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No Trace of Indifference

Members do talk about the Society. Its importance, the tasks and role ithas and should have, the mood it evokes, its need to change, how sad itspredicament is, whats wrong with the leadership, how to relate to othermovements, and the appropriate forms of publishing these are some ofthe themes. The life in these polemics is a sign of great hope. Nobodydoesnt care. Membership of the Society at least precludes indifference to it.

In Great Britain now there is considerable interest in the future ofthe monarchy and in reforming the House of L ords. The political deci-

sions that will resolve the many very diverse opinions depend not ontruth, but on power. Is the Anthroposophical Society a similarly inherit-ed institution facing analogous questions and threatened by the samefate? A member of the Anthroposophical Society can ask: Why am I amember? What does membership bestow on me or ask of me that I can-not achieve or fulfill otherwise? What difference does my membership ofthe Society make to me, to my relationship to anthroposophy, to theSociety, to the world at large, to the spiritual world? These are com-pelling questions, especially today, as all the esoteric material is publishedand for sale. Only my interest in just these questions will lead me to anunderstanding of my destiny with Anthroposophia and the Society thatserves her destiny. Then I will subjectively know as an answer to myquestions what the Society objectively is and what it objectively asksof me.

It is not by reference to other movements or institutions that theappropriate role and style for the Anthroposophical Society can be deter-mined, but only by reference to what I can know it is and intends to be.

The internal and integral criteria for the House of Lords and the monar-chy have long since dissolved and can no longer be the basis for deter-mining their future. These institutions now serve the destinies and inter-ests of beings no longer connected to the historical reasons for their exis-tence. This is not true of the Anthroposophical Society. Its own destinyis still waiting to be realized, in spite of all the personal inadequacies ofits members inevitable inadequacies, and inevitably most visible inthose who take on the more visible functions in which they represent us,in more ways than one.

The Mystery of Golgotha was not a reward for what we had earned.Rudolf Steiner connected himself to the destiny of the Society because it

was necessary, not because the members deserved it. Where does the ideacome from that deludes us into putting merit before need? The disablingimages we sometimes carry of each other are actually an alluring parodyof the recognition and mutual support that our shared destiny sometimesmakes apparently unbearable. Thats forgivable. Andrew Wolpert

Nr. 2 1 November 1998

In Kiev:

Waldorf Educationin Public Schools

page 3

Portrait:

Goetheanum TreasurerRolf Kerler

page 6

The Constitution Question:

A Step Forward?page 8


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2 Anthroposophy Worldwide 2/1998

Anthroposophy Worldwide

L ife in the Anthroposophical Society Anthroposophy Worldwide is publishedmonthly. It is distributed by the regionalAnthroposophical Societies in some cases

augmented with independently edited newsand articles. I t also appears as a supplementto the weekly paper Das Goetheanum.

Publisher:General Anthroposophical Society, repre-sented by Paul Mackay

Editors:Carol Brousseau (responsible for the Eng-lish-Language Edition), Sebastian Jngel(responsible for this issue), Dietrich Rapp,Ursula Remund Fink, Michaela Spaar,Stephan Stockmar, Justus Wittich

Correspondents:Jrgen Vater (Sweden)Andrew Wolpert (Great Britain)

We expressly wish for active support andcollaboration. The process of building a teamof editors and correspondents has not yetbeen completed.

To receive Anthroposophy Worldwide,please apply to the Anthroposophical Societyin your country. I f questions with the distri-bution arise, only the subscribers to DasGoetheanum should contact the addressbelow. For all others the address is theaddress of the Anthroposophical Society inyour country.

Address:Weekly Paper Das Goetheanum,Box, CH4143 Dornach 1, Switzerland,

Fax +41/61/706 44 65Email: [email protected]

Copyright 1998 General AnthroposophicalSociety, Dornach, Switzerland

Editorial

Editorials

Does the Future of the Anthroposophical Society Lie in Branch Work? A Call to Discussion

The first issue of Anthroposophy

Worldwide has reached a remark-ably large part of the Anthropo-sophical Society: nearly 12,000copies of the English-language edi-tion were printed, and more than30,000 of the German-language edi-tion! Every member received a copyfrom the Societies in Switzerland,Germany, the Netherlands, GreatBritain and the USA. Several otherSocieties ordered a certain numberof copies in each language. The restwere sent two packages containingfive copies in each language, which

we hope have arrived safely andhave found interested readers. H ow-ever, the English-language editionwas delayed by technical difficultiesand the general upheaval of havingto cope with an extra edition. Manyof these English-language copies areprobably still underway.

Organizing the distribution wassometimes quite suspensful: can wecome up with the necessary funds intime? Can the printer in Englandprint 4500 more copies than expect-ed on short notice? Where should

these copies be sent exactly? Tele-phones were ringing and it was onlythanks to the engagement of manypeople that so large a circulationwas possible.

Peculiar things happened as

well: hundreds of copies disap-peared into thin air on the way fromthe German printers to the Swissdistributors, as far as anyone cantell. It will remain a mystery

This second issue seems to cen-ter around Europe, with reports onWaldorf education and curative edu-cation. O ur Portrait takes a lookat the work and concerns of RolfKerler, the Treasurer of the GeneralAnthroposophical Society.

Under a new heading, Forum,we have placed a few of the reac-

tions to our first issue. TheForum will continue to be opento readers in future issues (see alsothe invitation at the top of thispage).

We would like to warmly inviteyou to send reports from your vari-ous fields of endeavor. Particularlywe encourage you to let us hearfrom you if you live outside ofEurope, so that the broad spectrumof our movement can better come toexpression. (Perfect English or Ger-man is not necessary.)

We look forward to ever morelively exchange worldwide and wethank you for your help!

Ursula Remund Fink

Branch, group and country leaders of the Anthro-posophical Society will be meeting November 13-15at the Goetheanum. One of their themes will be the

stimulation of branch life and of new branches. Thisraises a fundamental question for me about branchwork.

The term branch goes back to the times of theTheosophical Society. The local branches at thebeginning of the century were seeds: more or lessclosed-off esoteric groups for theosophical and lateranthroposophical work. Today the weekly branchmeeting which is held in many places around theworld is still considered to be practically synony-mous with the life of the Anthroposophical Society.But is this really so?

Let us pose a somewhat provocative question:Does the future of the Anthroposophical Society liein the more or less contemplative meetings of itsmembers? Is not this kind of work, cultivated fornearly a century, one of the reasons for the Societysrelatively isolated position in todays culture inspite of many efforts to reach the public?

This is not a call to do away with branch work.But must one not ask whether it is time, in addition

to our usual work, to put a new emphasis on grap-pling with the pressing questions of our time? Notas internal background study, but in mutual effort

with people who are wrestling with these questionsin quite other circumstances, whether they are mem-bers or otherwise? If we were to do this, then col-laboration with the anthroposophical institutions invarious fields (another theme of the Novemberweekend) would be intensified of itself. I t wouldbecome apparent that anthroposophists are trulyinterested in the work of other people both insideand outside of the anthroposophical movement.Anthroposophical Society would then no longerstand for members only, but for global interest, forthe capacity to join forces, for genuine collaboration.

