The Rudolf Steiner Archive

Seventh Lecture

[ 1 ] Today I would like to offer a spiritual-historical reflection that may be important to us, particularly in light of the grave events we are currently facing—events that affect all of Europe—and next Wednesday I will then touch on a more intimate aspect of human spiritual life. If what we are to consider today might seem distant to some of us, this is only an illusion, and it should not be distant to us, for spiritual science, in particular, should fill our souls with the deepest attention to everything that can contribute to an understanding of our time. As I said, on Wednesday we will then return to a purely human, spiritual-scientific topic.

[ 2 ] I would like to begin today with a question. But do not be alarmed; do not think, just because I am placing this question at the forefront of our discussion, that I intend in the slightest to raise old points of contention within our movement. As you will see, the subject at hand will be something entirely, entirely different, even though I will begin by addressing questions that may at first be easily misunderstood. Namely, I would like to raise the following question: Why does Mrs. Besant continue to slander our German movement in her English journals, especially during this time of war? Why did she deem it necessary, right in the first months of the war, to claim that our German movement had intended only to serve as a kind of agency for Germany’s anti-British political aspirations? Why did she feel it necessary to say that our German movement had intended to bring about her own—Mrs. Besant’s—removal as president of the Theosophical Movement, in order to establish herself in India and, from there, organize a kind of anti-British, pan-Germanist movement against England? Why does Mrs. Besant continue to make these slanderous accusations—which she has leveled so viciously against our German movement during this war—and why is she likely to continue doing so?

[ 3 ] Within our humanities movement, nothing is more essential to us than having a clear, discerning view of what is happening in the world. That which can so easily appeal to those who often believe they stand firmly within our movement—a certain—forgive the harsh expression—spiritual lethargy toward the events of the world—is, precisely within such a spiritual movement, a great, great disadvantage. We must strive for the clearest possible perspective, even with regard to the affairs of external existence. For nothing is easier than for all manner of charlatanish, deceptive endeavors within the course of human development to latch onto such a movement. And since, within the limits we have often emphasized—among the certainly small group of those who wish to understand certain things here—a certain degree of trust is already necessary, it stands to reason that, seduced by a certain credulity, it is precisely the leading figures of our movement who are, so to speak, clouded by those who do not really wish to tell them the truth, but who merely want to implant all sorts of things into their souls in order to cultivate, through the detour of theosophical or other spiritual beliefs, a sort of spiritual bodyguard for all manner of endeavors that, in the true sense, are not genuinely spiritual endeavors of humanity.

[ 4 ] We have often drawn attention to the role of the Russian people within the development of the fifth post-Atlantean cultural epoch, and since I have already discussed this topic frequently—even during the war—right here in Stuttgart in this very context, I do not wish to revisit it today, as you can read about it in the individual cycles. Rather, I would like to point out that there are certain fundamental characteristics of the Russian people that make them seem particularly well-suited to engaging with the course of development of the fifth post-Atlantean—or even the sixth post-Atlantean—cultural epoch in precisely the manner that has often been described.

[ 5 ] First, there is a characteristic of the Russian people that one might call a particularly far-reaching adaptability of the soul to intellectual matters that confront the Russian person in any way—a certain adaptability of the soul. The fact is that the Russian person is less productive, less creative within their own soul than the Central European or Western European person; they are, so to speak, dependent on receiving and, while intensely experiencing what they have received, are unable to independently shape it further on their own. Thus you can see how the Russian people accepted the Byzantine religion and left it at the stage it was in when they received it. And even today, one can still see in the ceremonies of the Russian Church how an ancient Eastern essence shines through these ceremonies. One can, I would say, glimpse an ancient, sacred Eastern essence through the form of the Russian Church and sense this ancient, sacred Eastern essence.

[ 6 ] Compare this with what has occurred in the West, where—as as you know, the development of dogma and ceremony—which has been contested in many ways—has involved a continuous reshaping and transformation, that is, a creative intervention in what was once adopted by that community, which then became the Roman Catholic Church, Protestantism, and so on. This adaptability, this receptivity—that is, in a sense, the primary characteristic of the Russian national character.

