The Rudolf Steiner Archive

189

For Marie Steiner, March 14, 1924.

[IMAGE REMOVED FROM PREVIEW]

[IMAGE REMOVED FROM PREVIEW]

190

For Marie Steiner, March 15, 1924

[IMAGE REMOVED FROM PREVIEW]

191

Telegram from Dornachbrugg to Marie Steiner, Nuremberg, Deutscher Hof
Postmark: May 20, 1924

Would like to know how to proceed; sending forms to the next town. Very warm greetings, Rudolf Steiner

192

To Rudolf Steiner, in Paris Wednesday, May 21, 1924

Nuremberg, May 21, 1924

L. E. Now we have left Ulm behind us. As we arrived, there was a lot of military music, parades, flags, and arches with “Welcome Grenadiers” written on them. I was a little worried, but everything went off fairly well. The theater was almost full, which is said to be extremely rare. The applause was met with hisses when it started a second or third time. Thanks were given twice. As a result, the only pieces to receive a third round of applause with a repeat performance were the little prelude by Chopin and the “Nixe Binsefuß”! ¹ The program does not completely satisfy me. I am now trying to give it more lightness by putting the “Sträußchen” between the last two allegri, where Ilse [v. Baravalle] changes clothes for a long time. De Jaager even went along with it in a friendly way after she lost her mermaid. She used to make a fuss about the little bouquet too. — The Grave is not very perfectly executed by the heaviness of Schuurman,² who, incidentally, deigned to say in the dressing room that she would now start working again: until now, her stubbornness had prevented her. Savitsch is behaving properly — he is taking part in all the car trips, hopefully they will suit him. They are very long, of course, but very beautiful. Sitting in the front is very good for me — the wind is very warm and seems to clear the windpipe. On Sunday, it blew away my little Dornach throat pain. On Monday, during the performance in Ulm, I froze to death and it came back, but it blew away again on the long journey yesterday. If I hadn't had the long dress rehearsal immediately afterwards at 8:30 in the evening, maybe my neck would have stayed okay too; now it's really nasty today. -— But mares ³ has a fever and a sore throat, Mitscher even thinks he has jaundice. He is with members; if it gets worse, he wants to go to the hospital. Should we send him home when he is able to travel – that is the question. Today a Mr. Schenk will read. The Ulm critics have treated us well so far. I wish I could hope that you are not doing badly. Thank you for the promised forms. Warmest regards and all the best for Paris.

Marie

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• 1. Poem by Eduard Mörike. The posy: poem by Goethe.
• 2. Maria Ina Schuurman, née Bayer (1894-1977), member since April 1914 in Koblenz, eurythmist in Dornach, married to Max Schuurman.
• 3. Jan Adriaan mares (1890-1948), from Holland, musician, studied together with Max Schuurman at the conservatory in Cologne, both became members in February 1911 in the branch of Mathilde Scholl. From 1914 until his death, he was a composer and conductor and a brilliant co-worker of Marie Steiner. He performed various stage roles under the direction of Rudolf Steiner. He later also became a stage designer: in 1928 for the 1st and 2nd Mystery Dramas, and in 1937 for “Faust”. Various compositions, especially for 'Faust' and the funeral music for Rudolf Steiner. Member of the Rudolf Steiner estate administration.

193

To Marie Steiner in Eisenach
Thursday, 22 May 1924

Dornach, 22 May 1924

My dear Mouse,

I am very pleased to have heard good things about the performances in Ulm and Nuremberg. Hopefully you are doing well, and the hardships are not too great. Here the office calls up and passes on what you send about Stutens illness. I am sorry to hear that. Hopefully it won't be too much of a problem; it should always be possible to find someone to read my comments, which are printed in the “Goetheanum”, if there is no Waldorf teacher or other able member who can be called upon to say a few introductory words. ⁴

I have had an extremely busy time here since Sunday. Yesterday I had to go to Solothurn to personally submit the construction plans for the new Goetheanum to the government councilor of the building department. The councilor was actually quite friendly and accommodating; we can hope for the best if the Heritage Society, to whom the plans must be submitted, does not object. Well, we'll just have to wait and see.

