The History of the German Section of the Theosophical Society 1902-1913

GA 250 — 5 July 1902, London

2. The Twelfth Meeting of the European Section of the Theosophical Society

Notes from the Editor

The twelfth annual meeting of the European Section of the Theosophical Society, Adyar, took place in London from July 5 to 7, 1902. Marie von Sivers had already traveled to London in mid-June. Rudolf Steiner followed on July 1 as the designated General Secretary of the German Section of the Theosophical Society and remained there until July 11. Rudolf Steiner was invited by Bertram Keightley¹ to join the commission, which was charged with the task of deciding the future structure of the European Section. Once the various national sections could be considered established (including the founding of the German section, which was still to come at that time), the former European section was dissolved. It was decided that an annual congress of the European Federation of National Sections would be held for future cooperation between the European national sections.

In his autobiography, Rudolf Steiner writes: “When I spoke for the first time in London at the 1902 conference of the Theosophical Society, I said: ‘The union that forms the individual sections should consist of each section bringing to the center what it holds within itself’; and I emphasized that I intended for the German Section above all. I made it clear that this Section would never act as the custodian of established dogmas, but as a place of independent spiritual research, which would seek to communicate with the Society as a whole about the cultivation of genuine spiritual life at their joint meetings.

In October 1918, Rudolf Steiner said the following about this first address at an international meeting of the Theosophical Society: “For example, I tried² when I first attended a congress of the Theosophical Society in London, to bring a certain point of view into it. I gave a very short speech. It was at a time when the Entente Cordiale had just been concluded and everything was under the impression of the recently concluded Entente Cordiale.³ I had tried to characterize that the movement which the Theosophical Society seeks to represent cannot be about spreading anything as theosophical wisdom from some center, but that it can only be about having a kind of unifying point, so to speak, in a common place for everything that the modern era is bringing forth from all corners of the world. And I concluded at the time with the words: If we build on the spirit, if we seek spiritual community in a truly concrete, positive way, so that the spirit that is generated here and there is carried to a common center (Theosophical Society), then we build a different Entente cordiale.

I spoke of this other entente cordiale in London at the time. It was the first speech I gave at the Theosophical Society, and I deliberately spoke of this other entente cordiale. [...] But the sympathies were not at all on my side.

The meeting took place in an annex of the renowned St. James Hall. A report of the meeting, which was printed but not published, also briefly describes Steiner's lecture. Steiner spoke in German and Marie von Sivers translated into English. The report reads as follows: “He said that he had been sent over by the Berlin Lodge to learn something of the Theosophical Movement at its fountain-head. In Germany they were about to found a new Section, and he would endeavor to give an idea of the state of things there. They had but few people at present who had the least idea of theosophical teachings, but there were some diligent workers in several large cities, and there was much latent power in Germany and a strong desire to seek for further spiritual understanding, rationalistic philosophy possessed a great influence among the classes it was most desirable to reach, and this philosophy might be made the greatest enemy if not encountered properly, or, on the other hand, it could be of greatest assistance if the foundation of Theosophy in Germany were laid on the writings of the great German philosophers. Such men as Leibniz, Schelling, Fichte and Hegel were real theosophists and they should attach themselves to the teaching these men had left” (quoted from Crispian Villeneuve: Rudolf Steiner in Britain, A Documentation of his Ten Visits, Vol I, 1902-1921, Forest Row 2004, pp. 29-30. According to Crispian Villeneuve, a possibly even only “the” copy of the printed but unpublished “Report of Proceedings” is located at the headquarters of the Theosophical Society in England at Gloucester Place in London).

In German translation by the editor: “He said he had been sent over from the Berlin Lodge to learn about the Theosophical movement at its source. They were to found a new section in Germany and he would endeavor to give an idea of the state of affairs there. At present they had few people who had any real knowledge of the Theosophical teachings, but there were some hard-working people in several large cities, and there was sufficient latent power and a strong desire for further spiritual understanding in Germany. Rationalistic philosophy had exercised a great influence over those classes most desirable to reach, and this philosophy might be made the greatest enemy if not properly met; or, on the other hand, it might be of the greatest help if the establishment of Theosophy in Germany were based on the writings of the great German philosophers. Such men as Leibniz,⁵ Schelling,⁶ Fichte,⁷ and Hegel⁸ “You are true theosophists and you should adhere to the teachings that these men have left behind.”

No further documents relating to Rudolf Steiner's presentations at this twelfth congress of the European Section of the Theosophical Society (Adyar) are available.

In addition to Rudolf Steiner and Marie von Sivers, the following people from Germany were in attendance: Henriette von Holten,⁹ Adolf Kolbe,¹⁰ Ludwig Deinhard.¹¹ It is also noteworthy that this is probably where they first met Elisabeth Vreede¹² and Daniel Nicole Dunlop¹³ came.