[ 7 ] A second fundamental characteristic is a certain aversion on the part of the Russian people to what we call the permeation of life with intellectuality. The Russian people do not like to be bound by many precisely defined rules in social life. They demand, so to speak, a kind of arbitrary drifting of the self. The Russian person—at least in practice—cannot bring himself to accept that reason weaves a web of laws and that the individual must then strictly adhere to such rational forms in social life, even if he occasionally acknowledges this in theory. He is more concerned with what the self wants at that very moment, based on the inspiration of the moment.

[ 8 ] A third aspect of the Russian character is—Herder in particular pointed this out in great detail; the Slavophiles then adopted this Herderian view, that is, a German view, and developed it into a kind of megalomania—that the Russian people have preserved what is found throughout the entire Eastern world: a certain peacefulness. As strange as it may sound, it is inherent in the nature of the Russian people, for the Russian people did not wage this war as such: it was instigated by their rulers. They possess a certain peacefulness. They hold a deep conviction that the way Western European religion has developed fosters strife and discord. It is not in the character of the Eastern person to wage war against his fellow human beings because of religious dogmas. This is even something—strange as it may be, but true nonetheless—that people now notice so strikingly in the Turks, who also possess this Eastern quality, namely that they do not become aggressive with regard to religious life itself.

[ 9 ] As I said, this is rooted in the faith and consciousness of the Russian people. On the other hand, these three characteristics are particularly susceptible to being exploited by those who seek to do so. One can very easily exploit the adaptability of the Russian people—as the Slavophiles did and as the Pan-Slavists are now doing to a great extent—to convince the Russian people that they are called upon to replace the outdated, senile, and ultimately moribund European culture with Russian life in its place.

[ 10 ] On the other hand, if one misuses the second characteristic I mentioned, one can convince the Russian people that the entire culture of Western and Central Europe has grown senile due to its particular penchant for intellectualism, for a certain rationalism, and that this Western European culture is devoid of any truly authentic mystical trait.

[ 11 ] And thirdly, if one wishes to exploit the third characteristic of the Russian people that has been mentioned—precisely their most peaceful trait—one can turn it on its head by organizing the otherwise peaceful masses and calling them to the bloodiest of battles. For indeed, opposites clash in the world, and especially those opposites of which we are speaking here. But the role that the Russian people are meant to play in the course of European cultural development has nothing to do with what Russian rulers are currently making of this Russian people; rather, it is connected to the three characteristics mentioned.

[ 12 ] . And these three characteristics therefore determine the Russian nature’s capacity to form a certain connection with the Central European and Western European natures. Because the Russian national character is adaptable, it is first and foremost called upon to accomplish what we have often spoken of—what it must achieve in the sixth post-Atlantean cultural epoch—not initially through creativity, but through its By absorbing what comes to it from the West. I have often called this a kind of spiritual marriage—years, indeed, I may say, decades before the outbreak of this war—a kind of marriage that is necessary between the Central European essence and the Russian essence with regard to spiritual development.

[ 13 ] Because the Russian people have a certain aversion to intellectualism, it will be possible to establish certain social institutions with the Russian people that will only be feasible if the union just mentioned actually takes place.

[ 14 ] And in a similar way, the Russian people will have to respond to whatever may arise within Central Europe. Tomorrow, in our public lecture, we will once again speak of those things that must flow from the Central European essence and that must be incorporated—as something great, mighty, and imperishable—into the entire course of human development. But the Russian people will have to accept what is brought forth by the Central European essence. It is not, for the time being, self-creative within this post-Atlantean era.

[ 15 ] Now, however, in contrast to what one might characterize as the essence of Russian national character, there is Central European national character and Western European national character—that Western European national character which, following the reign of Queen Elizabeth of England, has essentially become a British national character, an Anglo-Saxon national character. And among the various consequences of these current significant events—which, of course, it is not my place to elaborate on in any detail—one thing is certain: regardless of how these events turn out, the other Western European states will gradually become vassals, dependent peoples of England. The French, in particular, will have to endure the most bitter disappointments. But: these are not the things that really matter; rather, what matters to us today is to emphasize the great contrast that exists between the Central European character and the Western European—namely, the British and Anglo-Saxon—character.