The editors of Anthroposophy Worldwidewould like to encourage you to report on anythoughts, observations, activities and initiativesalong these lines, by way of short, aphoristic sketch-es. It could become a forum that would serve toenliven the Anthroposophical Society. Do countrieswith young Anthroposophical Societies perhapshave entirely different questions?

Stephan Stockmar


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Anthroposophy Worldwide 2/1998

Anthroposophy around the World

We, in contrast, grant loans deliber-ately. We give active, positive supportto cultural projects which both weand the client believe in. Thus thehelp flows mainly to independentschools, ecological agriculture and fairmarketing.

Laurn is aware that her descrip-

tion sounds almost tooidyllic. They certainly dohave high ideals atEkobank, but they arealso striving to test theseideals continually againstreality. A circle of peoplewho come from verydifferent fields of workaccompanies the boardof directors and makessure that their ideals donot get forgotten. Thisgroup also functions as a kind of con-

necting link to the various projectswhich the bank supports.

Ekobank is a members bank.this means that every client is also anassociate and has the option of influ-

First Anthroposophical Bank Gets Underway

75 Years Waldorf Education

On September 27, 1998, about 1500ex-students, parents, teachers andboard members gathered together in

the venerable Concertgebouw inAmsterdam to celebrate 75 years ofWaldorf education in the Netherlands.

The number 75 provided a motiffor the festival program: the sympho-ny orchestra was made up of 75 ex-students and the conductor L ucas Visdirected the audience in a canon thathe had composed on the theme. Twomusical comics, Mini and Maxi, sweptthe audience away in a whirl of musi-cal jokes. The concert was followedby a kaleidoscope of talent, fun anddesign in artistic activities throughoutthe building: a fashion show from the1920s, a Haute Cuisine for Teach-ers, a warped eurythmy accompanistof 30 years, the entire history of musicin ten minutes of song, drawing-roommusic and opera, clowns and jugglers in short, a truly refreshing beginningto the celebration that was still tocome.

The festival was hosted by theIONA Foundation. They presentedthe school movement with the gift ofan electronic address list of 20,000 ex-students. Christoph Wiechert/S.J.

The Netherlands

Sweden

Waldorf Education in Public Schools

The Director of Education in K iev,Boris Zebrovskij, is introducing Wal-dorf education to the Kiev school sys-

tem.When perestroika gave Zebrovskijthe opportunity of getting to knowvarious educational ideas in the West,he also came across Waldorf Educa-tion, through Vera Ullrich in particu-lar. He wasconvinced byits relevance,by its cultiva-tion of rever-ence in thechild and bythe healing as-pect inherentin the anthro-posophicalpicture of thehuman beingwhich standsbehind it.

Since it iscostly to foundnew schools, Zebrovskij came up withthe idea of integrating Waldorf educa-tion into the State schools. To preparethis, he discussed his impressions ofWaldorf education in the press andtried to overcome prejudices regard-

ing suspected mysticism and foreigninfluences in Ukranian culture.

Teacher training in the form of semi-

nars was organized in 1996, and aWaldorf kindergarten was started thenext year. A contract signed by theparents confirms their willingness toaccept the consequences of an uncom-promising attempt at Waldorf edu-

cation, sincetheir childrenwill not havethe schoolingusually de-manded ofchildren whenthey startschool.

The firsttwo-year part-time Waldorfteacher train-ing was com-pleted thissummer. Theseteachers will

now spend a year visiting variousSwiss schools. In September 1999, thefirst Waldorf school will open itsdoors with two classes. S.J.

Source: Report by Konstanze Brefin Alt

Sweden now has an anthroposophicalbank. Ekobanken recently com-menced work after having been lis-censed by the government last spring.There was a need for a small bankthat would lead the way by setting agood example, says Annika Laurn,who is the treasurer of the Anthropo-

sophical Society in Sweden and alsoone of the initiators of the bank. Wewant to demonstrate that there arealternatives to a speculation economy.We can offer proof. But we wouldrather be the salt in the soup than themain course.

There already are several banks inEurope which are run on an anthro-posophical basis. Their influence canat times be greater than the amount ofcapital would suggest. In the Nether-lands, for example, the governmentfirst turns to Triodos Bank when

questions of ethics and finance arise.Ethic principles are often a

defence measure, a negative act in thesense that one distances oneself fromcertain investments, says Laurn.

encing the work. In this way wehope to create not only mutualitybetween the bank and its clients, butalso interest between the clients them-selves, L aurn hopes. Lower profitswill thus be compensated by addedsocial value. This could lead to adevelopment which is much more

worthwhile in the end.Laurn is critical of

the traditional economy,although people claimthat this economy hasgiven us prosperity. Weused to have slaves, laterwe had boys working inthe coal mines. Todaypeople are starving inRussia not to mentionthe Third World. Some-one or other always has

to pay when prosperity arises from

greed. We do not want to participatein the destructivity of speculation. I tmust be possible to handle money in away that is worthy of human beings!

Jrgen Vater

Annika Laurn

Boris Zebrovskij with Vera Ulrich

Ukraine

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South Africa

Ecuador

Third Congress on Curative Education in Preparation

Lively preparations are underway inQuito for the third Congress onCurative Education. I t is a mutualeffort by the Michael Branch of theAnthroposophical Society and the

Education Group there.In jointly rented premises they

are working to start a kindergarten,arrange courses and reach the public.

In summer 1998 Franz Lehnertcame together with more than 60 peo-ple in the Patio del Centro Culturalwhere, after a 1-hour eurythmy per-formance, hespoke on Wal-dorf educationand anthropo-sophical cura-tive education.

The audiencedemonstratedits great inter-est in healthyforms of edu-cation throughits presenceand its ques-tions. The lo-cal teachersand friends want to take up this chal-lenge and acquire the necessary foun-dation.

The next morning revealed the

fruits of the long-term work that hasbeen done. While breakfasting at asmall hotel, Lehnert came into con-versation with a lady who knew of theWaldorf school in Cali and who was

German Development AidSupports Expansion of Curative Center

On August 12, 1998, the GermanFederal Ministery for EconomicCooperation and Developmentaccepted the application by theFriends of Rudolf Steiners Educa-

tion for assistance with the expansionof the curative center Casa Rozei inUrlati.

This will enable them to financethe repair of a roof as well as a newbuilding with living and workingspace for ten young people. The Min-istery will also finance the basic fur-

nishing of the buildings, a small bus totransport disabled children, and train-ing for staff.

Casa Rozei was founded in1991 and shelters about 90 children

and young people with various handi-caps. About 59 State-paid co-workersand many volunteers look after them.Many of the resident children wereabandoned directly after birth andthey often had no social connections.Other children were damaged by mal-treatment. Bernd Ruf

A New Waldorf School

A new Waldorf school is set to openon the Western Cape of the Republicof South Africa, near Atlantis. Thewell-prepared school would haveopened a year earlier, but no suitableclass teacher was found. While theywait, the children all of them chil-dren of color are being taught in ahome schooling program by A lexan-dra Treuren. Marion Penfold, an expe-rienced retired Waldorf teacher, iscoaching her.

