The Fateful Year of 1923

GA 259 — 18 December 1923, Stuttgart

Rudolf Steiner Reveals His Decision to Take Over the Management of the Society at Christmas

[After the orientation discussion with Dr. Wegman, Albert Steffen and Dr. Wachsmuth on Sunday, December 16, Rudolf Steiner went to Schaffhausen, where he was responsible for the performance of the Christmas plays and spoke the introductory words. On the 17th or 18th he traveled on to Stuttgart to meet Marie Steiner, who arrived in Stuttgart early in the morning of the 18th from Berlin, and together they returned to Dornach.

In Stuttgart — it can only have been on the 18th or 19th — Rudolf Steiner, in the presence of Marie Steiner, now informed the executive committees of the two German societies of his intentions with regard to the new society formation. No minutes of this meeting have been preserved. But one of those present, Ernst Lehrs, reports in his memoirs Gelebte Erwartung (Stuttgart 1979, p. 2501.:]

"There we learned that he intended to found a new society, and under his chairmanship. In addition, there would be a number of personalities (not yet named to us) who would form its board together with him. We also learned of the opening of a new esoteric school as a “Free University for the Humanities” and of some of the main features of its organization. Members would be free to accept or decline his proposal, but once they had done so, the actions taken by this board would be binding on the membership."