[ 16 ] There has perhaps never been—even if it goes unnoticed today by those who do not wish to think, and especially by those who do not wish to observe—a greater contrast in the course of world history than this contrast between the Central European and Anglo-Saxon natures. Not that the individual, the individual personality, could not rise above it. That is not the issue; the issue is national character. Certainly, when such things are characterized, the discussion is never about the individual Englishman, who can, of course, rise above what is being characterized here. Nor should one immediately assume that one must somehow fall into the errors of our wartime adversaries and, simply because the English character is different, feel compelled to denigrate it; rather, the aim must be to sharply characterize the contrast. Admittedly, much would be required if I were to attempt to gather for you all the possible building blocks that would actually be necessary to fully understand the contrast I have indicated. But this contrast can become clear to us from the following perspective: if we consider, on the one hand, the Central European nature—at the center of which stands the German nature—in relation to the Russian nature of the East, and, on the other hand, the British and French nature in its relationship to the Russian East. Therein lies one of the greatest contrasts in human development. I must, however, merely point out a few things to you today that I will be elaborating on in tomorrow’s public lecture. But I would like the small group of those who belong to the spiritual science movement to understand such matters—as will be explained in greater detail tomorrow—more deeply than is initially possible without delving more deeply into spiritual science.

[ 17 ] You see, this Central European character is one that is national in a completely different way than any other people throughout the entire course of human development. Take all the Western European peoples: they are, so to speak, national by blood. The German is national by soul. The German is national in that he ceaselessly strives to extract certain elements of spiritual life from the general spiritual life and transplant them into his own soul. That is why we experience within the German spirit something as great as Goethe’s works of art, Herder’s view of history, or the philosophical endeavors of Hegel, Schelling, and Fichte.

[ 18 ] Even if these things are still relatively unknown to wider circles today—they will become known. For contrary to all the opinions expressed on this matter, I must say this: They can become popular; they can be presented—even though people don’t believe it today—in such a way that every child can understand them. That will certainly happen. Everything that constitutes a genuine German worldview springs from the deepest essence of the German national character. And a spiritual scientific movement could never arise within the German spirit—if it is to be fruitful—that would have a character similar to that of the spiritual scientific endeavors of the West. We must not overlook this difference; we must face it squarely. Within the German national character, everything that constitutes the content of spiritual science must stand in harmonious connection with what the people as such bring forth. That is why I said the last time I was here in Stuttgart: When one considers the worldview of Schelling, Fichte, and Hegel, it is as if the entire people were meditating. When one speaks of German culture, one always feels placed within that culture—but within the spiritual essence of that culture. One cannot speak of German national character without taking into account the spiritual qualities of this German national character—that which must be strived for. And within German culture, it is impossible—unlike in England—for science to exist on the one hand, while on the other hand this science seeks to completely disregard faith. This is not possible within German national character in the long run. The German seeks unity. He seeks a spirituality that can stand firmly on the ground of scientific rigor, and he seeks a science that knows how to justify itself before spiritual life.

[ 19 ] This contrast is most clearly evident in Goethe’s and Newton’s theories of color. For more than thirty years, I have been striving to highlight the merits of Goethe’s theory of color in contrast to Newton’s. While Goethe’s theory of color arises entirely from the soul’s deep interconnection with the world, Newton’s theory is based on a mechanical view of the world and strives for nothing else. And physics today has become so narrow-minded that it does not even realize what is at stake in this field; it naturally regards anyone who takes Goethe’s theory of color seriously as a fool.

[ 20 ] There is a striving toward spirituality within German culture. Therefore, within German culture, one is also obliged to take into account that which, in a fervent striving of the soul, has been sought by the best of this people—by those we have already named and by those we will name again tomorrow—precisely as a path toward spiritual science. But this German national character can do nothing other than strive objectively, to be turned toward the matter itself. This is precisely what the English and French minds cannot understand. The Frenchman wants a beautiful word, to have everything cast into a beautiful phrase, and is then satisfied. The Englishman wants to ask where the benefit of such knowledge or the like lies. But the fact that the knowledge one strives for is something that must grow out of the soul like a flower from a plant—without which a person does not feel like a whole human being—is something neither the French—as French people, of course; we are not speaking of individuals—nor the Anglo-Saxons understand.

[ 21 ] The task of the German spirit is to shape spiritual experience into a world of ideas—a task that has been required ever since the Greek era, which made the greatest contribution to the fourth post-Atlantean cultural epoch. And one need not be a nationalist in the narrow-minded sense, but rather a completely objective observer of the course of human development, to emphasize this. And as you well know: I am not emphasizing this only in connection with this war; rather, these observations have been present in much of what I have said among us for years, for a decade and a half.

