Notes on the Verses
NOTES ON THE VERSES IN THE 1985 GERMAN
EDITION
In this [German] Edition the verses are given as
Rudolf Steiner spoke them during the Christmas Conference of 1923, as
shown by the complete and reliable record in shorthand made by Helene
Finckh. Previous editions [in German] contained variations in some of
the verses, especially in the rendering of 25 December. This is
explained as follows:
Rudolf Steiner gave
the verses in two versions, both of which are recorded in his own
handwriting (see Facsimiles 1 and 4 in the Supplement). The first
version was used during the Conference. The second version was made
for the printed record in the report ‘Die Bildung der Allgemeinen
Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft durch die Weihnachts-tagung 1923’
(The Formation of the General Anthroposophical Society through the
Christmas Conference of 1923) in the first number of
Was in der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft
vorgeht. Nachrichten für deren Mitglieder
(What is Happening in the Anthroposophical Society. News for Members)
of 13 January 1924. In this second version there are certain divergences
from the text as spoken during the Conference. The most important of
these are that the hierarchies are not named but approached under a
general designation, and that the Rosicrucian motto is given in
German and not in Latin.
The reason which
moved Rudolf Steiner to make this alteration was given on a number of
occasions by Marie Steiner, and recorded by one of her colleagues,
Günther Schubert, as follows: ‘She spoke repeatedly about
her memory of the great difficulty Rudolf Steiner experienced in
reaching the decision to publish the verses of the 1923 laying of the
Foundation Stone. In the end he toned down the direct approach to the
hierarchies by making the salutation more abstract. He wanted this
toned-down version to be the one used exclusively within members'
circles too, for he said that there was a law attached to esoteric
mantrams of such a cultic nature: The force with which they return
equal to that with which they are sent forth, and it is therefore
necessary to ask oneself whether one will be strong enough to endure
this.’
Marie Steiner
originally wanted to take this into account when she published this
record of the Christmas Foundation Meeting. However, it was only
possible in respect of the words spoken on 25 December, for on 29
December the call to the hierarchies by name was included in Rudolf
Steiner's subsequent discussion of the ‘rhythms’. The relevant lines
were not spoken on the other days.
In the present
[German] edition the verses, including that of 25 December, are given
as they were spoken and recorded in the shorthand report.
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