Today I'm going to Paris. Hopefully everything will go well there. Except for my stomach, which is always the same grumpy patron, but otherwise everything here is going well.

I now have all the poems, including the Sister Helene,⁵ designed. I could not yet finish only two small things that you gave me typed out. I hope that I will be able to manage these too. I have now given everything to Miss Bauer to sign off and have instructed her to send you the text and forms to Eisenach. I hope that you will receive them soon while you are still on your travels.

In the meantime, this is Dr. Röschl ⁶ arrived to lead the Youth Section. A board meeting that we held Tuesday '/211 at night had only the further determination of the class members as its content.

So I send you the very best thoughts for the rest of your journey, especially for your health.

With all my heart, Rudolf.

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• 4. Introductory words to a eurythmy performance, published in “Das Goetheanum” vol. 3, no. 7, September 23, 1923 (now in GA 36).
• 5. Sister Helen, English poem by Dante Gabriel Rossetti.
• 6. Maria Rösch! (1890-1969), a member since December 1920 in Vienna. From 1921 teacher at the Free Waldorf School in Stuttgart. 1924-1931 head of the Youth Section at the Goetheanum. Later married to Ernst Lehrs.

196

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy tour
Saturday, 31 May 1924

Dornach, 31 May 1924 My dear Mouse,

I find the disruption of the Erfurt performance very distressing. Of course, something like this can be caused by a single person, and it can have the worst effects on the audience. When I look at the names of the cities where you are giving performances, I think to myself: how much the last few years have brought to these cities, which, at the time of my life in Thuringia, breathed true peaceableness. I was so pleased to receive your beautiful, inspiring description of the German Mittelland that I was all the more saddened when your letter with the bad news arrived.

Hopefully your health is not suffering too much from the hardships and excitements. It is quite unfortunate that Stuten had to be left behind. I have not heard anything more about him. I hope he will soon be better.

My journey went very well. There was only one disruption, in that one evening Sauerwein was ill and so could not translate. Claretie did it instead; her translation was quite excellent; but no one heard the excellence because she squeaked like the most gentle of little birds.

The public lecture was attended by more than 400 people. The atmosphere was extraordinary. The days were fully occupied. My stomach held out thanks to the care that was developed for it.

But now Dr. Wegman and I were surprised by the worst news from Dornach, even when we were out and about. The Werbeck book, because of the passages about Kully, was confiscated at our book sale and taken to court; Steffen, as editor of the 'Goetheanum', and Dr. Grosheintz, as a member of the Goetheanum authorized to sign, were accused of defamation, because an article by Steffen about the Werbeck book had appeared in the 'Goetheanum'. So we learned from outside that things are getting pretty wild in Dornach. The first court hearing was scheduled for today, May 31. When I came home, I saw the whole mess. The passage in Werbeck's book is such that a conviction is inevitable. I now held an emergency night meeting with the board, at which Grosheintz was also present. It had to be determined who could actually be charged. I have now given instructions to both Steffen and Grosheintz – I myself have not yet been summoned – which they followed well at the hearing today. We will now have time to further develop the case so that I can lead the defense myself. For only in this way can the matter be turned around properly. Werbeck, the assassin, cannot be reached because he cannot be sued in Switzerland, nor can the Stuttgarter Verlag. Grosheintz would be inconvenient. Only Steffen remains, or the entire executive council of the Anthroposophical Society. The latter would be best and must be achieved, because then I will lead the matter. It is also true that in the current situation since the Christmas Conference, the board takes responsibility for such a matter. And this will certainly happen. Under no circumstances can the book delivery service be held responsible. The matter will then be dealt with in such a way that we as the board will be sentenced to pay around 1000 francs and the court costs. Any other approach would create some kind of imbalance. When we read the Werbeck passage at the board meeting, I immediately said that we would of course not be acquitted. So far, things have gone well because Grosheintz and Steffen have strictly adhered to my wording at the board meeting. Now I have time to discuss the matter with you in detail after our meeting.

You understand that I did not want to write to Thuringia from out of town; that too might have been detrimental. Our opponents are at work.

All my love, Rudolf.