[ 22 ] But precisely because the German character is what it is, it is called upon—for spiritual and practical reasons—to enter into the spiritual union alluded to with the Russian East. And the cultural task of the future can never be fulfilled in any other way than by the Russian capacity for adaptation embracing what can emerge from German national character. And all cultural development in the future hinges on this union between Central Europe and Eastern Europe.

[ 23 ] The situation is different in Western Europe. Western Europe has taken what the fourth post-Atlantic cultural epoch brought forth and developed it independently, but in the way I have often described: solely through the three soul forces—the feeling soul, the intellectual soul, and the conscious soul. What this fourth post-Atlantean cultural period essentially puts forth is not productive, and in particular, the British national soul—the Anglo-Saxon national soul—has the task of developing the consciousness soul, of developing that which is ordered above all toward usefulness in relation to the physical plane.

[ 24 ] Hence all the phenomena we see emerging within Western Europe, especially within Anglo-Saxon culture. But now this Anglo-Saxon culture in particular instinctively senses that what is truly fruitful is the Central European tradition—essentially the German influence within Central Europe. And those who lead the so-called occult movements in Western Europe, particularly among the Anglo-Saxon people, know exactly what is at stake. Those who lead the occult movements within the Anglo-Saxon culture are initially filled with two lines of thought: One line of thought is that they tell themselves: The Roman Catholic essence has been discarded; it essentially belongs to the fourth post-Atlantean epoch. The Anglo-Saxon essence must take the place of what was part of the Roman cultic system. — And every occultist of a certain sort—that is, every occultist who is immersed in his own folk tradition, and that includes, with few exceptions, all those in the Anglo-Saxon world—knows—that is, imagines that he possesses true knowledge—that the “Anglo-Saxon race,” as he calls it, must take the place of the Roman essence. This is taught in all occult schools there. It is a firm dogma.

[ 25 ] And likewise, people instinctively know that, in a sense, the Russian people are the recruits who must be introduced to everything that culture has to offer—the recruits who must passively absorb it through their adaptation.

[ 26 ] These are precisely the two things that Anglo-Saxon occultists know very well; that is to say, this is how they view the matter—this is their conviction. Their conviction is, on the one hand, that Anglo-Saxon culture is destined to replace the Roman essence; everything else—Protestantism, Calvinism, and so on—is merely an appendage. Anglo-Saxon culture must bring forth something in the world—as I said, I am speaking now of the occultists—that will stand for the fifth post-Atlantean culture just as the Roman-Catholic essence stood in the second period of the fourth post-Atlantean culture, even into the 14th, 15th, and 16th centuries.

[ 27 ] And now every occultist on this site is convinced that, above all else, a bridge must be built between what Anglo-Saxon culture claims for itself and the Russian essence. To instill into the Russian soul what Anglo-Saxon occultism seeks to teach—that is what emerges from the second point I mentioned as an ideal for every Anglo-Saxon occultist: to use the Russian soul as a kind of wax into which is imprinted what Anglo-Saxon occultism desires. In the circles I am now speaking of, this ideal far overshadows everything that is of primary importance to us here.

[ 28 ] For us, the main thing is genuine knowledge, a genuine striving for truth, and our sincere fundamental conviction is that, when we find the truth, this truth will give people what they need, and that this truth, if we strive for and seek it in the right way, will also enrich future cultural epochs in the right way; that what must happen to the peoples of Europe will indeed happen if the truth is sought honestly and in the right way. Nothing else is needed but to seek the truth honestly; that is the true principle of spiritual science.

[ 29 ] But set against this is a principle such as the one I have just described: to elevate a particular race to the top, to make a particular race powerful—powerful above all in terms of its spiritual life. We are not speaking now of politics; we are speaking of what is rooted in the depths as occult paths: to empower the Anglo-Saxon soul and to make use of that which is adaptable and receptive—the Eastern European nature—and to pour into it whatever one wishes to pour, so that a union may arise between Anglo-Saxonism and Russianness. The inner impulses of human development speak of a union between the German spirit and the Russian spirit. The egoistic will of Anglo-Saxon occultism asserts that the Russian spirit must be permeated by the Anglo-Saxon spirit in terms of occult spiritual development.

