The Rudolf Steiner Archive

225

To Marie Steiner in Dornach, Hansi House
December 23 or 24, 1924

L. M.

Dr. Wachsmuth tells me, after I have summoned him, that the sending of the newsletter is delayed by the Christmas reflection of Rudolf Steiner. ⁴² was stopped at his instigation even at the post offices. It will not take place until tomorrow. It is therefore impossible for the text of the lecture to be in many hands.

Sincerely, Rudolf

• 42. It is almost certain that Rudolf Steiner is referring here to the Christmas issue of the newsletter (dated December 28, 1924). His Christmas reflection “The Mystery of the Logos”, which was contained in it, was read by Marie Steiner at the Christmas celebration at the Goetheanum on December 24, 1924, which is why the text should not have been known before the lecture and therefore the sending of the issue was delayed. Rudolf Steiner's essay is reprinted in Anthroposophical Leading Thoughts, GA 26.

226

For Marie Steiner, Christmas 1924. Facsimile on the next page.

In the mid-1940s, Marie Steiner gave these words of meditation to the Goetheanum speaking choir for special celebrations.

[IMAGE REMOVED FROM PREVIEW]

227

To Marie Steiner in Dornach, Hansi House
Tuesday, 17 February 1925

L. M.

It is the old Mrs. Laval,¹ the mother of Dr. Nelly Grosheintz ² died at the clinic.

I sent a few words immediately after the death, but since you were not yet up here, I could not say anything about you.

Perhaps you could write a line to Nelly.

With my warmest regards, Rdlf

• 1. Adele Laval, née Ramseyer.
• 2. Fran Dr. Nelly Grosheintz, née Laval (1875-1955), wife of Emil Grosheintz, has been a member in Basel since March 1907.

228

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Wednesday, February 25, 1925

Berlin, February 25, 1925, evening.

Dear E., I have just managed to pull myself together after spending the day in bed. Yesterday was a bit too much for me to still let myself be talked into going to the opening at 5 p.m. at the Singakademie after the very solemn and impressive ceremony in the morning. The priests were so accommodating, picking me up at the train station, taking me home in the car, and then picking me up again; they even wanted to do it every day, but my strength is not enough for that. There was a terrible tumult at the Singakademie until one was inside, a great crush and pushing and shouting of the servants who kept order. But the opening was solemn – with the lighting of the seven-armed candelabrum in complete silence, the dignified march of the white-clad priests and a very strong speech by Rittelmeyer. In the evening I was at home, but I let myself be tempted to read ³.I read it yesterday and today, and I was really moved by it. I struggled through it with difficulty and was amazed at the wonderfully beautiful thing you have brought out of it. But that is the nicest thing about the book, the honey that you have scooped out of it. I understood that someone who emphasized the type of the “Jüngerin” ⁴ has emphasized the type of the “disciple” so strongly, has nothing left for a motif like that struck in “Gyges and his Ring” and even forgets the artistic perfection of the work, — I could also hold it against this disciple that her creator only sees the wife and the harlot in addition to her. But while reading this book, I wanted to hold another tripartite division up to him: ⁵ The Virgin, the Mother, the Queen. I try to understand why a man like Steffen does not know the Virgin, who is also a necessity within the whole and in and of herself, - and I cannot do so. At any rate, I do not find her with him, and I see in this the reason for his dislike of Rhodope,⁶ who, despite her husband, is a virgin.

I felt somewhat unwell, mentally, from the dissection of the emotional experiences of those ladies, but at least I knew from what depths he drew the strength that was transformed into his poems. Such are the prices we must pay.

Dear heart, sending you a telegram on Friday^{7, To mark Rudolf Steiner's birthday on February 27th. seems too banal to me. Hopefully this letter will arrive in time and convey all my love and reverence and gratitude for me and for humanity.}

Sincerely, Marie.