The school initiative is currentlybuilding their own locale on the largelands of Camphill Village. A kinder-garden has been in existence for some

time. The search for a class teacher isstill in progress. Achim Hellmich

Contact: Wildfried Bohm, Camphill Village,Tel. +27/21/572 23 45. In Germany: AchimHellmich, Tel. +49/30/822 95 94.


The Swiss Waldorf-oriented boardingschool Schlssli-Ins is to be re-searched by the University of Latviain Riga. Students will study the histo-ry and succuss of the 45 year-old

school under the supervision of KlausAltermann, Professor of Education,and Anita Caure, Germanist. Oneaspect of the study will look at thebiographies of ex-pupils.

Jrg Undeutsch

Latvia / Switzerland

Austria

Eurythmy and TheaterSubscriptions

As of Spring 1999, Eurythmy The-ater Vienna will be offering subscrip-

tion tickets in Bregenz, Graz,Salzburg and Vienna to 1) M ikrokos-mos by the Eurythmy WorkshopNew Music, 2) a eurythmy programfeaturing the poetry of ChristineLavant by Eurythmy TheaterMunich, 3) Practise Room, a soloprogram by the tightrope specialistMasha Dmitri, and 4) Shadow Pup-pets A Story between N ight andDay by the Fundavogel EurythmyEnsemble. A ll performances will begiven in public halls. The subscriptionprices benefit both the audience,

because they receive a rebate, and theartists, who receive a guaranteedincome. sst

Contact: Eurythmy Theater Vienna(Ernst Reep-maker), Streitmannsgasse 51, A-1130 Vienna.

now looking for something similar inQuito for her children.

One of the two kindergardensthere may be seen as the preliminaryphase of a Waldorf school. (Three

teachers stand ready to begin in 1999or so.) H owever, Quito already has aschool which adorns itself withRudolf Steiners name and with anoversized photograph of him with-out having anything at all to do withWaldorf education and without anyunderstanding of it. Thus every step

towards foun-ding a Waldorfschool mustbe handled allthe more care-fully.

In a discus-sion with thetwo iniativegroups men-tioned above,the name Vi-darte (L ifeand Art) wasfound for thehouse as an

expression of forces that have beenscattered until now. Then a theme waschosen for the congress and detailedplans were made.

Franz Lehnert/S.J.

Contact: Floreana, 3er piso, P.O. Box 17-04-10454, Quito, Ecuador, Tel. +5/93/973 73 45,Fax 246 84 21, Email: [email protected].

Escuela L eonidas Proan, August 1997

Scientific Studyof Schlossli Ins

Romania


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5Anthroposophy Worldwide 2/1998

The German Language as a Bridge to Anthroposophy

The Baltic countries were a playthingof the neighboring countries for cen-turies. N evertheless, an eastern, cos-mopolitical spirit prevailed in themfor 700 years, which forged the Ger-man, Baltic, Russian and Jewish elementsinto an independent unique whole.

After the radical deportation ofthe Germans in 1939, the Sovietscrushed all independence. Then, fiftyyears later, a sudden, utterly unprac-tised independence became possible

again.Today there are prominent intel-

lectuals in Estonia and Latvia who seethe expulsion of the Germans as atragedy: the German minority (three

percent of the population with Euro-pean education and European connec-tions) had been the cultural bridgewith Europe. With it was lost notonly a part of the tradition of theBaltic countries, but also part of theirethnic identity.

This loss, caused also by the lossof the German language, is still noti-cable today, ten years after the open-ing of the Iron Curtain. Communica-tion with Central Europe is difficult.

It is also problematic for spirituallyseeking people to gain access toanthroposophical ideas. Much can bedone by way of the Russian language,which has quite a few translations of

Estonia / Latvia / Lithuania

10 Years San Rafael Clinic in Buenos Aires

The medical work in Argentina beganin 1975 with courses by Otto Wolff.Since Weleda was already establishedthere, the necessary medicines wereavailable, including injection formulasand Iscador. The work with Wolff,

which continued for 16 years, led tothe formation of a doctors groupwhich carried out initiatives of itsown. I t was to this group that Wol-fram Schneider, manager of WeledaArgentina at the time, brought up theidea of a clinic.

Should consultations be offeredonly to outpatients at first, or shouldarrangements be made for inpatientsas well? After speaking with MichaelaGlckler it was decided to build aclinic that emphasized outpatient care.

After a lengthy process whichincluded a trip to Swiss and Germanclinics by Dr. Pablo Siciliano andarchitect Carlos Dublanc, the founda-tion stone was finally laid on July 17,1988 (at that time it was called I nsti-tuto C lnico Teraputico San Rafael).Less than three years later, the build-ing was turned over to the doctors.

The building was funded by Tatianaand Wolfram Schneider, with furtherassistance by the GLS Gemeinschafts-bank and Weleda AG.

The clinic belongs to the SanRafael Foundation and it is situatedon the northern outskirts of Buenos

Aires, on 3000m2 of land. It has sixfloors which also total about 3000m2.

The work includes outpatient consul-tations, dentistry, physiotherapy, psy-chology, a program for young peopleand adults in need of special care, andartistic activities. The well-conceivedand acoustically sound hall hosts lec-tures, concerts and eurythmy perfor-mances. There is also a health-food

restaurant, a pharmacy (belonging toWeleda) and a publisher and library.Biological whole grain breads, cakesand vegetables are on sale.

The building, which is run by thefoundation, is still not being fully uti-lized. This means that there are finan-cial worries. The fundamental ques-tion is: what (more) can be done tofoster the development of anthropo-sophical medicine in A rgentina? Forexample, doctor training, health lawsand cost coverage: at present no pub-lic or private insurance program inArgentina covers anthroposophicalmedicine. Joining existing organiza-tions if this were possible wouldonly provide a crutch. The usual crite-rion for covering costs applied todaycontradicts a truly health-promotingpolicy. As the president of the SanRafael Foundation therefore, I am

searching for a way of meeting thecosts that would be in harmony withthe nature of anthroposophical medi-cine. Rudolf Steiner points the way inhis public lecture of April 7, 1920(Health Care as a Social Issue). Theresult should be a strengthening ofhealth generally and falling costs.

J. Wolfram Schneider

Tablehurst Farm

Tablehurst Farm which previouslywas owned by Emerson College isnow, after a four year process, a com-munity farm. The farm was originallybought by the college with moneydonated for the purpose of building

up a biodynamic farm that wouldprovide food for the students and awork place for the those on the bio-dynamic course. However, studentnumbers fell for all courses in the ear-ly nineties. The biodynamic courseeven ceased for a while and the farmwas desperately in need of capitaliza-tion. N ew steps were needed. TheCollege decided to offer the farm tothe local community if they wouldtake responsibility for its furtherdevelopment. A fter much committedand involved discussion by many dif-ferent parties, a final form for thecommunity farm was worked out.

The land was transferred from theEmerson College Trust Ltd. to St. An-thonys Trust, which is a land owningtrust with a particular interest in bio-dynamic farming. The trust rentsthe farm land to Tablehurst Farm Ltdwhose directors are the farmers them-selves, but the shares of the farm com-pany are owned by a cooperativewhich any member of the local (or fardistant) community can join by buy-ing one or more 100 shares. Thecooperative currently has over 150

members, who carry the responsibilityfor the farm and for the fate of thosewho work on it. I t promotes knowl-edge of biodynamic agriculture andinforms and involves the public on thefarm. The farmers get on with theproduction and are thereby enabled tobuild up a solid consumer base for thefarms products.