197

An Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Sonntag, 1. Juni 1924

Hannover, 1. Juni 1924

Lieber E. Besten Dank für Dein Telegramm; so weiß ich, dass Paris glücklich überstanden ist. Wir sind nun in Hannover, hatten heute Generalprobe, morgen Vorstellung. Donath ist mal wieder krank, liegt heute zu Bett, hofft aber morgen zu erscheinen. Ich bin heute recht müde, komme eben von einem Kaffee mit Haddon ¹³ und Müller, und muss bald zu einem geselligen Zusammensein mit andern Mitgliedern. Das Theater - die Schauburg - ist sehr schön. Was uns wohl da blühen wird! In Hildesheim ging alles glatt, — der Besuch war gering, aber so, wie er im Hildesheimer Theater zu sein pflegt: 150 Menschen ungefähr. Eine Anzahl Hannoveraner waren aber brav herübergekommen, da es in Hildesheim nur das eine Mitglied Hensel gibt. Der Theaterdirektor war sehr entzückt (heißt es), und hat sogar statt der Miete die eingenommenen Marks zwischen uns zwei Parteien geteilt. Geklatscht wurde fleißig; bloß ein Rezensent von einer dort bekannten Zeitung, ein dummer Junge, sagt Hensel, soll über das Tanzen von Gedichten geschimpft haben. Sonst soll alles begeistert gewesen sein. - In Naumburg war der Saal ganz voll und die Stimmung eine sehr mitgehende, viel Beifall. Als alles zu Ende war, schwang sich ein Mensch auf die Bühne erst sah es aus als ob er danken wollte für die Genüsse -, dann fing er an darüber zu reden, dass damit Anthroposophie zum ersten Mal in die Öffentlichkeit gekommen sei, dass man bedenken solle, wo man sei - im Rathaus, in der Reichskrone - hier wurde die Geschichte recht unverständlich - - Er lege Verwahrung ein gegen den Missbrauch deutscher Dichtung — - Hier frug ich: Mit welchem Rechte stehen Sie denn überhaupt da und reden?, — worauf sich unsere Herren in Bewegung setzten und ihn hinunterbeförderten. Das Publikum stand auf unserer Seite. Aber am andern Tage hörte ich, als Meinung gewisser Mitglieder, man hätte ihn doch zu hart behandelt und ihn zu Ende reden lassen sollen; er wäre ein «kunstkundiger» Mann. Er soll ein früherer Kommunist gewesen sein, ein Maler, dann Dadaist, und jetzt hätte er eine Anstellung in reaktionären Kreisen; wäre aber empört, dass Stadt-Baurat Hossfeld ¹⁴ (unser Mitglied) den Mund aus Leipzig beschäftige, statt ihn. Die Geschichte hat auch ein Nachspiel in der Zeitung. - Zwei Erfurter Zeitungen haben sich sehr lobend über die Eurythmie ausgesprochen, die dritte, die den Pfeifer angestellt hat, hat geschimpft, was das Zeug hält. In Erfurt wollte eine Theaterverschließerin mich nicht hinunterlassen ins Auto, denn sie sagte, es stünden da verdächtige Gestalten und man könne heutzutage nicht wissen, was passiere; sie kenne uns von München her. Es sollten erst andere mit dem Auto abfahren und mich später abholen. So geschah es; das Merkwürdige war, dass, als ich abfuhr, an 3 Ecken sich Polizisten in Gruppen aufgestellt hatten.

Da ich unterwegs mehrere Briefe und Telegramme aus Görlitz und Breslau gehabt hatte, habe ich zugesagt, die Vorstellung dort zu geben; nur konnte ich nicht mehr eine extra Vorstellung für Pfingsten vorbereiten. Das wurde noch vor Erfurt beschlossen. Jetzt habe ich freilich nicht die Meinung, dass es gut ist, die Reise zu verlängern. Die Pässe reichen bis zum 20.; und ich hätte noch Stuttgart, Konstanz — oder Heidelberg, Konstanz anfügen können.

Der Theaterdirektor in Erfurt hat sich aber durchaus begeistert ausgesprochen und hat zu Schuurman gesagt, dies könne nur eine persönliche Sache sein (die Opposition!).

2. Juni

Es wurde mir eine Einladung aus Heidelberg übermittelt, über die Du noch etwas schreiben wolltest.

