Rudolf Steiner Life And Work 1923 The Burning Of The Goetheanum

"Try to become one with the world--that will be the best and most important 'program.' It is something that cannot be contained in statutes but needs to burn in our hearts as a flame." --Rudolf Steiner In 1923, Central Europe was still in disarray and social chaos created by the polarizing events of World War I. In volume 6 of his seven-volume biography of Rudolf Steiner, Peter Selg focuses on one of the most tragic years for the anthroposophical movement, including especially the rise of nationalism and the seeds of hatred spawned by Adolf Hitler and his followers. The very beginning of that pivotal year began with the destruction of the nearly finished Goetheanum building in Dornach, Switzerland, delivering a heavy blow to the Anthroposophical Society and to Rudolf Steiner, both spiritually and on a personal level. It was evident that the fire had been caused by arson, and Steiner immediately expressed determination to rebuild and move forward, despite the friction in the Anthroposophical Society and the movement as a whole. Steiner noted, "It will not be viable if things continue as before," suggesting that the Society needed to be suffused with the "will to wake up...because then it can inspire an awakening of the present civilization as a whole." He devoted the remainder of 1923--indeed, his life--to that cause. "You can rest assured that, whatever may happen, I for one will never be induced to stray from my path. As long as I live, I shall continue to represent my cause as I have done so far. I hope that we will not be held back by any disruptions but that we will be able to work together here as we have done before--this will, at least, be my endeavor. Whatever happens it is my belief that we need to rebuild in some form, and everything that needs to be done to achieve this will be done. It is important to continue what we have begun. It is simply an inner obligation." -- Rudolf Steiner, to the workers at the Goetheanum, January 1, 1923 Rudolf Steiner, Life and Work, Seven Volumes Vol. 1. (1861-1890): Childhood, Youth, and Study Years (ISBN: 9781621480822 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621480839 Hbk) Vol. 2. (1890-1900): Weimar and Berlin (ISBN: 9781621480853 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621480860 Hbk) Vol. 3. (1900-1914): Spiritual Science and Spiritual Community (ISBN: 9781621480884 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621480891 Hbk) Vol. 4. (1914-1918): The Years of World War I (ISBN: 9781621481577 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621481584 Hbk) Vol. 5. (1919-1922): Social Threefolding and the Waldorf School (ISBN: 9781621481935 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621481942 Hbk) Vol. 6. (1923): The Burning of the Goetheanum (ISBN: 9781621482192 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621482208 Hbk) Vol. 7. (1924-1925): The Anthroposophical Society and the School for Spiritual Science (ISBN: 9781621482321 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621482338 Hbk)

"Try to become one with the world--that will be the best and most important 'program.' It is something that cannot be contained in statutes but needs to burn in our hearts as a flame." --Rudolf Steiner In 1923, Central Europe was still in disarray and social chaos created by the polarizing events of World War I. In volume 6 of his seven-volume biography of Rudolf Steiner, Peter Selg focuses on one of the most tragic years for the anthroposophical movement, including especially the rise of nationalism and the seeds of hatred spawned by Adolf Hitler and his followers. The very beginning of that pivotal year began with the destruction of the nearly finished Goetheanum building in Dornach, Switzerland, delivering a heavy blow to the Anthroposophical Society and to Rudolf Steiner, both spiritually and on a personal level. It was evident that the fire had been caused by arson, and Steiner immediately expressed determination to rebuild and move forward, despite the friction in the Anthroposophical Society and the movement as a whole. Steiner noted, "It will not be viable if things continue as before," suggesting that the Society needed to be suffused with the "will to wake up...because then it can inspire an awakening of the present civilization as a whole." He devoted the remainder of 1923--indeed, his life--to that cause.

"All this must be accepted as destiny [karma]. It would be sentimental to enlarge on how much it pains me to be separated physically from the Goetheanum and its activities. I hope only that all this will not inhibit but temper and enhance our dear friends' forces." --Rudolf Steiner, Dec. 24, 1924 In the final volume of his comprehensive biography of Rudolf Steiner, Peter Selg describes Steiner's last months on Earth. Although his health was beginning to decline, 1924 might have been his most productive and fruitful year. It saw a new beginning for the Anthroposophical Society and the beginning of the Esoteric School and the School for Spiritual Science. The year began with the "Christmas Conference," during which the Anthroposophical Society was reborn). That year also witnessed Rudolf Steiner's "Karmic Relationships" lectures, as well as the serialized "Leading Thoughts," summarizing Anthroposophy in a series of aphoristic guidelines for meditation, supplemented by essays on the Michaelic nature of Anthroposophy. Also serialized in the Goetheanum newsletter were autobiographical chapters in Rudolf Steiner's life up to 1907. He also defined his important spiritual relationships with Ita Wegman, Marie Steiner, and Lili Kolisko, as well as their significant connection to the Society and his spiritual legacy. New initiatives were also planted in the world during that time, including anthroposophically extended medicine and biodynamic agriculture. From his sickbed in the Goetheanum carpentry shop, Steiner also formed plans and a model for the new Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. Also included in this volume is a lecture by Rudolf Steiner on June 4, 1924, "The Festival of Pentecost." Rudolf Steiner, Life and Work, Seven Volumes Vol. 1. (1861-1890): Childhood, Youth, and Study Years (ISBN: 9781621480822 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621480839 Hbk) Vol. 2. (1890-1900): Weimar and Berlin (ISBN: 9781621480853 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621480860 Hbk) Vol. 3. (1900-1914): Spiritual Science and Spiritual Community (ISBN: 9781621480884 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621480891 Hbk) Vol. 4. (1914-1918): The Years of World War I (ISBN: 9781621481577 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621481584 Hbk) Vol. 5. (1919-1922): Social Threefolding and the Waldorf School (ISBN: 9781621481935 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621481942 Hbk) Vol. 6. (1923): The Burning of the Goetheanum (ISBN: 9781621482192 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621482208 Hbk) Vol. 7. (1924-1925): The Anthroposophical Society and the School for Spiritual Science (ISBN: 9781621482321 Pbk - ISBN: 9781621482338 Hbk)

