Rudolf Steiner

Rudolf Steiner was born on 25 February 1861 in Kraljevec in Austria, to Johannes Steiner, who left his ancestral gamekeeper position in the service of Count Hoyos in Geras in Northeast Austria to marry Franziska Blie, one of the Hoyos’ household maids. The Count had raised objections for the marriage. Rudolf was born when Johannes was working as a telegraph operator in Kraljevec in Murazok, which was then a part of the Austrian empire. Soon after his birth, Rudolf’s family relocated to Molding near Vienna and then moved to Pottschach near East Austrian Alps in Lower Austria as his father was promoted as a stationmaster.

 

Though Steiner joined the village school, he discontinued it and was educated in his house, following a disagreement between his father and the schoolmaster. As a boy of nine years, he also had a strange experience of seeing the spirit of an aunt who passed away in a distant town, who sought his help. Neither he nor his family was aware of her death during this time. In 1869, his family relocated to Neudorf and again to Inzersdorf in 1879. The later move was to facilitate Steiner’s entry into Vienna Institute of Technology where he studied mathematics, physics, natural science and philosophy through an academic scholarship. During his term in the university, he attended to the lectures of philosophers like Robert Zimmerman and Franz Brentano.

 

In 1882, Steiner’s teacher, Joseph Kurschner referred his name to the editor of a magazine (Deutschen National Literature edition), which published the works of Goethe, and thus, he was appointed as the natural science editor of the edition. He was entrusted with the task of publishing the natural scientific works of Goethe, who was a prominent 19^th century figure in German literature and culture. When he was 25, he published ‘A Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe’s World Conception’ as part of his job.  From 1884 to 1890, he worked as a private teacher in the family of a rich Viennese businessman. He also authored articles on geology and mineralogy for Pierer’s Encyclopedia during this time. In 1890, he was invited to the Goethe and Schiller archives in Weimer and was provided the task of editing the natural scientific works of Goethe. Meanwhile, Steiner earned a doctorate degree in philosophy from the University of Rostock in Germany in 1891 by submitting a thesis on Fitchte’s concept of ego, which was later published as ‘Truth and Knowledge’.

 

While in Weimer, he also edited and published the works of Schopenhauer in 12 volumes and the works of Jean Paul in 8 volumes. He also introduced the audience to the works of Wieland and Uhland through the series ‘Classical Berliner Editions’. In 1893, he published ‘Philosophy of Freedom’, which was later published as ‘Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Leader’. This work laid the basic philosophical foundation for his later works and was a revelation on epistemology and ethics, which suggested a path through which the human beings can become morally free beings. In the same year, Steiner was invited to organize the Nietzsche archive in Naumberg by Elizabeth Forster Nietzsche. He was introduced to the philosopher Frederick Nietzsche, as a result of which, an impressed and moved Steiner wrote a book ‘Friedrich Nietzsche, Fighter For Freedom’. Once he completed his tasks in Weimer, he relocated to Berlin in 1897.

 

From 1897 to 1900, he partly owned, published and edited the Magazine for Literature and Dramaturgical Papers, which is a part of German State Organisation. While at the helm of the magazine, Steiner authored an article, which titled ‘Goethe’s Secret Revolution’, which led to an invitation by Count and Countess Brockdorff to address a gathering of theosophists on Nietzsche. During this time span, he also engaged himself in lecturing and teaching activities. In June 1900, at the fifth centennial of the birth of Gutenberg, he gave a festive address at the Circus Stadium in Berlin. However, his stint with the magazine did not last long. He joined the magazine hoping to get a sympathetic audience to his philosophies. However, his articles did not go well with the subscribers. Dissatisfied by Steiner’s unpopular support of Emily Zola, most of the subscribers stayed away from the journal. This eventually resulted in him leaving the magazine.

 

From 1899 to 1904, he worked as a lecturer in history, literature and the art of speaking at Berlin Workers Training School. In 1899, he got married to Anna Eunicke, though he divorced her a few years later. Anna Eunicke passed way in 1911. In the meantime, his association with theosophical society made him the head of its newly developed German section in 1902. He gave a prerequisite that he would speak only about whatever he developed through his own spiritual investigations. This society worked as a catalyst for the meeting of Rudolf Steiner and Mary Von Sievers who became his second life partner in 1914. In 1904, he was appointed as the head of Theosophical Esoteric Society for Austria and Germany. His fame was on a rise from 1900 onwards, even crossed the borders of Germany and became prominent as a scholar and cultural personality.

 

The twentieth century witnessed a new turn of events in Rudolf Steiner’s life. He founded a movement named ‘Anthroposophical Spiritual Science’ based on the idealistic tradition of philosophy, which rooted on the ideas of Aristotle, Plato and Thomas Aquinas. His transformation from a traditional scholar to a public spiritual research figure came as a shock to many who knew him only as an intellectual and educational personality.

 

Marie Von Sievers, who was his close associate until 1902, helped him to realize his artistic strivings. In Munich, he staged two dramas written by Edouard Schure and translated by Mary Steiner in 1907 and 1909. This marked the beginning of mystery dramas by Steiner, which were staged in Munich in 1910, 1911, 1912 and 1913.

 

In 1912-13, differences in opinions with Annie Besant led to a formal split in theosophical society, which led to the emergence of a new society known as Anthroposophical Society. The society, desperate to find a new home for their annual conferences, which included plays written by Steiner and Eduard Schure, initiated the construction of a building in Dornach in Switzerland. Designed by Steiner, a significant part of the building was built by the volunteers. As the building ‘Goetheanum’ was developed as a religious center, it was shockingly burned to the ground in 1922-23. Steiner started designing the second building made of concrete in place of wood, the construction of which was completed in 1928, three years after his death.   