Stuttgart wäre ja gefahrlos, aber sie kennen zum Teil das Programm. Und da ich durch die zwei Vorstellungen dem Rezitationskursus doch nicht ganz gerecht werden könnte, wollte ich mir die Möglichkeit offen lassen, eventuell zwei Stunden hinterdrein anzuschließen. Waller wollte ja hinkommen und könnte dann mit mir zurückreisen. - Ist sie denn jetzt zurück von ihrer phantastischen Fahrt?

In Halle brauchst Du mich wirklich nicht abzuholen. Es ist ja nicht der grade Weg für Dich; und ich kann mit der ganzen Gruppe weiterreisen, nachdem ich Herrn Halt dort entlassen habe. Es könnte auch grade die Stadt sein, wo wieder was passiert, und es ist wohl besser, Du kommst überhaupt nicht hin. Einige Naumburger werden hinüberkommen.

Eben habe ich ein Programm aus Koberwitz erhalten, aus dem ich ersehe, dass wir erst am 17. werden abreisen können. Somit ist es klar, dass die Tournee damit abgeschlossen ist. Dem Dr. Rittelmeyer habe ich für seine Tagung Anfang August zugesagt. Kisseleff hat einen schönen Pfingstspruch von Dir.¹⁵ Vor der Abreise gab ich Dir so viel Englisches, dass ich damit Dir nicht kommen wollte. Wenn Du jetzt vielleicht eine Form dafür würdest machen wollen, so frage nach dem Spruch bei ihr; sie wird selig sein und wir auch.

Hier wird heute abend ein Herr von der Decken,¹⁶ ein Priester, die einleitenden Worte sprechen; er hat recht geschickte Artikel über Eurythmie verfasst, und scheint ein sehr intelligenter, rühriger Mensch zu sein.

Morgen haben wir einen freien Tag und wollen auf den Brokken, womöglich da übernachten, und übermorgen nach Halle, Hotel Stadt Hamburg.

Allerherzlichste Grüße und Wünsche Marie

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• 13. Miss Janet Haddon (1857-1943), Mitglied in Hannover seit Oktober 1907, mit ihrer Freundin Martha Müller führte sie später eine eigene Arbeitsgruppe in Hannover.
• 14. Friedrich Hossfeld (1879-1972), Architekt und Regierungsbaumeister, Mitglied seit April 1921. Ab ca. 1909 Stadtbaumeister in Naumburg.
• 15. «Wo Sinneswissen endet...», siehe «Wahrspruchworte», GA 40 und Tatiana Kisseleff «Aus der EurythmieArbeit», Basel 1965.
• 16. Claus von der Decken (1888-1977), Kunstmaler, Juni 1908 Mitglied in Düsseldorf, aber 1911 wieder gestrichen. 1922 Mitbegründer der Christengemeinschaft, Priester zunächst in Hannover, dann Lübeck, schließlich Kassel.

199

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy trip
Thursday, October 2, 1924

Goetheanum, October 2, 1924

My dear Maus, I hear from M. Waller Pyle that you are traveling to Eisenach today; I hope the journey goes well and that Hanover is not too exhausting. That's it, these theologians, on the one hand they really give you such deep satisfaction through their earnest work; on the other hand, working for them is so exhausting because they need so much and find it so difficult to live up to their ideals. It was really the case that with the completion of the Apocalypse Course, a maximum of my strength in a certain direction was exhausted – I really needed a lot of strength for the spiritual ascent – and I should not have had the full brunt of individual visits from these needy theologians. The lectures on speech formation that I still gave were not enough. I can give the lectures, however many there may be, according to my strength.