Oliver Fynes-Clinton

Great BritainArgentina

Steiner (although everything Russ-ian still bears marks of trauma), buttremendous translation efforts andrenewed grappling with the languageof anthroposophy will be needed forthe future.

One hears through friends ofmany anthroposophical activities. Thelonging for spirit is great, also thecapacity for trust, openness andenthusiasm. Everything is new; it getssoaked up like nourishment after the

fifty years of soul and spirit desolationunder the communist dictatorship,and it must often be attained in spiteof great material want.

Charlotte Eckhoff-Dietz


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PortraitAcceptance Contains a Strong Element of LoveInterview with Rolf Kerler

When you were called to the ExecutiveCouncil in 1988, you said: I f we takeup banking and transform it, we cancreate a bridge of souls that joins thetwo worlds in which we dwell thespiritual and the earthly. (see N ewsfrom the Goetheanum, 1998 vol. 9,no. 5) Do you still think that today?

Yes. If one wants to realize somethingin the world, one usually needs mon-ey. As a rule, people who are full ofideas have no money, while peoplewho have money often lack ideas.Rudolf Steiner mentioned variouslythat personal wealth lames the will. Sowe need banks to solve this problem.Banks mediate between the peoplewho carry spiritual impulses within

themselves and others who haveworked in the world to acquire thenecessary money.

Looking at the Anthroposophical Soci-ety, do you find these two sides in bal-ance there?As a general rule one can say thatthere is usually more money thanideas, especially of course in the caseof other people. But they are difficultto compare. (We both laugh.) I haveoften experienced that when an ideaor an initiative was truly ripe and

thoroughly prepared, and when a for-tunate constellation of people wasconnected with it, then financial pos-sibilities suddenly emerged that noone would have thought possible:suddenly people were drawn to theproject who brought their trust andtheir money. Thus people and ideasare required first, the money only sec-ond.

I n your acceptance speech you men-tioned a second point: We have togive much more attention to the pre-

conditions that make working togetherpossible, in the modern sense of freecollaboration. This must haveincreased in importance during yourten years on the Executive Council.

Before Rolf Kerler was asked to join the Executive Council of the GeneralAnthroposophical Society, he studied Sociology in Munich/Germany and then

joined the Bochum Bank during its pioneer phase with Wilhelm Ernst Barkhoffand Gisela Reuther. He played an essential role in developing the bank until he

joined the Executive Council.When I entered his Goetheanum office, Rolf Kerler was sitting easily behindhis desk at the far end of the vast room. I n greeting, I mentioned the mountainsof work on his desk and he countered with a warm laugh. As we talk he is factu-al, yet lovingly attentive to the theme and to his conversation partner. H isanswers are short, but never cold. At the same time he seems a little shy, but allhis reactions are appealing. I think to myself: with him you might be able to dis-cuss your deeper questions

One arrives again and again at a pointat which one must develop a balancebetween within and without, betweenthe individual and society. This is acontradiction to start with, whichmust be bridged or also tolerated. Butone only becomes capable of collabo-ration when one has also workedinwards. O therwise one flows out-wards only and nothing fruitful arises.

The striving to balance out this funda-mental contradiction, I believe, is oneof the prerequisites for becomingcapable of collaboration.

At the Annual General Meeting of theAnthroposophical Society in Germanythis year you said that what matters is

not the knowledge of the other personbut the acknowledgement of him.What do you mean by this?I was trying to describe the ego of thehuman being as a social source,through the ability to acknowledgethe other person, the individualness ofthe other person, and then I asked:can I perhaps even acknowledgebefore I know? I have often thoughtabout people who say: Before I cancollaborate, I have to work on myself,I have to truly know myself. This eas-ily leads to never feeling ready for col-

laboration. I would like to seeacknowledgement as a preliminarystage of knowledge, just as we canbegin to warm to something or devel-op initial thoughts about it. I t is astage in a process towards knowingthe other person. Only when I accepthim, can I really know him. Or: I canonly accept him through love. Accep-tance contains a strong element oflove.

At Annual General Meetings youreceive the most hearty applause for

the driest theme. We like to listen toyou, because you stand behind everyword you say. And you make the diffi-cult subject of finances accessible to us.

This must be difficult to do.

(After a pause for reflection) Some-times one does feel rather lost, whenone sees that it doesnt get any easier.Of course this is partly due to the par-ticular situation at the Goetheanumbecause, as financier, one cannot carryout the objective oneself but may onlyoffer a service. Again and again I havetried to point that out that we do notwork out of what is already available,we have to see the necessary initiativesand then finance them. This soundsvery simple, but it is very difficult toconvey. I regularly have contact withpeople who say: If you ever dosomething really interesting, you cancount on my help. I f I then suggestsomething that we are trying to do

here, however, they do not alwaysfind it, well interesting. It is notobvious enough, maybe I am not ableto explain it well enough. To my mindone of the priorities of the financialwork at the Goetheanum is to fosterthe work of the Sections in the senseof worldwide networks: what areyour plans, what tasks are you tack-ling just now? I am trying with othersto convey this to as broad a public aspossible. Nevertheless, people regular-ly confront me with the question:what do you actually do at the

Goetheanum?

At the most recent retreat of the Exec-utive and Section Leader Councils youdiscussed the possibility of lowering thesuggested members contribution. Didyou come to any concrete decisions?

This is a tricky matter. A trial wasmade in Sweden a few years ago. Theywanted to lower the hurdle to becom-ing a member by lowering the contri-bution. But it did not help. The con-tribution is apparently not the hurdle,although I also am in favor of lower-

ing the members contributions oncewe have other sources of income toreplace them. If we could double the num-ber of members, for example, it would bepossible to lower the contributions.


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What measures are you thinking of, todouble the number of members?Above all to do good work, whichappeals to people, so that they see theAnthroposophical Society as some-thing that they would like to be partof. I t would certainly also help tohave a good general brochure on theAnthroposophical Society and theSchool of Spiritual Science. But this

exists so far only in draft form. Third-ly, I think we should present an annu-al report to the public each year whichdescribes what our current prioritiesare and what initiatives are plannedfor the future. But this is still in theplanning phase.I s the intent to double the membershipnot a little superficial?Well, the annual report would alsodescribe inner developments. I dontmean that the annual report shoulddouble the membership. The reportand the brochure should serve toreach people who are interested, butwho are not members and do not planto become members. They couldbecome Friends of the Goetheanumand contribute with CHF 20.- or 30.-on a regular basis. This has workedwell for other organizations.

Within the Goetheanum, too, you areapplying financial models that areunusual.