• 3. novel by Albert Steffen, reviewed by Rudolf Steiner in no. 9 of the 4th year of the journal “Das Goetheanum” of March 1, 1925. Marie Steiner had read Rudolf Steiner's article before it was published and before she left for Berlin on February 23, 1925, to which Rudolf Steiner refers in his letter to her of February 27, 1925 (No. 229). — Rudolf Steiner's discussions of Albert Steffen's works can be found in the volume 'The Goetheanum Idea in the Midst of the Present Cultural Crisis', GA 36.
• 4. Refers to Albert Steffen's poem “Die Jüngerin” from the collection “Wegzehrung”.
• 5. The Virgin, the Mother, the Queen: Goethe's “Faust,” Part Two, Act Five: Ascension.
• 6. the main female figure in Hebbel's “Gyges and his Ring”.

229

To Marie Steiner in Berlin
Friday, February 27, 1925

Goetheanum, February 27, 1925

M.l.M.

I am writing these lines at about the time when you would otherwise be sitting by my side. I can only think with the deepest inner emotion how wonderful it is when I can listen to a report of your work and we can discuss one or other aspect of it. And when you [I of you] occasionally read in my “life” the description of our joint activity, then I feel deeply how connected we are. That karma also brings other people close to me is just karma. And the illness has now shown how this karma is incisive. But you have struggled to understand; that is a blessing for me. I can only feel and think together with you. And it was already a deprivation for me that I could not present the last pages of the Steffen essay to you before they went to press (yesterday). Because I only allow you to judge my inner competence. But be assured, as much as I love having you here, I couldn't bear it if you cut your stay short by even an hour.

Your kind letter was delivered to me an hour ago. I am so sorry that you were under such attack again. People mean well when they want you to be around for their things. But it does make one weak.

I understand that the “roughness of the work” has upset you so much. And of course you are absolutely right when you speak of the woman's lack of understanding as you do. I had to bear in mind his spiritual treatment of poetic problems when writing about Steffen.

Steffen must be understood by looking back at him as Giotto. The entire turn from Cimabue to Giotto is the turn from bright spiritualism, from spirituality in color, conception and form to naturalism; and only in Raphael and the great ones remains something of what was lost and only in Cimabue is something preserved. All this is expressed in Steffen's psyche. He works with the forces that arise from the turn of the century, and approaches reality in a way that is almost unique in the twentieth century. G. had beauty before him, but he had outgrown it. That idealizes his naturalism. Steffen had artlessness all around him; that materializes the spiritualism that slumbered in him from the beginning.

And the fact that Steffen is with us: I see a significant karma in that too.

That he doesn't understand Gyges is not surprising, because he has a hard time empathizing with foreign art in general. And Rhodope is so very different from what Steffen can see in the nature of a woman.

Stay healthy and receive my warmest greetings; I am with you in thought.

Rudolf

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Dornach near Basel, Switzerland, Canton Solothurn
Goetheanum.

230

Telegram from Dornachbrugg to Marie Steiner in Berlin
Postscript: recorded on 5/3 1925

Thanks for telegram. Pleased about success. Good thoughts for the future. Rudolf Steiner

231

To Marie Steiner in Berlin
Thursday, March 5, 1925

Goetheanum, March 5, 1925

M. l. M.

Oh, how glad I am that things went well again in Berlin. My thoughts are with you and your immense efforts. But your work is also a blessing.

My condition is improving only slowly. And I must soon be able to work, because what would happen if the construction had to be interrupted due to my illness after everything that has happened cannot be estimated.

That is how you handled the Danzig matter too. I hope that everything went well there and that you did not experience any major inconvenience. And hopefully things will go well again with the following performances.

In this week's “Goetheanum”, the third Steffen article is now appearing as a preliminary conclusion.

The little book Seelenkalender (Calendar of the Soul) will perhaps turn out quite nicely; I have made a corresponding title drawing. It was difficult because the matter is so small, but I think I succeeded in the end. I will be glad if the matter gives you some pleasure.

The car will be in Stuttgart on the 11th.

With all my heart, Rudolf

Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Goetheanum, Dornach, Switzerland, Cant. Solothurn.