[ 30 ] Please keep these things clearly in mind; they are extremely important. I am presenting them as they are increasingly taught in all manner of occult traditions in the West, particularly in the Anglo-Saxon occult schools. However, that which is fundamentally concerned only with cultivating the consciousness soul cannot attain any real substance. True occultism, however—which does not foster a lust for power but seeks the truth—stands in an organic, vital connection with German development and is firmly anchored within it.

[ 31 ] But what has happened, my dear friends? If the development from the Middle Ages up to our own time had not been disrupted by Ahrimanic forces, what has taken place in Europe in the field of spiritual science—we will speak again tomorrow about some very recent events— developed organically, without Ahrimanic influences—then it would be easier to see today that everything the West has achieved in the field of spiritual science has sprung from the German spirit. But permeated by Anglo-Saxon influences, German spiritual science was carried, in disguised form, into the Anglo-Saxon world and also into France. Only the terminology—the naming of the individual phenomena—has been adapted to the French and English languages. But if one goes to the root of the matter, everything contained in French and English occultism is merely masked German spiritual scientific research, Central European spiritual scientific research.

[ 32 ] In a way that I will discuss shortly, even what called itself the Theosophical Society contained nothing more than facts—labeled with Indian or other names—that had been discovered within German spiritual science. And the aim of the Theosophical Society was to conceal this fact from the Germans as much as possible. For the Anglo-Saxon world is bent on erasing everywhere the truth of Central European development with regard to spiritual science and substituting itself in its place. Here we see the most eminent lust for power, which springs from occultism. And it was a simple necessity that this process of purification take place—a process that has indeed been underway since the turn of the century—so that what was originally German, and which our Germans, unfortunately, welcomed all too readily from the English, might be restored to its original purity. A truth has been established. It had to be established. The fact that this truth has been established is something the English Theosophical Society will never forgive our German endeavors, as they were from the very beginning. This can only be shrouded in a fog of slander.

[ 33 ] But all those who seek to wield power within occult endeavors proceed in a very systematic and determined manner. That is why it is so important not to remain oblivious to these endeavors, but rather to develop a certain clarity. Clarity is necessary above all when dealing with significant phenomena. And clarity is, for example, particularly necessary when dealing with Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, a figure who was, after all, pivotal to the Theosophical Society.

[ 34 ] The clarity in this field can be traced back to two facts: The first fact is that Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was a Russian who grew up within Russian culture. The second fact is that she left behind, in an English guise, a kind of esoteric science; that she gradually, though through various detours, became fully immersed in what Anglo-Saxon occultism strives for—in part through detours that were conditioned by this woman’s great talent. Helena Petrovna Blavatsky was, I would say, in a certain sense a mediumistic personality who, with such adaptability—even in her occult-spiritual qualities—could develop precisely out of Russian folk culture. The qualities that Russians otherwise possess as generally human traits, Helena Petrovna Blavatsky possessed specifically in relation to occult qualities. And that is why, in Western Europe, she was first deemed suitable by French occultism, and then by a certain strand of British occultism, to have Anglo-Saxon occult essence poured directly into her soul. It was believed that the world should be given something that, as it were, represented an anticipatory form of Anglo-Saxon occultism, manifesting itself from within the Russian soul. In place of what is to come and must come—the union of the Central European essence with the Russian essence—the permeation of the Russian nature—in Helena Petrovna Blavatsky as the representative of the Russian people—with Anglo-Saxon power occultism was consciously and deliberately substituted. Those people who, in a sense, wish to hold the reins of life—as it unfolds outwardly on the physical plane—were not uninvolved in this. All manner of tragic events unfolded around the poor figure of Helena Petrovna Blavatsky, which I cannot go into today. Precisely because of her profound and comprehensive mediumship, into which all manner of things could be poured, much, much has transpired. And it was a long journey from the starting point, where initial attempts were made to convey Central European ideas directly to poor Blavatsky, which then came to light in *Isis Unveiled* in a truly kaleidoscopic, almost unusable manner. But very soon, as other personalities took control of her, she came under entirely different influences; and in place of the one who had been her guide—and who had sought to lead her toward a Central European essence—the so-called later Koot Hoomi individuality later stepped in, appearing under the guise of the original guide; yet this individuality was nothing other than, according to the testimony of truly knowledgeable occultists, than a human being in the pay of Russian interests who deliberately sought to forge together what might emerge from Blavatsky’s spiritual endowment and Anglo-Saxon occultism. One is dealing directly with the clash, I would say, between an original individuality—some call it a Master; one can call it whatever one likes—and a later petty figure, a charlatan who had assumed the mask of the former and had been given the task from Eastern Europe that I have just alluded to.