Yes. For example we do not want tosee the income of the co-workers asbeing costs: we do not buy work frompeople, we place an income at their

disposal, so that they can work. Whatarises out of this is up to the work andinitiative of the co-worker. We dontreward ourselves as co-workers. This,too, is a tricky area. But for me,income is not purchasing money. It isinitiative or productive money at themost. We should understand theGoetheanum more as its own kind ofeconomic enterprise. Leftover incomeis distributed in part to the co-work-ers as added value. I am currentlyworking on a way of portraying this.However, this is only one aspect, and

it should not be overrated. TheGoetheanum is not a commercialenterprise but at most a service enter-prise. But this approach can help peo-ple to think in a more entrepreneurialway. Whether or not people like tocome to the Goetheanum depends onthe co-workers love for their work,the quality of work, and the initiativeof all. This ultimately affects co-work-ers income.

Do the incomes paid by theGoetheanum correspond to incomes

from other institutions?In comparison with other anthropo-sophical institutions our incomes arecertainly comparable, if not higher. Incomparison with normal Swiss insti-

tutions ours are perhaps as much as30% below the usual, depending onthe situation.

As a member of the Executive Councilyou are probably often the target ofattacks and you must sometimes feelalone. How do you deal with it?(He thinks for a while). Much couldbe said about this I t is amazing thatone learns to value standing alone evermore in the course of ones life. Onthe other hand one knows oneself tobe connected to a large number offriends around the world, whom oneoccasionally calls or meets. Withoutthat one would be lost, its true.

Then it must be a help to you thatDietrich Rapp, your one-time schoolcomrade, has become editor of theGoetheanum Weekly and is easilyaccessible to you here in Dornach.I am especially fortunate with him,because he is one of those with whomone can often enjoy a good laugh. But one asks oneself, on the otherhand, whether acquiring a protectiveshield against the attacks is good. I nthis form it is not quite the right thing But one also learns to cope withattacks and to asses them: what truly

carries weight? With some letters onedoes arrive at a point at which no use-ful response occurs. Yet one has totake them seriously anyway

What projects would you like to set inmotion?Very important to me is that weregard the Goetheanum in futuremore as a worldwide school of spiri-tual science, where qualified spiritualscientific work is done in all Sec-tions, although the General A nthro-posophical Section must provide thefundament. I would like to help it

come about that people can increasetheir work on spiritual scientificthemes, both at the Goetheanum andelsewhere, and wherever possible inconnection and collaboration withpractical tasks. I distinguish betweenvery individual concerns which canalso be important and tasks thatarise within a Section of the School ofSpiritual Science or between Sections.

This is particularly exciting. Theseshould be themes that are related tolife questions that are being discussedelsewhere, too, so that people see thatit is possible to extend the context ofsome particular phenomenon or prob-lem with an anthroposophicalapproach.

You and Heinz Zimmermann haveinvited about 200 members active invarious fields to an initiative meetingin November, which is also intendedas a preparation for the Michaelmasconference for the year 2000. What doyou hope to achieve?Everything goes in the same direction:among other things we want to pre-pare this Michaelmas Conference dif-

ferently. This time it should not beformed by the Executive Councilalone, because then the invited peoplewill lean back and wait to see what isoffered. We want to take this opportu-nity to join together and ask our-selves: what is going on in our midstright now? What do we see, what dowe miss? Can we gain somethingfrom these perceptions for the furtherdevelopment of the work? We wantpeople to be included in the furtherdevelopments. Of course we will alsohave to say what we ourselves have in

mind. We cannot merely ask.

Are you seeing to it that people will beable to speak openly?

This will depend very much on theshort introductory talks. Heinz Zim-mermann will begin. Manfred Klettand Michaela Glckler will give theother two. I myself find it especiallyimportant that we speak openly andhonestly.

Mr. Kerler, thank you very much.

Andreas Heertsch spoke with Rolf K erler anddid the drawing on this page.

A report on page 9 gives an idea of the objec-tives of this November initiative meeting.


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The Constitution Question: A Step Forwards?

The Constitution Group of the Gen-eral Anthroposophical Society hasbrought its work to an initial conclu-

sion by presenting a report with rec-ommendations to the GoetheanumExecutive Council. The report is thusready in time for further discussion atthe next meeting of General Secre-taries in November 1998.

Behind this lies the often present-ed, at first hotly disputed problem ofhow we should interpret the Anthro-posophical Societys double Sta-tutes. Do the 1923/1924 ChristmasConference Statutes and the very dif-ferent by-laws registered in March1925 represent a successfully consoli-dated, single Constitution as intendedby Rudolf Steiner? O r are these actu-ally two different corporate bodies not recognized and not carriedthrough each with its own tasks andconnected only by the fact that theyhave the same Executive Council andmembers (today)?

Paul Mackay called together theConstitution Group at the end of1996, inviting members of the SocialScience Section and individuals fromCouncils in Central Europe. I ts aimwas to discuss the unresolved ques-

group (Velbert), Benediktus Hardop(Mannnheim) and Rolf Kerler andPaul Mackay from the Constitution

Group. Further intensive efforts weremade in particular by Wilfried Heidt(Achberg), Gerhard von Beckerath(Pforzheim) and Bruno Martin (Wit-ten) and others.

The Newsletter of the Anthropo-sophical Society in Germany pub-lished two booklets of more than 100pages each (Korrespondenz zurKonstitutionsfrage) which provideda forum for many authors (availablefrom: Rudolf Steiner Haus, ZurUhlandshhe 10, D-70188 Stuttgart;cost: DM 10 per copy).

In all these discussions and notleast in the final session of the Consti-tution Group at Michaelmas, the real-ization emerged more and more thatno mutual future-oriented perspectivewill arise through debate on the formquestion. What we need to do is tofocus on what the members andresponsible committees really wantand on what they identify themselveswith. This, it is hoped, will lead quitenaturally to an appropriate form.jw

Anthroposophical SocietyANTHROPOSOPHISCHE GESELLSCHAFT IN DEUTSCHLAND

ANTHROPOSOPHICAL WORK IN BULGARIA

tions and advise the Executive Coun-cil. Parallel to this, lively discussionflourished in Germany, Great Britain,

the Netherlands, Switzerland andAustria, in particular arising from arti-cles published by Benediktus Hardopand Wilfried Heidt, later also ManfredSchmidt-Brabant and others. TheInitiative to All (Achberg, Ger-many) had the impulse to inform the

members around the world about this,which it succeeded in doing to a greatextent. I n Germany, a fresh wind isblowing through the previously devel-oped array of differing views. Thiscame about with the help of manypersonal encounters and discussions,which included Reinald Eichholz

Anthroposophy in Bulgaria Today

There are four officially registeredanthroposophical groups in Bulgaria,one in Stara Sagora and three others inSofia (the Anthroposophical SocietyRudolf Steiner Sofia Branch, theMichael Branch and the Anthro-posophical Branch Isis Sophia). Thevery first group was the one in Stara

Sagora. After about ten years with anillegal status and 20 years of transla-tion work by Dimo Daskalow (1907-1989) the group was finally officiallyregistered on May 14, 1991. There arealso small groups in Vidin (NorthBulgaria) and Varna (by the BlackSea). So far no country-wide anthro-posophical society has been founded.But we have been coming togetherduring the past three years and we cel-ebrate the four major Christian festi-vals.

The first anthroposophical pub-

lishing house, Dimo Daskalow, wasfounded in 1991 in Stara Sagora. Morethan 30 books by Rudolf Steiner andother anthroposophical authors havealready been published, thanks to the

decisive help of the Hausser Founda-tion.