232

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Sunday, March 8, 1925

8. III. 1925, Berlin

Dear E., Now the second performance at the Lessing Theater is also behind us. It is fair to speak of a great success. Lots of applause and a full house. The first performance, which had to be moved from Sunday, March 8, 1925, to Monday, March 4, 1925, due to the national mourning for the German President Friedrich Ebert, who died on February 28, 1925, had to be moved to Monday at 4 o'clock in the afternoon – so an unfavorable day and hour – was sold out. On Monday there were no critics, today there were many. So tomorrow they will grumble or remain silent. During the “Trunknen Lied” (The Dry Song),⁹ which was met with thunderous applause, someone hissed loudly, but was hardly heard.

There was also a sold-out house in Danzig, with 1500 people in attendance. So Mrs. v. Brederlow ¹⁰ She did a good preparatory job, and also looked quite thin – or maybe we are really infamous. The audience was a bit bewildered at first, but went along with it. The “Steffen” also took hold; when an attempt at applause was made, it was hissed as if it were a prayer; but when Mozart's Allegro was played, and later, there was applause. We only have 35 members there. Our ladies and gentlemen were hosted by non-members, all people from good circles, and there was mutual delight. These people and their friends were also enthusiastic about the eurythmy. But the newspapers! They ranted and raved to their hearts' content, just as they did in Kristiania.¹¹ Everything and anything was bad and awful. I am only sorry for Frau v. Brederlow, who, on closer acquaintance, is very winning, for she is touchingly self-sacrificing. The few gaffes she makes are only due to overzeal, and it takes a great deal of zeal to fight against the world of resistance, alone, so far away. Because of the misconduct of a few evil members, great enmity has arisen against the movement. Groh ¹² She did not persevere either and is back in Kristiania. But Frau v. Brederlow is a cheerful woman and her husband is a nice man. She had put Clason and me up at the seaside at the Kurhaus hotel; almost all of us were in Sopot. The few hours of sea air did me a great deal of good.

We have been deprived of the Landestheater again; the Ministry of Culture did not allow it. So I won't need the car until later. If we play in Landhausstraße, not until the 16th. Otherwise I'll phone from Stuttgart if I need it earlier.

Many heartfelt thanks for your dear, dear letters and warmest thoughts. Marie

• 9. From “Thus Spoke Zarathustra” by Friedrich Nietzsche.
• 10. Margarete v. Brederlow (1889-1980), musician and music teacher in Danzig, member since 1920, founded the Danzig branch.
• 11. On the occasion of public eurythmy performances in Kristiania (Oslo) on November 27 and December 3, 1921.
• 12. Annemarie Groh (1891-1976), member since January 1913, eurythmist.

233

To Marie Steiner in Stuttgart
Friday, March 13, 1925

Goetheanum, March 13, 1925

M.l.M.

I send you my warmest birthday wishes. I will think a lot on this day of all the beauty that has been and is in our joint work and that now always comes so beautifully before the eye of my soul when I describe it.¹³ I can assure you that I describe this with love.

You telegraphed that you do not need the car until the 16th. It will be there then. But telephone if it is necessary before then.

And thank you for your telegrams and letters. I am glad that everything has gone so well. The ranting in the newspapers is certainly unbearable. But the main thing is that our organizers do not let themselves be intimidated by this ranting, as has unfortunately happened in Christiania. Your work is so beneficial now. Hopefully it won't affect you too much.

In Stuttgart, something seems to be happening again against Unger. They will approach you. But you will find the right position. It is self-evident that during my illness, circles such as the Waldorf School must try independent work. It is already happening in the organization of the conference. But now a lecture should be given by Unger during the conference. The administrative board of the Waldorf School is making that impossible. Unger is not to give a lecture during the conference of the Waldorf School - for the Anthroposophical Society, not for the conference. At this stage, the Stuttgart board writes to the Dornach board about what should be done. However, it is quite impossible for us here in Dornach to intervene at such a late stage in a matter that is so disastrous for Stuttgart. I can therefore only write to the Stuttgart board to say that we cannot intervene. Of course, this does not prevent you from doing what you think is right in Stuttgart if you are approached about the matter.