Now we have to make the arrangements so that I stay up here at the Goetheanum; it is necessary because I really need to be cared for very carefully now; the success of the care always diminishes with all the driving up and down. So I am here and will stay as long as it is necessary. Dr. Wegman is doing everything she can. Of course, I would have preferred to set up the thing at Hansi House. We discussed this when we realized that going back and forth was impossible. But it is not possible to set up the bathing facility that is now absolutely necessary at Hansi House, which we have here. I have now canceled all lectures by posting a notice on the bulletin board. I have been out of touch with my physical body for a long time. This results in a precarious balance of physical strength that can only be controlled if it is taken up in a proper way. And the disconnection from the physical body is not in the days of the courses, not even when I myself went to the clinic in between - because all this is in the sound calculation of Dr. Wegman and myself -: but when people stormed in, and one has to be available against all calculation of one's own strength. And yet again: how sorry I was that the agricultural meeting did not take place. It would have been good. Unfortunately, it was scheduled at a time when my strength was already exhausted. It was truly upsetting for me to have to cancel a lecture for the first time on Friday; and Wegman had to struggle with this cancellation; in the end he decided that the circumstances made it clear that I might have to interrupt prematurely. — Now I am lying here and am not going out of the warmth at all.

Now everything will be all right – one can help others so much in terms of health – but one has to appeal to others for help, especially when such hideous hoids rob one of all mobility.

Now best thoughts for the onward journey and warmest regards from Rudolf

Dr. Rudolf Steiner: Dornach near Basel
Switzerland, Canton Solothurn
House Hansi

200

To Marie Steiner on a eurythmy trip
Saturday, October 4, 1924

Goetheanum, October 4, 1924

My dear Mouse, thank you so much for your lovely letter from Stuttgart. Yes, if the autumn air agrees with you as it did with the spring air. I will follow you in my thoughts. It is a strenuous journey, though. But I have to say: being nailed to this bed is not very satisfying for me; and yet I have to give in to the demands of care this time; otherwise, the matter, by its very nature, will get worse and worse. They will still make everything all right; but I am not allowed to take any risks. Dr. Noll has been here since yesterday; and that means that Frau Wegman has the help she needs, since I have now become a rather demanding patient because of the stuff about the hoid and everything connected with it. You write, whether I am really better? Yes, it is the case that I cannot suddenly be completely healthy; but rather, I am gradually getting better. But since one can see that the measures are having an effect and the desired success, one must speak of a possible improvement.

I will report to you as appropriate; otherwise, I will accompany you with my best and warmest thoughts. With my very warmest thoughts, Rudolf

Dr. Rudolf Steiner: Dornach near Basel
Switzerland, Canton Solothurn
House Hansi

201

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Sunday, October 5, 1924

Hanover, October 5.

Dear E.

How kind of you to write me letters. Does it not tire you out? But then again, you probably work in bed all day. I am very happy that you are upstairs and do not have the trouble of traveling back and forth. You can't even turn around in your room, Villa Hansi, it hasn't been a living room for a long time. I'm worried about Berlin. Do you really want to put yourself through that? Or isn't that one of the demands of nursing care, where you have to give in? Not go?

Mr. Räther came over today. They took the upper Philharmonic Hall for your lectures; but since it was not available all the time, they took another one as well. They are counting on a lot of visitors. The theater rental was only finalized the day before yesterday; it was terribly difficult to get a theater. In the end, they got the Lessing Theater for two matinees. Sachs and Wolff took over the matter. So this time we run the risk of being stuck with a bad audience.¹⁷

I have great pain over tomorrow's program. Due to Donath's absence, it is deeply unsatisfactory. Today's went well because we were still able to organize it for the last performance in Dornach, which you did not attend. But the second program, the “public” one, is thoroughly inadequate. What we tried at the so-called dress rehearsal on Monday before leaving does not hold up. You can't risk “Erlkönigs Tochter” ¹⁸ with Resi ¹⁹. This means that our piece de r&sistance has been dropped.

In the first part, the replacement numbers were not so that they seemed like inner necessities, but rather patched up.

Since it must now become our travel program, I will try to improve it by adding Steffen's “Autumn”. I don't yet know whether it can get such a favorable place as in the Michaeli program. Today's performance seems to have been very well received. I did not go to the religious events ^{of the 20} This time I did not go to keep my strength together.

