosophical press and, unfortunately, beyond — that the
elevated individuals who are described as the Masters, and those
in particular who are especially connected with theosophical
affairs, had appeared at his death bed and had instructed him to
nominate Mrs Besant as his successor.
… Now this addition to Mrs Besant's nomination could simply
have been ignored. For whether or not one believes that the
Masters genuinely appeared in this case, the source of Olcott's
advice has no relevance to the members casting their vote in
accordance with the Statutes. Whether he was advised by the
Masters or by some ordinary mortals is his business alone. The
voters have to adhere to the Statutes and solely ask themselves
whether or not they consider Mrs Besant to be the right choice.
An immediate difficulty arose, however, through the fact that Mrs
Besant announced that she had been called upon by her Master to
accept her nomination and that for this reason she would assume
the burden; indeed, that she considered the order from the
Masters as decisive in determining the outcome of the election.
Objectively that is a disaster … There would have been no
reason to write these lines if the affair were not being
discussed so much outside Germany. But under the circumstances
the readers of this journal can rightly demand that it should not
keep silent about a matter which is the subject of so much debate
elsewhere.”
- C. W. Leadbeater (see Lecture 6, Note 6) left the Theosophical
Society in 1906 after the emergence of serious differences between
him and the Society. But in 1909 he was re-admitted by Annie
Besant, despite her earlier condemnation of his methods.
- The person concerned is James Ingall Wedgwood. See Emily Lutyens,
Candles in the Sun. London 1957.
LECTURE SEVEN (Dornach, 16 June 1923)
- “The Secret Machinery of Revolution”, by G. G.
London, 1923. (Reprinted from
The Patriot.
The relevant passage, with the sub-heading A
Mystery League, appeared in No. 37, Vol. III, 19 October 1922,
p.169. It is contained in Part VI of a series of articles entitled
“The Anatomy of Revolution”.)
- Died 27 February 1784. cf also the lecture by Rudolf Steiner of
4 November 1904 in Berlin in
The Temple Legend.
Translated by J. M. Wood. Rudolf Steiner Press, London, 1985.
- Marie Steiner had been involved with eurythmy from its
beginnings in 1912 and took over the practice and development of
Rudolf Steiner's indications from 1914 onwards. See
Aus dem Leben von Marie Steiner-von Sivers,
pp.74ff.
- Reprinted in
GA 24.
- The courses for theologians (Stuttgart, 12–16 June 1921;
Dornach, 26 September — 10 October 1921; Dornach 6–22 September
1922) have not been published.
- Carl Unger, 1878–1929. Engineer. One of the most effective
advocates of anthroposophy in Germany. Member of the Executive
Council of the Anthroposophical Society from 1912 to 1923. A few
moments before he was due to deliver his public lecture “What
is anthroposophy?” in Nuremberg, he was fatally shot by a
mentally deranged person. See his book
Die Grundlehren der Geisteswissenschaft.
Dornach, 1929.
- It has not been possible to establish when this incident took
place.
- On 17 October 1904. There is no transcript.
- The Appeal was printed in Stuttgart in 1919 and distributed as
a leaflet with the signatures of many well-known personalities from
German-speaking culture. Rudolf Steiner further included it in his book
Towards Social Renewal: Basic Issues of the Social Question
(1919). Translated by F. T. Smith. Rudolf Steiner Press, London, 1977.
See also GA 189.
- Title of a poem from the
Gallows Songs
by Christian Morgenstern, which is often presented in eurythmy.
[http://www.alb-neckar-schwarzwald.de/morgenstern/morgenstern_poems.html]
- Literally: charcoal burners. Name of a secret political society
in Italy which was connected with Freemasonry and which also
established a strong presence in France in the nineteenth
century.
- The reference is to the three objects of the Theosophical
Society: 1. To form a nucleus of the universal brotherhood of
humanity without distinction of race, creed, sex, caste or colour.
2. To encourage the study of comparative religion, philosophy and
science. 3. To investigate unexplained laws of nature and the
powers latent in man.
LECTURE EIGHT (Dornach, 17 June 1923)
- Goethe the Scientist.
Translated by O. D. Wannamaker. Anthroposophic Press, New York,
1950. See also Rudolf Steiner.
A Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethes World Conception
(1886). Translated by O. D. Wannamaker. Anthroposophic Press, New
York, 1940.
- See, for example,
Goethean Science.
Translated by W. Lindemann, Mercury Press, New
York, 1988. Chapter XI: Relationship of the Goethean Way of
Thinking to Other Views.
- See Note 1 above.
- See Lecture One, Note 6. See also
Goethes Marchen von der grunen Schlange und der schnen Lilie
with nine drawings by Assia Turgenieff,
drawn according to a chiaroscuro technique set out by Rudolf
Steiner. Dornach, 1929.
-
Faust I,
in the scene of
Faust's Study. In the Penguin Classics edition of
Faust/Part One,
Philip Wayne translates the relevant passage as follows:
To docket living things past any
doubt
You cancel first the living spirit out:
The parts lie in the hollow of your hand,
You only lack the living link you banned.
This sweet self-irony, in learned thesis,
The chemists call naturae encheiresis.
- Could not be traced.
- Rudolf Steiner.
Friedrich Nietzsche, Fighter for Freedom.
Translated by M. Ingram de Ris. Rudolf Steiner
Publications, New Jersey, 1960.
- See Rudolf Steiner's essay and lecture of 5 October 1905 in
Two Essays on Haeckel.
Rudolf Steiner Publishing Co. and Anthroposophic Press (undated),
GA 54 and GA 30.
- See also Lecture 2, Note 10.
- In 1907 and 1908 Rudolf Steiner delivered public lectures in
various cities on the subject “Natural science at the
crossroads”. The one in Nuremberg took place on 1 December
1907. The reference could not be traced more precisely.
- See Lecture 3, Note 5. cf.
Kleinere Schriften und Briefe von Robert
Mayer nebst Mitteilungen aus seinem Leben.
Ed. Weyrauch. Stuttgart, 1893. Also Weyrauch.
Robert Mayer.
Stuttgart, 1890.
- Theophrastus Bombastus Paracelsus von Hohenheim, 1493–1541. cf.
Rudolf Steiner's lecture in Berlin on 26 April 1906,
“Paracelsus”, in GA 54; typescript (NSL 154) in Rudolf
Steiner House library, London. Also
Eleven European Mystics,
pp. 100ff.
- Johann Baptist van Helmont, 1577–1644. Great Dutch doctor and
philosopher. His works appeared under the title
Ortus medicinae,
Amsterdam 1648, and
Opuscula medica inaudita,
Cologne 1644.
- Auguste Comte, 1798–1857. Positivist philosopher. John Stewart
Mill, 1806–1873. Philosopher who attempted to provide the logical
justification for the positivist method. Charles Darwin,
1809–1882.
- A detailed list of the institutions in the fields of science,
education, curative education, medicine, publishing, the economy,
and theology which were established on the basis of anthroposophy
can be found in GA 37/260a, pp.712–724. cf also the lecture in
Dornach on 2 March 1923 in
Awakening to Community.
- At the tenth general meeting of the Goetheanum Association on
17 June 1923 in Dornach. Reproduced in
Aufbaugedanken und Gesinnungsbildung.
Dornach, 1942.
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