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

GA 250 — 15 December 1912, Berlin

48. Federal Founding

Report by Carl Unger in the “Communications for the members of the German Section of the Theosophical Society (Adyar headquarters), published by Mathilde Scholl,” No. 13/1912.

The speech given by Baron von Wallen on December 14, following the general assembly of the German section and about his “experiences on lecture tours in Scandinavia and England”, met with a mood among the assembled friends that, under the effect of the events at this general assembly, was pushing for a term. If the general assembly itself was an indication that the spiritual movement, which was inaugurated ten years ago by Dr. Steiner in the Theosophical Society, the only framework available at the time, is facing difficulties, then Baron von Walleen pointed out the obstacles faced by foreign friends who want to unite to work in the spirit of this spiritual movement.

Following this speech, Dr. Steiner gave a presentation of a number of facts from the history of the German Section that offered an explanation for the difficulties that this spiritual movement had to face in and outside of Germany.

At the discussion on these matters scheduled for the following day (December 15), Baron von Walleen was able to convey the will of the foreign friends to find a form through which it would be possible to cultivate spiritual work in the sense of Rosicrucian spiritual science, unimpeded by all opposing influences. This was to be achieved by founding an independent federation that encompasses all true friends of this work inside and outside of Germany. At the same time, he asked Dr. Steiner whether he would be willing to take on the teaching role in such a federation and whether members could be admitted to events within the German movement to which only members of the Theosophical Society have been admitted since then. Both questions could be answered in the affirmative if the federation were to be established in a positive way, and the subsequent discussion resulted in the unanimous decision to appoint a provisional working committee to establish the federation, in which all foreign friends present and the members of the board of the German section should participate. The undersigned was elected chairman of this provisional committee.

The committee meeting scheduled for the following day (December 16) went as follows: the chairman presented the points of view set out below, which were to be regarded as an expression of the mood of the preceding negotiations, with the request that each participant in the meeting should express their opinion on these points of view individually. Should a larger number of the participants be able to agree on these aspects, then the Federation is to be regarded as founded by them, naturally with unanimity. There was the nominal agreement of all but one participant, who wanted to wait and see.¹

Thus the Federation was founded in that hour with the following principles: The Federation, which is to receive its name in due course, has set itself the task of uniting all those who wish to cultivate Rosicrucian spiritual science. This is to be achieved through an organization based on trust and responsibility, initially without written statutes, but in the closest possible approximation of what is called the hierarchical order in the spiritual sense. The distribution of responsibility is conceived in such a way that the founding committee feels responsible to the spiritual current that the alliance wants to serve. Those of the committee members who have agreed to take responsibility for a larger area of work bear this responsibility to the committee. It is the responsibility of these “guarantors” to form working groups for which they bear the responsibility; on the other hand, they have complete freedom for the groups they have taken on. The individual guarantors can, of course, transfer or distribute their responsibilities to other individuals, appoint representatives, collaborators, and so on, at their own discretion, in order to enable the work to be carried out in line with the spiritual current of the association.

The founders of the Alliance have the confidence that the spiritual current they wish to serve has taken such strong root in many hearts that the Alliance may prove to be a suitable framework for this spiritual current. All are welcome who wish to join them in the spirit of this current; they may contact one of the guarantors listed below to complete their affiliation.

This account of the origin of the League is given in order to avoid misunderstandings from the outset. The League has nothing to do with the Theosophical Society, neither in form nor in content; its members may or may not belong to the Theosophical Society; it does not in any way endanger the existence of the German Section of the Theosophical Society; it is not founded in opposition to anything, but in a thoroughly positive way for the cultivation of a very specific spiritual current, Rosicrucian spiritual science, and it seeks a form that corresponds to the content of this spiritual current.

The whole foundation with its provisional form is to be understood as an attempt to gather those who can agree with the principles of the covenant. For this purpose, a central office has been created where the results of this attempt are to be collected. It was agreed that at the events in Munich next summer, where a larger number of friends will be gathered, it will be examined to what extent a permanent organization can be created.

Guarantors within the German-speaking area:
Basel, Dr. Grosheintz.
Berlin, Fräulein von Sivers, Frau von Bredow, Herr Kiem, Fräulein Mücke, Herr Tessmar, Herr Seiler.
Kassel, Dr. Noll.
Cologne, Fräulein Scholl, Frau Noss.
Düsseldorf (Haus Meer), Mrs. Smits.
Elberfeld, Mr. von Damnitz.
Hamburg, Mrs. Wandrey, Mr. Kolbe, Mr. Hubo.
Klagenfurt, Mr. Ritter von Rainer.
Leipzig, Mrs. Wolfram. Munich, Miss Stinde, Countess Kalckreuth, Mr. Graf Lerchenfeld, Dr. Peipers.
Nuremberg, Mr. Bauer.
Stuttgart, Miss Völker, Mr. Arenson, Mr. del Monte, Dr. Unger.
Zurich, Professor Gysi.

Central Office:
For the non-German countries:
Baron von Walleen, Stuttgart, Landhausstraße 63 II. For the German-speaking area:
Miss M. von Sivers, Berlin, Motzstraße 17.