My dear, I do not want to bother you with trivialities, and I have avoided doing so until now. But just to let you know, in case the matter comes up from the other side, I am writing this. Just to avoid any misunderstanding. It was only too understandable that my appetite was not in order due to the often elevated temperatures, etc., and that I could hardly eat for a while. Now Dr. Wegman, in her kindness, in which she wants to do everything possible for me, was thinking of a solution. And unfortunately she came up with the idea of having ¹⁴ When Dr. Wegman suggested this to me, I said that it was 'madness' and that she must not do it. Mrs. Walther cooks for me, as you know, and there is no reason to change that. Well, after a while I was told that Mrs. Breitenstein was coming after all. I forbade her from cooking. I don't want anything cooked by her, and everything stays the same. It's also insane to think that it would do me any good to be “cooked for in Viennese style”. I don't want to write the whole story here, but I just wanted to touch on it so that you are not confronted with something incomprehensible when someone in Stuttgart tells you that Mrs. Breitenstein came to cook for me. It's just nonsense, and they will get a few recipes from Mrs. Breitenstein as a token. But she won't cook. Once again, my warmest thoughts

from your loving Rudolf

Abs: Dr. Rudolf Steiner
Goetheanum, Dornach near Basel,
Canton Solothurn, Switzerland.

Dr. I. Wegman sends warmest birthday greetings. She is deeply pleased about your great successes and would like to express this in particular.

• 13. In the Goetheanum essays on “My Life”.
• 14. Amalie Breitenstein (1860-1942), wife of Julius Breitenstein, member in Vienna since May 1910.

234

To Rudolf Steiner in Dornach
Wednesday, March 18, 1925

Heidenheim, March 18, 1925

Dear E., it has been so incredibly long since I wrote to you. Stuttgart proved to be what it always is: you fly from one to the other, or from one to the other, and so it happened that I always wrote to you in thoughts but could not fill out a sheet. From Fürth, I asked that a telegram be sent to you. Fürth was a great surprise for us. After the Landestheater in Stuttgart, it is perhaps the most beautiful theater we have ever been to, with excellent acoustics and the best order and cleanliness in the areas behind the scenes. Magnificent lighting options, it holds almost 1,200 people, and it was full again. The members told us the next day that they had only heard enthusiastic comments.

In Stuttgart, we have been removed from the Landestheater again. We held the two Faust performances at the Waldorf School; some thought that you could see better there because the stage was higher; maybe more strangers come there than in the Landhausstraße. Of course, everything went well and smoothly there; we also had another performance for members in the Landhausstraße.

I have now allowed myself to be persuaded, at the suggestion of some teachers, to agree to a Faust performance for the school children. It was tempting to think that 800 children could gain an impression for their lives that would prevent them from immediately developing a taste for trashy representations. We know how strong such children's impressions are. Of course, we would have to return from Mannheim to Stuttgart for this reason. But I felt compelled to do so for another reason as well: the eurythmy school performance. It takes place on the evening before the conference, offers many very enjoyable things, so it would be a shame to let it fall through. But recitation is impossible. So the only way out seemed to me to recite Froböse ^{Edwin Froböse (1900-1997), actor, member since 1921. 1924-1949 co-worker and secretary of the Section for Speaking and Musical Arts, since 1945 member of the Rudolf Steiner estate administration.} But I would have to supervise the matter, since they are poems that he does not know at all, and I would have to delete a great deal from the overabundance of the program and put together the best, for which there has not yet been time. — All in all, however, the school made a very positive impression. — So it will probably be my duty to make this presentation as good as possible. - Then Wagner would like to bring a gentleman with him whom I could talk to about my brother's entry permit. — For the pedagogical conference week, they have requested two eurythmy performances and an evening of recitation by me. So everything is very cramped and it is possible that I could only go to Dornach for two days to at least see you briefly.

Thank you very much for your kind letter and the comforting words you write me. Hopefully I will now find you well on the road to recovery.

There is still so much I would like to write to you, not just external facts, but the car is once again at the door and the rehearsal must begin. So I hope to continue this letter soon and send you all the love that fills my heart. Marie.