Many visitors come to us mostof them to Stara Sagora and Sofia,where the groups are larger and have acertain established rhythm. In May1998 Maria de Zwaan, an art therapistfrom the Helias Foundation (the

Netherlands), completed a seven yearcourse on development. We thank herfor her patience and concern.

On June 6, 1998, the Associationfor Anthroposophical Medicine inBulgaria was founded. The ceremonywas also attended by anthro-posophists from Stara Sagora.

At the beginning of J uly, a eu-rythmy group came to Bulgaria forthe first time. The graduates of theBerlin eurythmy school gave perfor-mances in three cities Sofia, Plowdivand Stara Sagora which were

received with great interest.Steliana Prangova /S.J.

The Council Regroups

At this years Annual General Meetingon May 10, 1998 a change was madein the Council of the Anthroposophi-cal Society in Denmark. After 32years of engagement in spreadinganthroposophy in Denmark, OskarBorgman Hansen retired as Presidentof the Society and was replaced by a

group of three: Norten Gunge, TroelsUssing and Elisabeth Mller-Hansen.Mller-H ansen will carry the title ofPresident in public matters asprimus inter paresfor the coming year.Borgman-Hansen will continue in thefunction of General Secretary for thetime being. Knud Westh, after 38years on the Council, was replaced byEllen Thuesen, a First Class Readerand Waldorf teacher in Odensee.

The Council thus now consists ofOskar Borgman H ansen (born 1924),Elisabeth Mller-Hansen (1944),

Morten Gunge (1948), Troels Ussing(1946), U lrik Asmussen (1968), Ellen

Thuesen (1942) and Thyge Madsen(1954). Marianne Mller-Hansen

ANTHROPOSOFISK SELSKABDANMARK

Paul Mackayiniator of theConstitution Group


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School of Spiritual Science

What Concerns Us Now?Initiative Meeting on the Future of Anthroposophy

Over a number of regular meetingsand retreats, the Goetheanum Execu-tive and Section Leader Councils have

arrived at an initiative. Certain thingsare to be taken hold of in an entirelynew way. We feel the necessity,write Heinz Zimmermann and RolfKerler in a letter on behalf of theGoetheanum Councils on March 10,1998, of finding new steps towardsnew forms, both in the work of theSociety, and in the School of SpiritualScience of daring to try somethingnew, even if some people want to seethe loss inherent in it. TheGoetheanum Councils do not want todevelop such new forms alone, but to

begin the process in collaborationwith a larger group of members of theSchool of Spiritual Science.

For this reason, an invitation to ameeting on N ovember 8-10, 1998 wassent in January 1998 to about 250people who stand actively within theanthroposophical movement in theworld within anthroposophicalinstitutions and otherwise of whomone can assume that they will contin-ue to contribute to the developmentof the Anthroposophical Society forthe next 10 years. The meeting is also

meant as a preparation for theMichaelmas Conference 2000.

Not only those who will gather atthe Goetheanum for this meeting, butall interested members can address the

same questions: After looking at thespiritual situation in our time fromthe point of view of different fields

of work (in short talks by HeinzZimmermann, Manfred K lett andMichaela Glckler) smaller groupswill discuss the question: Whattasks fall to the AnthroposophicalSociety within this context? Thegoal of the conference, accordingto the invitation letter of January 21,1998, should be above all to speakabout intense collaboration withinthe Society and the movement. Thework will be based on Rudolf Stein-ers fourth letter to the members (10February 1924). In it, he describes

four tasks for active members. Canthese tasks be actualized? the invi-tation letter asks.

Further questions that havegone into the preparations havearisen from the observation of someof the Section Leaders, that anthro-posophical substance is becomingdiluted in many of the institutions.What does this tell us and what canserve to re-awaken an interest inand a will towards anthroposophicalknowledge? ask H einz Zimmer-mann and Rolf Kerler in their letter

of March 10 to those who had con-firmed their attendance. They alsomention the idea of offering basicstudies in anthroposophy at theGoetheanum, the encouragement of

the rising generation and our capacityfor dialogue with the public.

By mid-August, about 50 of the

participants had responded to therequest for preparatory thoughts inthe form of letters. Practically all ofthe letters reflect deep earnestness, astrong attitude of questioning our-selves in view of the problems of ourtime and many letters express a greatwish for collaboration, H einz Zim-mermann and Rolf Kerler summarizein a further letter of August 13, 1998.For many, they write further, thepriority is the School of Spiritual Sci-ence and its relationship to practicallife. How can the work of the School

of Spiritual Science take hold of prac-tical life more strongly, but also takehold of the life of the Anthroposophi-cal Society and the opposite: howcan the local practical work fructifythe School of Spiritual Science? I t isnot a matter of looking for generalsolutions. Very much more than pre-viously it is a matter of acquiringunderstanding for human individuali-ty, which does not stand in contrast toSociety, but includes it.

It is to be hoped that this majoreffort of the participants to attend

for some it is the middle of their workweek and of the Goetheanum tohost such a large meeting, will becomea real impulse for actual steps towardschange. jw

ANTHROPOSOPHICAL SOCIETY IN RUSSIA

Oda Brning von N egelein describesthe circumstances of the dedicationceremony: Everyone sat pressedclose together. To save space, boardswere placed between the chairs. Inthe meantime there have been eleven

weekly study groups and a Class Les-son every two weeks. The number ofmembers has risen to 152 from about70 at the beginning.

They are also working to get thegovernment to reclassify the apart-ment from private to Society owner-ship. The development of the Anthro-posophical Society included changesin the statutes which became neces-sary after the political situation hadchanged. While this was going on, theapartment was altered, renovated andgiven its artistic design. The Councilof the Anthroposophical Society in

Russia hopes that the official permitfrom the Department of Justice willsoon come as well. S.J.

Donations: Account No. 10 084 505 of the Zen-tralkasse of the Anthroposophical Society inGermany, GLS Gemeinschaftsbank Stuttgart,BL Z 600 609 00, Purpose: Ostarbeit 870; Part-nership Mnchen/Moscow.

From a report by Oda Brning von Negelein.

New Center Ready for Opening

The renovated building of theAnthroposophical Society in Russia isexpected to celebrate its inaugurationin N ovember. As late as 1996, theAnthroposophical Society had tomake do with a 17m2 apartment on

the edge of Moscow. Other (expen-sive) rooms had to be rented forbranch work (with about 70 regularparticipants), festivals and otherevents. The Munich Regional Centerof the Anthroposophical Society, afterbecoming aware of this situation,decided to form a Munich/Moscowpartnership with the primary goal ofbuying an adequate apartment for theanthroposophical work.

This run-down apartment nearthe Kreml was furnished with theminimum necessities two years ago sothat the work could begin at once.

The study of anthroposophy hasbeen made possible by publishers suchas Inigma and by the availability ofbasic anthroposophical works in theRussian language. However, the Rus-sians cannot pay for the real costs of a

book, so that it is impossible for pub-lishers to cover their costs. They aredependent on help from the West.