[ 35 ] Then began the period when Blavatsky was to become involved with French occult circles, during which she sought to achieve certain goals quickly and therefore imposed conditions on an occult lodge in Paris that could not be met, with the result that she soon had to be expelled again because, under the influence of the individualities behind her, she constantly intertwined occult intentions with political power ambitions. This was followed by the American episode, which in turn had a political background. All these events were aimed at presenting to Europe something that would convince it that a kind of new world religion for Europe could emerge from the union of spiritual Russianism and the Anglo-Saxon occult lust for power. This was to be presented to Europe. And what had emerged from the German essence was to be overwhelmed.

[ 36 ] Oh, my dear friends, I remember well—and it might be unpleasant for some to realize how clearly such things stand before my soul—how Mrs. Besant held her very first meeting in Germany, in Hamburg, and how I asked her at the time, within a small circle, what she thought about the development of occultism in the 19th century, and how she gave her answer right there in Hamburg: At the turn of the 18th to the 19th century, something like an occult striving gained ground in Germany, but the Germans got stuck in pure abstractions, and it became apparent that the great—as she put it, for she always expressed herself in grand terms—that the great wave of spiritual life was destined for the British people. — Of course, she said this in English; but it sounded even grander in English!

[ 37 ] For Blavatsky, the time had come when it became necessary for all those who were serious about spiritual science—and who could not go along with Anglo-Saxon ambitions for power—to take action. And this led to what was later referred to in occult circles as Blavatsky’s “occult imprisonment.” There was no other way to bring it about. And the decision to impose what is known as the “occult imprisonment” on Blavatsky was made by an assembly of honest occultists—or at least, for the most part, honest occultists—in the last third of the 19th century.

[ 38 ] Occult imprisonment consists in—through certain processes that make this possible—enclosing a person’s aspirations within a sphere from which they cannot see beyond, so that their aspirations are thwarted and they are unable to cause certain harms they might otherwise inflict.

[ 39 ] The process I am now describing—this imposition of occult imprisonment—is not without fault; but, as I said, the people had no other way to help themselves. Blavatsky was a powerful psychic personality and could exert a strong influence. That is why her writings possess a power that is, on the one hand, overwhelming and, on the other, bewildering.

[ 40 ] Then what happened—and this is how one might describe it—was that certain Indian occultists, who wanted to take a little revenge in this way for the English stranglehold, took control of Blavatsky’s persona, and that is how the Indian influence came into play. I have discussed this in greater detail elsewhere; here I merely wish to hint at it.

[ 41 ] Then came the Indian influence, and this gave rise to that questionable occult science that had long been cultivated within the Theosophical Society and from which that which was to emerge in Central Europe as spiritual science had to be purified. For what is to emerge in Central Europe as spiritual science must, in the sense I have indicated, be fundamentally, thoroughly honest, that is, it must strive for truth as such and be convinced that truth, as it flows through our souls and through the evolution of humanity, will bring about what is right within peoples and also within human existence and the social order of humanity: a pure, honest search for truth! And this pure, honest search for truth is, after all, still our primary task.

[ 42 ] I wish people here within our spiritual science movement would understand this more clearly; then they would also forgive me for certain preconditions that I must set from the outset, and would see that these conditions must be taken more seriously. How often do I admonish our friends: in order to keep what is to be brought to the world as spiritual science pure—so that it cannot be compromised from any side—do not come to me with all sorts of other things that are so easily conflated with spiritual scientific endeavors. Of course, we are quite happy to do whatever human needs may require, and in a spirit of friendship, many things can happen; but in any case, it must be understood, for example, why I repeatedly urge: One should not believe that I interfere in the field of medicine—not even in the remotest sense—any more than I do in other areas not directly related to spiritual science. It is indeed necessary for our members to get into the habit of taking this seriously: that I am saying, essentially, one should not approach me with medical matters. It is essential to understand these things because, at least for now, it is still necessary to keep spiritual scientific endeavors—as far as I am concerned with them—separate from other matters. There are enough medical professionals within our movement whom our members can trust. Since I emphasize this again and again, people should at least in principle take it seriously when I say: I do not wish to become involved in healing in any way whatsoever; for this would cause the world to misunderstand what the spiritual science movement is initially meant to accomplish through me, and that must not be misunderstood.