The autumn air has not harmed me so far. On the contrary, it has relieved the tickle in my throat that started on the first day of heating in the carpentry workshop and intensified in the dreadful Stuttgart heating. The car is extremely comfortable for long journeys; the way you can open it up, leaving the glass panes inside, means you are very protected, actually have pleasantly moving air around you, your neck is firmly supported, without dancing pillows, on the high backrest, and you have recovered again. The open-top car journey is actually the perfect cure for me: -— But Meyer ²¹ has caught a cold. He has a great track record and has proven himself on long journeys, not even wanting to eat properly before arriving so as not to become drowsy. But he apparently does not yet have the experience of how to dress for such long trips. He left his woolen clothes in Villa Hansi, and he also lacks a warm vest under his leather coat. Miss Clason ²² will get him such things tomorrow. He was at the performance today and told us afterwards that he had a severe sore throat. We sent him to bed and gave him W.S. Oxyd to gargle with. He has a fever and if he still has a fever tomorrow, we will call a young anthroposophical doctor. Now Clason is bringing him lime blossom tea. He hopes to be well again tomorrow. But we will keep him in bed.

Räther hopes – since it could go through Sachs and Wolff – to still get rid of the official halls for your lectures if you don't come, but he would have to find out now. He was very concerned about how people who want to come should find out. I suggested that it should be included in the next Mitteilungen ²³ and then again.

Surely the Philharmonie concert hall would still be too exhausting

for you? If you can't help but work in bed, wouldn't some forms for poems be a pleasant change? The artistic is, after all, one of your vital elements. But I don't want anything if it's an effort that somehow drains my strength. Only if it comes easily to you. In that case, I would like to have given some poems. In the new edition of “Wegzehrung” ²⁴ For example, the following are available: Page 27 - 32 - 19 - 113 112 - 108 - 91 - 89 - 88. Mackenzie ²⁵ I could send you a copy of the new edition right away. - I would very much like to have some of Morgenstern's strong poems, - perhaps I can look them up in Barmen at Mrs. Wittenstein's. And then I would copy out some Christmas verses by Rudolf Steiner from my booklet and send them if Berlin really is canceled and this work is not too strenuous.

Monday morning,

Clason goes to the post office and I close with the warmest wishes and greetings, and thanks for the letters. Meyer has already skipped out on getting out of bed. Clason couldn't find him.

Much love and hope, Marie

Samyslowa ²⁶ is certainly very talented. But since we couldn't practice a single day off in Stuttgart, I can hardly risk anything with her. Savitch would very much like to do Oberon in ²⁷ Since she would certainly do it best, the tall stature need not be an obstacle, must it? She is so flexible. Then I could probably do without Donath.

Here is a verse:

Isis Sophia ²⁸
The God's wisdom,
She has killed Lucifer
And on the wings of the world's forces
In the expanse of space.
Christ-Will
Working in man,
It will snatch Lucifer
And on the boats of spiritual knowledge
In human souls resurrect
Isis Sophia
The God's Wisdom.

Christmas 1920.

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• 17. Refers to the caustic Berlin theater critic Alfred Kerr (actually Kempner, 1867-1948).
• 18. poem by Herder, from Danish.
• 19. Therese Vorbeck, member since 1920, eurythmist.
• of the 20. th conference of the Christian Community in Hannover, during which a eurythmy performance took place.
• 21. Hugo Meyer (1905-1987), 1922-1923 laboratory assistant at the International Laboratories AG Arlesheim, then chauffeur of the Clinical-Therapeutic Institute of Dr. Ita Wegman, and finally chauffeur to the board of the Society.
• 22. Louise Clason (1873-1954), painter, member of the Berlin branch since 1908. Contributor to the Munich Festival 1909-1913. In Dornach, she was involved in painting the small dome of the first Goetheanum. She later managed the eurythmy wardrobe. Marie Steiner's traveling companion.
• 23. Also called Nachrichten: “What is happening in the Anthroposophical Society. News for its members”, since January 1924 a supplement to the weekly “Das Goetheanum”.
• 24. poetry collections by Albert Steffen.
• 25. Miss Isie Mackenzie (died 1946), heard Rudolf Steiner for the first time in Leipzig, where she studied singing, 1909 Member of the Berlin branch. 'Later, she was the head of the bookshop at the Goetheanum for many years.
• 26. Olga Samyslowa (1895-1989), eurythmist, founder and director of the first eurythmy school in Hamburg.
• 27. Shakespeare's “A Midsummer Night's Dream”.
• 28. To draw a eurythmy form for it, (text in GA 40, form in GA K23/I).