Oda Brning von Negelein


10/12


SECTION FOR THE SPIRITUAL STRIVIN G OF YOUTH

Much has changed since Heinz Zim-mermann took over the responsibilityfor the Youth Section from JrgenSmit in 1992. The change in leadershipalso brought a new generation of co-workers, who had to find a new wayof working and their own thematicfocus. While Anneka Lohn lookedafter the Youth Section O ffice during

the period of transition and AndrzejWojnicz accompanied the period ofsearching for new ways of working,the work of Robin Schmidt and Oliv-er Conrad beginning in fall 1995 was adirect expression of the actual renewalwithin the Section. The administrativework will now be carried by a team ofthree: Benjamin Kolass, StephanieSpitta and Daniel H ering. The YouthSection Office is an important inter-face between the Goetheanum and thepublic most of the Youth Sectionactivities emanate from there and are

coordinated there so the work of thethree will determine the face that theSection presents to the world.

The Youth Section does not havea program. It has people whose ques-

tions and concerns form the work.Daniel Hering emphasizes this aspect:Youth Section, for me, is primarilyspace for individual activity; we workon the initiative principle here. Ibelieve that fostering individual activi-ty has become an existential questionin our culture of today. One basictheme in the Youth Section work of

recent years and an interest of the newadministrative team is their grapplingwith Rudolf Steiners epistemologicalworks: The consciousness souldemands independent recreation ofthe act of knowledge. This indepen-dent thinking provides the basis for allforms of world knowledge, but alsofor every other kind of relationship,for example the relationship to anoth-er person.

Running like a red thread throughtheir various projects is the taskmodern times. An example is the

Study and Research Week just com-pleted, which focussed on the devel-opment of capacities through scientif-ic research and on its practice charac-ter. This task and the trend to interna-

A Troika to Run the Youth Section Office Replacing Robin Schmidt

MATHEMATICAL -ASTRONOMICAL SECTION

A Spiritual-Scientific Approach to Platonic Solids

Who has not admired the fascinatingforms of crystallized minerals? Forthe Mathematical-Astronomical Sec-tion, the geometry of crystals is amajor focus of study, as can be seenfrom their current exhibit at the

Goetheanum. What stands behind thisinterest?Platonic solids are objects whose

vertices are formed by an equalnumber of regular faces. Suchsolids the cube, tetrahedon,octahedreon, dodecahe-dron and the icosahe-dron have various geo-metric correlations. I n-terestingly, regular dode-cahedrons and icosahedronscan not be found in naturalcrystals: crystals take ononly certain forms out of thewealth of possibilities. I f star-likesurfaces are allowed, then further reg-ular forms arise that are deeply relatedto the Platonic solids.

Mathematical studies ofthese forms and relationshipslost their concrete characterduring the first half of the cen-tury. The structural aspect con-tinues to be the focus of universitystudies today. In contrast, anthro-posophists among others have contin-

ued the graphic tradition and havemade new discoveries, especially withrespect to the projective aspect ofcrystal forms and the metamorphosisof regular solids. One of the pioneerswas Paul Schatz, whose invertible

cube led to technical applications. TheTurbula mixing machine is used forexample to mix colors and Teflon. In

recent years, transformation mecha-nisms of other Platonic solids

were found as well, by Friede-mann and Immo Sykoraand Klaus Ernhofer,among others. RenatusZieglers exhibit furnish-

es an overview of thecurrent stand of researchand of the various direc-tions being pursued. A

book project in collaborationwith Wolfgang Maas and Klaus

Ernhofer on transformable solids hasbeen in process for many years.

The spiritual scientific reward inthe work with these forms liesprimarily in the enlivening ofthinking through spatial imagi-nation, which leads it into a

new dimension. Mentally recre-ating the transformations also

transforms spacial statics into spacialdynamics, and the study of the rela-

tionships between regular solidsenhances the ability to grasp theprocess of metamorphosis. For some,it is a preparation towards being ableto understand the transformation ofthe human limbs into the head from

one incarnation to the next.Regarding the geometry of crys-tals, the Section has cultivated con-tacts to the Federal I nstitute of Tech-nology (ETH) in Zrich and the Nat-ural H istory Museum in Basel. Themuseum featured an exhibit on themorphology of crystals last year forwhich Ziegler received an invitationfrom Joseph Amoth to develop theprojective aspect of crystal forms. Theresults of this research on the mor-phology of crystals and symmetricpolyhedra has recently been publishedby Verlag am Goetheaum.

With the exception of the Turbu-la (and related mechanisms) and theoloid, no other (technical) applicationhas so far been found, and the workwith regular solids and their respectiverelationships serves primarily as a wayto school ones thinking. S.J.

A detailed 97-page exhibit catalogue in the Ger-man language, with over 100 reproductions, isavailable from the Goetheanum Book Shop forCH F 15..

tionalize, which has become evermore important for the Section inrecent years, will play a central role inpreparing next years GoetheanumFaust conference.

Martin Malcherek

The next major translators confer-ence, which had been planned for1999, has been postponed to 2000. Itis expected to last for 34 days at thebeginning of April.

Please send your wishes and sug-gestions to the address below so thatthe meeting can be planned according-ly. This applies to both the contentand to the form of the work.

For the SectionMartina Maria Sam

SECTIONFOR THE HUMANITIES

Translation Conference 2000

Section for the Humanities, Goetheanum, Box,CH-4143 Dornach 1, Fax +41/61/706 44 65,Email: [email protected]


11/12


Anthroposophy Worldwide is enrich-ing! I made use of the quiet Sundaymorning hour, during which the chil-dren are still sleeping away the sins ofthe week and my colleagues do not yet

phone, to read issue Nr. 1. Many thanksfor the initiative, many thanks for carry-ing it through.

Annette Mierau, Pforzheim (D)

I have just read AnthroposophyWorldwide. This is a very promisingdevelopment in the L ife of theAnthroposophical Society!

David Heaf, Cricieth (GB)

This impulse contributes to a pressingobligation today: to create a world con-sciousness that shows the possibility forand reality of spiritual development. Itgives you the possibility of bringingthose articles which may be encourag-ing, strengthening and supportive of aspiritual world society.Manfred J. Sommersgutter, Graz (A)

My warm thanks for the extra-informa-tion in the form of the Newsletter.Regarding the article Waldorf Schoolsunder Attack (page 3), permit me todraw your attention to the Robin-Direkt-Report which is important inconnection with it (published by Renateand Paul H artwig, Schutzgemeinschaft

Robin Direkt, Postfach 44, D-89282Pfaffenhofen, Germany).Doris Houben, Dillingen-H ausen (D)

Nicanor Perlas was asked to give thedetails of the book he had mentioned inthe previous issue, whose non-anthropo-sophical authors describe threefolding:

Jean L. Cohen and Andrew Arato:Civil Society and Political Theory,Cambridge, Massachusetts: MIT Press1994, ISBN 0-262-53121-6 (Paperback).It cost US $25.- when I bought it twoor three years ago.

Nicanor Perlas, Manila

Thank you very much for sending thefirst issue. I would like to fulfill yourhope in receiving many suggestions,letters and reports from the readers. Asuggestion: I travel often to the East andI hear again and again: how nice itwould be if there were more interestfrom the West! The matter of theKorean book is strange was there notranslator for the title page?

