The Life and Work of Rudolf Steiner by Guenther Wachsmuth

Author:Guenther Wachsmuth
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Steiner, Rudolf
ISBN: 9781621510536
Publisher: Garber Books
Published: 1989-01-01T06:00:00+00:00

1917

THE FIRST THREE days of the year 1917 are actually symbolic of the rhythm in Rudolf Steiner's activity: the first day devoted to work in the field of knowledge, the second to art, the third to a social action. On January 1 Dr. Steiner resumed a series of twenty-four lectures under the title Timely Reflections, begun the preceding year, which set forth the historical backgrounds of contemporary events, the tendencies of good or evil forces at work in these, the fateful situations in which human beings are placed consciously or unconsciously, as well as plans and actions which are subject in such contemporary situations to the free decision of man himself. On January 2 he resumed the lectures on art with lantern slides, this time with relation to the Christmas plays. On January 3 the Christmas plays were presented to prisoners of war and grievously wounded persons interned in Switzerland, who had come to Dornach with the gracious permission of the authorities in Bern. This was a wonderful experience for these unfortunate human beings; it became a part of their memories of human kindness in Switzerland. Long after the end of the war one of these grievously wounded persons published in a magazine article a description of the beautiful memories carried back into the homeland by those who had been in that country.

In the experience at Dornach something out of the life of the Spirit was contributed in keeping with the noble ideal of the Red Cross.

Rudolf Steiner said in his welcoming address:

“In the name of the members of our Anthroposophical Movement and especially of those who are united here at this building, I am permitted with profound satisfaction to myself to offer you our most heartfelt welcome. You will surely believe that this greeting comes to you from the depths of our hearts. Indeed, the feelings with which we meet you are permeated by all the experiences that we share with you as a result of those most painful events of the present time which penetrate so deeply—not only into the general destiny of the world but also into the destiny of every individual human being, especially of those for whose visit we are reserving this day.”

After a description of the origin of the Christmas plays, the play of the Shepherds and that of the Three Kings were then presented.

The lectures on Timely Reflections were continued from January 6 to 30, with special bearing upon union and understanding with the dead and upon the language of the Spiritual Beings which give form to the life on earth. The lectures on art illuminated the evolution of plastic art in Greece and during the Renaissance. At that very time the creation of a new plastic art was going forward with hammer and chisel in the Goethe-anum building.

After this many-sided activity in Switzerland, and the inauguration of so many new impulses, Rudolf Steiner resumed his lecture tours in early February. Prominent in the public lectures between February 6 and September 25 in

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