[ 43 ] Just how little, in essence, the Anglo-Saxon world truly understood the pure, objective pursuit of truth was something that anyone who had ever heard a remarkable lecture by Mrs. Besant on “Theosophy and Imperialism” could appreciate. Through that lecture, one could sense much of what I had to say today based on the facts: What spiritual science is must never be conflated with any lust for power or any directly political ambition, although, of course, someone who is a good spiritual scientist can also be the best politician. But that is not the point; rather, spiritual science must not become what occultism is in the Anglo-Saxon world—which I have attempted to characterize; spiritual science must not become the kind of thing that was sought after specifically by Blavatsky, and then in many respects also by Mrs. Besant—though Mrs. Besant did so with less talent and less gift than Helena Petrovna Blavatsky. After all, the aim on the part of the Anglo-Saxon world was to establish, in a dazzling manner through the spiritual experiences of a personality such as Blavatsky, a kind of occultist religion that the Anglo-Saxon world would carry directly into the Russian world, thereby overwhelming German culture. In the schools where things are now taught—not in Blavatsky’s manner, but in the manner of Anglo-Saxon occultism in general, as I have already indicated—this war in which we now find ourselves has been spoken of time and again as a necessary one. And time and again in such schools, the outcome of this war is discussed in a highly suggestive manner, with people saying: “This and that must happen as a result of this war.”—They do not say this primarily on the basis of prophecy, but because they want it to happen, because they want to gain as much influence as possible, because they want to condition people as much as possible through every channel currently available to them. For when people are taught all manner of occultism in disguised forms, the aim is to condition them in a certain direction. That is why I must ask—I must discuss these matters, because they are already being discussed publicly, and because anyone who represents spiritual science as I do must make clear where he stands on these issues—: Why, then, did a figure from Paris—well-known to occultists—travel to Rome repeatedly, even as late as October 1914, immediately after the war between Germany, Russia, England, and France had broken out? Why did this figure play a role in Rome that later influenced the situation in Italy—a role similar to that played by certain individuals who belonged to the “Grand Orient de France” or were connected to Anglo-Saxon Freemasons, who exerted a profound influence on the entire course of current events, far more than is generally believed?

[ 44 ] But there is something else I must ask: Why does the yearbook state that the same figure, who is used by certain currents of occultism, one might also say is being misused for all sorts of things—as I said, since this is already being discussed in the world, I must make clear where I stand on these matters—why does the 1913 yearbook, which this figure published and which actually appeared as early as 1912, state: “The one who believes he will rule Austria will not rule, but another, younger one will rule, who is not yet destined to rule”? — Why is this written in 1913 in a yearbook by a medium who is deeply involved in a certain occult movement? Why is the same statement repeated in the 1914 yearbook—that is, before the year 1914 arrived, referring to 1914, but already published in 1913: “The tragedy of the House of Habsburg will come to pass more quickly than one might think.” — Why is this written in these yearbooks? And even more: Why does a Parisian newspaper—which in German might be called “Paris-Mittag”—already express in 1913 the wish that the Austrian heir to the throne, Franz Ferdinand, must be assassinated? This paper is roughly the equivalent of what the “B. Z. am Mittag” is in Berlin: “Paris midi” is that—widely read. Why does the almanac contain, on the one hand, what I have quoted—“He who believes he will reign will not reign, but a younger one will reign”—and, on the other hand, the outright wish that this Archduke be assassinated? Why does this very same paper, just as the debate over the three-year military service term was taking place in France, state in cynical terms: “If mobilization should ever occur in France, the first to be assassinated will be Jaurès”? — Do you, my dear friends, consider this a prophecy? I simply wish to show you that I do not stand on the side of those who regard this as a prophecy, but that all of this points to deep-seated, horrifying undercurrents in the abuse of charlatanism—and occultism that is downright dangerous to humanity.

[ 45 ] Today I wanted to say something to you that may not be uplifting, but is all the more serious for that. I wanted to ask your soul whether a person must not truly cultivate a clear perspective if they wish to be fully immersed in an occult movement, and whether things might not turn out badly if one were to overlook the most important matters. My dear friends, anyone who wishes to study the connection between the Theosophical Society—which has gradually grown ever stronger—and such matters need only take a close look at the activities of figures such as Mrs. Catherine Tingley. And it is also instructive that when, from a perspective that was, in a sense, even more Christian—and even through strongly mediumistic channels—an attempt was made to introduce something into what was supposed to be exclusively Anglo-Saxon in Mabel Collins’ little book *Light on the Path*, a campaign of slander was launched. For most of what was brought up against the medium through whom “Light on the Path” was given to humanity is slander.