Dr. Erwin Nicaeus, Berlin (D)

No, it is not that there was no translator, but aknowledge of the Korean language was lacking.

S.J.

Regarding the item on John Daltonsresignation: the main reason for his res-

Forum

A foodstuff label describes what is inthe product but also of what is notwithin it? An example of a useful neg-ative declaration might be geneticengineering free.

At first glance, such a label mightseem helpful, but it would drawunwanted consequences after it. I norder to certify a product as being

genetic engineering free, as is beingplanned in Germany, governmentguidelines would have to be followed.

The administrative costs of doing thiswould be passed on to the consumer,with the result that the consumerwould pay for something which isguaranteed not to be in the product.So why not declare genetic-engineer-ing positively, that is, when it is reallyin the product? After all, labels whichvouch for the absence of geneticallyengineered organisms already exist:the labels of ecological organizations

which set their own independentguidelines.

It could happen that a conven-tionally produced product with thelabel genetic engineering free would

gain an advertising advantage overmore ecological products that wouldmerely carry their organic label.

Some kind of guidelines which areindependent of the State appear to benecessary, especially now that theDepartment of Agriculture in theUSA has tried to set up rules thatwould allow for genetic engineering,

municipal sludge and ionizing radia-tion in organic foods. In Europe, law-makers have jeopardized ecologicalguidelines with their recent EU decreeregarding baby food. Baby food mustnow contain an unnaturally high levelof vitamins, which can only beachieved by adding supplements. Thisapplies to Demeter quality productsas well. (Demeter gets around thisby selling the same, unvitimized prod-uct without mentioning that it is babyfood.)

Thus more important than a

genetic engineering declaration whether positive or negative wouldbe independent guidelines that may beapplied without influence from theState. S.J.

Labelling Food A Commentary

Excerpts from Letters to the Editor

Signs of the Times

ignation is described in the Newsletterof the Anthroposophical Society inBritain as being a conflict with the kindof publicity work being done by theresponsible committees there. To leave

this out in a paper on Life in theAnthroposophical Society borderson dishonesty. I personally wouldntwant a worldwide newsletter to glossover conflicts within the Society!

Detlef Hardop, Berlin (D)

Space constraints led to the item beingcut from the English-language edition.Of course it is necessary to discuss con-flicts. But it is all too easy to skip overnecessary steps in forming an opinion.

Thus one might read John Daltons por-trayal of the lack of publicity work donein Britain and then assume to knowthat the Council there would like toprevent anthroposophy from reachingthe public. Yet after a long talk with

John Dalton on the telephone about hisconflicts with the Council, and aftertalking with other members who areactive in England, I did not have theimpression that a hasty judgementregarding his resignation was appropri-ate. Instead I found that I had evermore questions: How is it possible that a

way to lasting, fruitful collaborationcould not be found with an anthro-posophist who is as gifted and likable as

John Dalton? And, if his period of edi-torship was filled with conflicts which

had to be dealt with one after the other,could it be that so little was done toaddress the public because the Commu-nications Group was devoting so muchtime to dealing with their conflicts withDalton?

Furthermore: How should wereport Daltons resignation under suchconditions? Would it be adequate tomerely repeat his accusations? Would itnot be legitimate, since we are a news-paper for the anthroposophical move-ment, to search for forms that are trulyfruitful for us?

The news item was rewritten sever-al times under great time pressure. Theversion that finally appeared in printwas the result of honest effort withinthis complicated situation of finding away of mentioning John Daltons resig-nation. I ts appearance should not betaken to mean that the matter is fin-ished for us. I t belongs to many otherstill unresolved questions that we carryregarding the form and purpose ofAnthroposophy Worldwide. C.B.


12/12


I f we turn our steps from theGoetheanum towards the carpentrybuilding, moving to the right throughthe trees, we notice the freshly paintedand renovated Moldenhauer H ouse,

which now shelters the rooms of theGardening Department. Behind it wediscover an autumn explosion of col-

emphasizes the Kepler Observatory asthe highest point on the grounds andgives it a better position within thewhole ensemble.

Wandering up towards the Ob-

servatory, we are met by a bright newwall of light yellow limestone. Look-ing from the side we notice how the

FeatureStrolling through the Eastern Goetheanum Grounds

spices.The various garden beds take on a

new significance when we realize whythey were planted as they are. Theydemonstrate the usefulness of plants:

On the south side of the carpentrybuilding we see the medicinal plantgarden, used both for research and as

The creation of new view corridors (in photo 1 towards the Jura in the west and to the southeast facadeof the Goetheanum) has also revealed new horrors Christian H itschs word for the old barracks infront of the Moldenhauer H ouse during a recent tour. The new vegetable and flower beds (photo 2)were planted between the barracks and the limestone wall (photo 3 with a view to the north).

or: orange-yellow pumpkins, brightsunflowers and countless other flow-ers The grounds have been trans-

formed!This transformation of the eastern

part of the land began in 1997: thegardens were moved from futurebuilding land to the area between thecarpentry building, House Schuur-mann, the Kepler Observatory andthe Eurythmy House. An unbrokengirdle of green is planned that will

join the manifold park landscape tothe vegetable and flower gardens, sothat the entire Goetheanum groundswill become an inviting whole to theeye. The idea is to open up architec-

turally significant correspondencesbetween the Goetheanum buildingand the neighboring houses, and tocreate a resonance with the surround-ing vegetation. The new design

line of terraces reflects the gesture ofthe slope and how a connection to thesurrounding hills becomes visible in

the similarly modeled grounds. If wenow move along the stone walltowards the north, a bench invites usto stop and rest (but the wooden seatis still missing!) The slightly risingwall now falls and flattens outtowards the north, opening itself tothe landscape in three levels. The lowwall serves well as a seat from whichwe can enjoy the view. Thanks to thislimestone wall which collects andreflects warmth, attracting lizards,insects and more butterflies a dry,hot habitat has been created which is

typical for the Jura region and whichhad been lacking on these groundsbefore. The space between the walland the Observatory will develop intoa dry meadow with fragrant herbs and

a display; next to it the dye garden,also used for research and display bythe Plant Color Laboratory; then the

vegetable and flower gardens belowthe Kepler Observatory, whose veg-etables go to the Speisehaus Restau-rant and whose waste is needed forcompost. Its flowers go into beautifulbouquets inside the Goetheanum.

As attentive wanderers we mayask ourselves finally, what is going tobecome of the tall, shade-dispensingconifers? These last three groups ofconifers will be felled during the nextfew years in order to join the southand east sides of the grounds together.Many have been cut down in recent

years to open up views to theGoetheanum and to make space formore fruit and blossom trees in thesouth and west. The grounds areopening up to the Jura landscape moreand more. It is now even possible tostand on the brand-new stargazerplateau next to the Kepler O bser-vatory and look down upon the Fel-sli on the other side of the grounds.

For the coming years the plan isto create natural habitats for as rich avariety of species as possible. Plantsand animals that are threatened by

extinction are to be deliberately pre-served and cultivated. Besides this, thegrounds will gradually offer more andmore resting places for walkers, visi-tors and conference guests. M.S.

anthoposophy worldwide 1998 (2)

Documents