Following the widespread destruction of World War I, in 1918 Europe was faced with political, economic, and social chaos, especially in Germany. In volume 5 of his seven-volume biography of Rudolf Steiner and his work, Peter Selg focuses on the three years following the "Great War" and Steiner's efforts to help restructure society in a way that the recurrence of such a terrible calamity would be prevented in the future. He saw the root sociopolitical and spiritual causes of the devastation and sought to change the flawed worldviews and impulses that led to the hubris behind the World War. Rudolf Steiner thus began to concentrate on various means to renew and invigorate society, both through immediate measures--especially in his plan for a "threefold social order"--and through the new form of pedagogy that came to fruition with the Waldorf education movement. Steiner saw that a renewed form of education was necessary to the development of peaceful and healthy social conditions in the future. This education was intended to help children grow into responsible, free, and imaginative adults. This was a time of intense work for Rudolf Steiner, including a full schedule of travel and lectures, reaching out to political leaders, training teachers for the new schools, and working with theologians and ministers toward religious renewal.

Why was the act of arson that destroyed the first Goetheanum so devastatingly successful in its malicious intent? What was the nature of the poisoning that Rudolf Steiner suffered in 1923? What was the significance of Steiner’s encounter with an unknown Master in 1879, and his later meeting with Friedrich Nietzsche on his sickbed? Rather than presenting an accumulation of data, Meyer takes a symptomatological approach to the evolution of Rudolf Steiner’s thinking, pinpointing specific moments in his biography, whilst making numerous links to contemporary issues. Seemingly unimportant details are significant – such as Steiner’s boyhood habit of smashing dishes, or the droplet of water that adorned Steiner’s forehead at his funeral. The often overlooked language of such images is evaluated within the scope and grandeur of Rudolf Steiner’s life’s work. An incisive theme running through Milestones is the dual nature of time – ‘involution’ and ‘evolution’ – and how it affects the Anthroposophical Society and movement. Following Steiner’s death, a one-sided involution process has been evident in the overemphasis on the Christmas Foundation Meeting, as well as Steiner’s supposedly ‘indissoluble’ connection with the Society. This is coupled with distorted evolution processes, as seen in the urge to enter the public domain by jettisoning anthroposophy altogether. Such disharmonies can only be healed, says Meyer, by seeing the reality. This book serves as an essential guide to understanding the task of anthroposophy in the modern world.

This is the first of seven volumes that offer the most comprehensive biography to date of Rudolf Steiner (1861-1925), founder of Anthroposophy (or Spiritual Science) and the Anthroposophical Society, which today has branches around the world. His unique genius gave rise to new impulses in education, medicine, agriculture, the arts, economics, and religion. Volume 1 presents Rudolf Steiner's life from birth and youth, through his doctorate degree and work as editor of Goethe's scientific works for the Goethe Archives.

Assya Turgeniev was a Russian artist and one of Rudolf Steiner's most important co-workers, best known for her engraving work on the colored windows of the first Goetheanum building in Dornach, Switzerland. In these unique reminiscences, she provides eye-witness reports of the burning of the first Goetheanum, the time surrounding the death of Rudolf Steiner, the early performances of his Mystery Plays, Steiner's lecturing and travels abroad, the artistic work on the Goetheanum, the carving of the "Group" statue, and the Christmas plays and "Faust. She also describes the development of eurythmy, and recounts her memories of Marie Steiner, Edith Maryon and others. Turgeniev initially set out to write a complete account of the period during which Anthroposophy was founded and developed, but illness prevented her from doing so. Nevertheless, the fragment which constitutes this book is one of the most valuable accounts available.

In this final volume of his comprehensive biography of Rudolf Steiner, Peter Selg describes Steiner's final months on Earth. Although his health was beginning to decline, 1924 might have been his most productive and fruitful years. It saw a new beginning for the Anthroposophical Society and the beginning of the Esoteric School and the School for Spiritual Science. The year began with the "Christmas Conference," during which the Anthroposophical Society was reborn). That year also witnessed Rudolf Steiner's "Karmic Relationships" lectures, as well as the serialized "Leading Thoughts," summarized Anthroposophy in a series of aphoristic guidelines for meditation, supplemented by essays on the Michaelic nature of Anthroposophy. Also serialized in the Goetheanum newsletter were autobiographical chapters in Rudolf Steiner's life up to 1907. He also defined his important spiritual relationships with Ita Wegman, Marie Steiner, and Lili Kolisko, as well as their significant connection to the Society and his spiritual legacy. New initiatives were also planted in the world during this time, including anthroposophically extended medicine and biodynamic agriculture. From his sickbed in the Goetheanum carpentry shop, Steiner also formed plans and a model for the new Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland. Also included in this volume is a lecture by Rudolf Steiner on June 4, 1924, "The Festival of Pentecost." Book jacket.