[ 46 ] I wanted to speak to you today with a certain seriousness, so that, through this seriousness, many among us might come to understand how necessary it is to become aware of the Central European mission with regard to spiritual science, and that it is absolutely essential for this Central European mission to become a mission for the whole world. Above all, this Central European mission must be a pure, honest quest for truth. But this pure, honest quest for truth has been interpreted in a peculiar way, and the distortions of the truth have also been interpreted in a peculiar way. You know that the ties between the German spiritual movement, to which we belong, and the Theosophical Society were severed long before the war. Everything I alluded to has been interpreted in a peculiar way. Just consider, for example, that Mrs. Besant went so far as to say that I had sought to become president of the Theosophical Society in India in order to oust her from that presidency, and from that position to channel pan-German currents indirectly through India in an anti-British manner to benefit the German Empire! Surely you will believe that this is not true, that it is an objective falsehood!

[ 47 ] In contrast to this, in 1909 a society was founded to oppose the reign of terror of Mr. Leadbeater, and later also the humbug of Alcyone; this society was to encompass all countries of the world and, in a sense, serve as a counterweight to those misled by Mrs. Besant. And at that time, I was asked from India to become chairman or president of this international society, and I not only refused but also told Mrs. Besant in Budapest in 1909, in the presence of witnesses, that within the spiritual movement of modern times I would never wish to be anything other than the one who leads this movement within the German national consciousness. I said this to Mrs. Besant in Budapest in 1909, in the presence of witnesses. Now she has such a view of the truth that she is now writing in her English journal that I had sought to go to India and so on, in order to oust her from there! One can no longer speak of an objective untruth here; this is, of course, a deliberate lie. But it is indeed necessary to resort to such means when what is at stake is having to fight against the very course of truth itself; and this is essentially the case with Anglo-Saxon occultism. For the truth is this: that which, as spiritual science, is to permeate human culture is fundamentally connected to the Central European spirit. But this must be veiled, concealed, and masked in some way from England. And in the 20th century, Mrs. Besant, too, has increasingly become an instrument of this veiling.

[ 48 ] There is ample reason to reflect on what should be the guiding principle of our movement. The spiritual-earthly task is truly before us. We have no reason to follow one person or another blindly without first examining the matter. Yet today, this is not exactly something that can be very tempting: to desire nothing other than the honest pursuit of truth. You know how attacks, as well as ridicule and scorn, are pouring in from all sides, both within and outside our Society. But on top of all this comes something else: on top of that, more and more of what comes from our spiritual scientific movement is flowing out into this or that soul—anyone with an eye for it can already sense what flows from our books or our public lectures into people’s souls. But when these people—who at times are quite happy to advocate what they allow to flow in—were to unreservedly profess their commitment to what, in such a serious way, our movement is meant to establish within the spiritual life of humanity, then peculiar phenomena come to light. It is sometimes truly the case that, while people are happy to embrace certain truths that are generated right here on our own ground, they regard any honest, wholehearted commitment to us as if, for example, they were burning their fingers by actually coming into contact with me myself. This is a very common phenomenon—more common than one might think! Among those who are honestly concerned not with any particular personality but with what is, in fact, an honest spiritual-scientific quest for truth—it must be assumed that they also profess their commitment to it unconditionally. For, my dear friends, the gravity of the matter is great; the gravity is immense.

[ 49 ] The things I have said should not be interpreted as stemming from any kind of national sentiment. After all, I have essentially only presented facts; they are intended to characterize the occult opposites that exist in Europe and which, for those who are willing to see, can already explain much of the contrasts on the physical plane.

[ 50 ] And I want to emphasize this again and again: We need seriousness—seriousness—to find the right direction in these serious times, so that what I have already emphasized here may come to pass, as expressed in these words:

From the courage of the fighters,
From the blood of the battles,
From the suffering of the forsaken,
From the sacrifices of the people
The fruit of the spirit grows—
Guiding souls, spiritually aware,
Direct their minds toward the spirit realm.