 

Though Steiner continued his lectures on spiritual science, neither did he hold any office in Anthroposophical society nor was he a member of it. In 1918, when a revolution rocked Russia and Germany, threatening to break up the social fabric, Steiner suggested for a conscious three-fold differentiation of society as a model path for the future. It concentrated on developing freedom in cultural stages, equality in political and legislative arenas and international oriented brotherhood in economy.

 

Rudolf Steiner always had in him a path-breaking artist as he designed 17 buildings, which include first and second Goetheanum in Switzerland. They are regarded as exemplary works in modern architecture. His prominent sculptural work known as ‘Representative of Humanity’ was a nine-meter wood sculpture is now on permanent display at Goetheanum. Steiner also developed the art of eurythmy along with Marie Steiner, which is often known as “visible speech and visible song”. As per the principles of eurythmy, there are gestures or archetypal movements that have correspondence to every aspect of speech.

 

Steiner developed a system of biodynamic agriculture, which became significant to the formation of modern organic farming. He was also instrumental in developing a wide range of medications and biographic therapies despite constructing homes for children and adults with developmental disabilities.

 

In 1919, he founded the Free Waldorf School in Stuttgart, with the initiative of Emily Molt, who is the CEO of Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette factory. The school later became a model for Waldorf movement, which constructed and developed thousands of kindergartens and schools, which offers free educational programs from childhood to high school and to adults in some cases. In the years of 1923-1924, he initiated a general Anthroposophical Society and in 1923, Steiner found ‘School of Spiritual Science’, which was regarded as the soul of Anthroposophical Society. The school included a general course of study in meditative exercises and in education, medicine, art social science, natural science, agriculture, art and literature.

 

After the First World War, Steiner was isolated as a traitor to Germany as he put forward a suggestion that Upper Silesia be given independence. Moreover, when the political theorist of Nationalist Socialist Movement incorrectly claimed that Steiner is a Jew, he was targeted by Adolf Hitler who called on other extremists to declare a war against Steiner. This led to the deterioration of his health. In 1924, his public lectures reached a climax, when he gave 330 lectures from the beginning of the year to September and got exhausted and stopped all public activities. After six months, Steiner passed away on March 30, 1925, in Dornach.

 

In a career, which saw the transformation of a traditional scholar to a spiritual researcher, Steiner’s literary contributions include lectures, articles, books and an autobiography and innovative ideas in spirituality, arts, education, agriculture, architecture, medicine and so on.

 

·         Goethean Science (1883 – 1897)

·         Theory of Knowledge Implicit in Goethe’s World-Conception (1886)

·         Truth and Knowledge (1892)

·         Intuitive Thinking as a Spiritual Path also published as ‘Philosophy of Freedom (1894)

·         Mysticism at the Dawn of Modern Age (1901-1925)

·         Christianity as a Mystical Fact (1902)

·         Cosmic Memory: Prehistory of Earth and Man (1904)

·         Theosophy: An Introduction to the Spiritual Processes in Human Life and in the Cosmos (1904)

·         How to Know Higher Worlds: A Modern Path of Initiation (1904-1905)

·         The Education of the Child (1907)

·         An Outline of Esoteric Science (1910)

·         The Portal of Awakening, The Soul’s Awakening, The Soul’s Probation, The Guardian of the Threshold (1910-1913)

·         The Renewal of the Social Organism (1919)

·         Reordering of Society: The Fundamental Social Law (1919)

·         Fundamentals of Therapy: An Extension of the Art of Healing Through Spiritual Knowledge (1925)

·         The Story of my Life (1924-1925)

 

Rudolf Steiner left a legacy in education. His education philosophy made him a prominent figure and Waldorf Schools are still respected by many. He developed bioorganic agriculture, which later paved the way to modern organic farming.

1925: Born in Kraljevec in Austria

1879:  Rudolf Steiner’s family relocated to Inzersdorf

1879 to 1883: Studied mathematics, physics, natural science and philosophy in Vienna Institute of Technology through an academic scholarship

1882: Natural Science Editor of the magazine (Deutschen Nationalliterature edition) and worked on the works of Goethe

1891: Steiner earned a doctorate degree in philosophy from the University of Rostock in Germany

In 1890 – 1897: Worked in Goethe and Schiller archives in Weimer, editing the natural scientific works of Goethe

1893: He published ‘Philosophy of Freedom’

1897: Steiner relocated to Berlin

1897 – 1900: He partly owned, published and edited the Magazine for Literature and Dramaturgical Papers, which is a part of German State Organisation.

1899 – 1904: Worked as a lecturer in History, Literature and the Art of Speaking at Berlin Workers Training School

1899: He got married to Anna Eunicke

1902: He was invited to hold the position of the general secretary of the German section of theosophical society

1910 – 1913: Staged the four mystery dramas

1912 – 1913: A formal split in theosophical society, which led to the forming of Anthroposophical society

1919: Steiner founded Free Waldorf School in Stuttgart, with the initiative of Emily Molt who is the CEO of Waldorf-Astoria Cigarette factory

1923: Steiner found ‘School of Spiritual Science’, which was regarded as the soul of Anthroposophical society.

1923-1924: He started general Anthroposophical Society

1925: Passed away in Dornach in Switzerland