The Fateful Year of 1923

GA 259 — Stuttgart

Circular letter from the Executive Council to Prospective Trusted Representatives

The Executive Council of the Anthroposophical Society

As you already know, we, the undersigned, took over the leadership of the Anthroposophical Society as the new Executive Council at the Assembly of Delegates of the Anthroposophical Society, which met here in Stuttgart from February 25-28. This took place with the unanimous consent of the meeting and by cooption by the old Central Council. Since we still need an active co-worker in the midst of all the work, we have coopted Dr. Walter Johannes Stein into the Council after the fact. Accordingly, he has co-signed this letter. One of our most urgent duties, as set out in the 'Draft Principles of an Anthroposophical Society', is to create a body of trusted individuals. The first step in this direction is to approach those of our friends in whom we recognize the same ideals for our cause, and by whom we ourselves wish to be guided in our work. To this end, we wish to establish two institutions:

  1. an extended board of directors
  2. a body of trusted individuals.

The purpose of this letter is to ask you to join the circle of trusted individuals and to let us know of your agreement. The extended board is in the process of being formed, and we will let you know which friends will be on it as soon as it has been constituted. The extended board will form a body whose relationship to the local board will develop in the course of the lively cooperation of all those involved. The members of this extended board will have to represent the views of the Society as a whole, but they will be involved in the work in the individual localities to a much greater extent than would be possible with a single central management. The members of the extended board will also have all the powers that are intended for the trusted representatives.

Since we understand our tasks entirely in the sense of the “Draft Principles of an Anthroposophical Society”1, what is said about this on pages 4 and 5 of the draft will also be decisive for the work of the trusted personalities. It will therefore be their “responsibility to accept the registration of members” and they will “take over the guarantee for the members they propose to the board.”

In view of the seriousness of the situation in which our society finds itself, we may well assume that you are aware of the importance of admitting new members. An unusual degree of responsibility arises here, because it is important to enable the many people who long for anthroposophy in their essential being to enter our circles, and even to find such people. But at the same time, the greatest care is needed to avoid harming our society through new members joining. Our worst opponents draw on the material provided by former members. Of course we know from our own experience how tremendously difficult it is to do the right thing when admitting members.

But surely there is a way to do justice to these tasks through a close collaboration between the trusted individuals, the leaders of the working groups and those friends who give introductory courses and public lectures on anthroposophy, insofar as these activities do not coincide. It will always be necessary for those friends who are involved in the admission of new members to make it their heartfelt concern that the newly admitted are also received in the right way within the Society. In larger working groups, special arrangements will have to be made for this. We will take the liberty of sharing some thoughts on this at the earliest opportunity, and we are always grateful for friends sharing their experiences with us.

The Anthroposophical Society draws its life from the spiritual impulses at work within it. For each person, joining our Society marks an important stage in their life. The welcome in our midst can become an expression of this spiritual fact; then we will grow in our community-building power. Dr. Steiner spoke of this community-building power in his lectures on February 27 and 28.2 We must seek ways to give effect to these impulses in the handling of such concrete matters as the admission of members.

It will make the tasks of the trusted representatives easier if they see themselves as a cohesive body that can provide support to the individual in their togetherness. We would like to be in close contact with each trusted personality, but we would also be delighted if the trusted personalities of one place and neighboring districts could establish a lively relationship with each other and with the members of the extended board. Here, too, a piece of joint anthroposophical work can emerge.

We would be grateful if you would comment on the questions briefly outlined here, as this will lead to many beneficial results for the task of our society of creating space for anthroposophy in people's hearts.

With warmest anthroposophical greetings

The Executive Council of the Anthroposophical Society

Jürgen von Grone, Dr. Eugen Kolisko, Emil Leinhas, Johanna Mücke, Dr. Otto Palmer, Dr. Friedrich Rittelmeyer, Dr. Walter Johannes Stein, Dr. Carl Unger, Wolfgang Wachsmuth, Louis Werbeck.

A list of those personalities who have received the same letter is attached.

Provisional list of trusted third parties:

  1. Miss Lina Arnold, Bochum, Bergstr. 125
  2. Mr. Franz Alwes, Breslau, Heiligengeiststr. 7
  3. Mr. Adolf Arenson, Stuttgart-Cannstatt, Paulinenstr. 13
  4. Mr. Moritz Bartsch, Breslau, Gottschallstr. 8
  5. Mr. Otto Baster, Düsseldorf, Kaiser-Wilhelm-Str. 12
  6. Mr. Michael Bauer, Breitbrunn am Ammersee
  7. Mr. Max Benirschke, Düsseldorf, Gartenstr. 99
  8. Mr. Max Benzinger, Stuttgart-Ostheim, Rotenbergstr. 164 a
  9. Mr. Martin Borchart, Dresden, Schnorrstr. 49
  10. Mrs. Luise Cayard, Frankfurt a. M., Suchaystr. 5
  11. Mr. Walter Classmann, Vohwinkel b. Elberfeld, Emilstr. 161.
  12. Mr. Willi Conrad, Cologne, Hohenzollernring 37
  13. Prof. Hermann Craemer, Bonn, Rheinbacherstr. 13
  14. Mr. Otto Daeglau, Breslau, Schuhbrücke 81
  15. Mr. Felix von Damnitz, Elberfeld, Kluserhöhe 11
  16. Prof. Dr. Fritz Dauner, Konstanz, Schützenstr. 22
  17. Mr. Heinrich David, Bielefeld, Freiligrathstr. 7
  18. Mr. Claus van der Decken, Hannover, Bodenstedtstr. 13
  19. Ms. Clara Dennhardt, Magdeburg-Werder, Zollstr. 12a
  20. Mr. Dipl.-Ing. Hugo Detert, Karlsruhe, Klauprechtstr. 35
  21. Mr. Anton Deutzmann, Barmen, Lindenstr. 14
  22. Dr. Friedrich Doldinger, Freiburg i. Br., Reiterstr. 20 23.* Mr. Anton Dibbern, Hamburg 20, Geffkenstr. 10
  23. Mr. Wilhelm Eggers, Hanover, Voßstr. 43
  24. Dr. Otto Eisenberg, Kassel, Obere Königstr. 221.
  25. Mr. Josef Elkan, Munich, Karlsplatz 24
  26. Mr. August Everbeck, Hanover, Meterstr. 211.
  27. Mr. Bernhard Gantenbein, Berlin, Krausenstr. 39/39 a
  28. Mr. Ernst Gerst, Eßlingen, Ehnisstr. 2
  29. Mr. Karl Greber, Heidelberg, Zähringerstr. 6
  30. Mr. Wilhelm Goyert, Cologne, Habsburgerring 23
  31. Baroness Gumppenberg, Munich, Neuberghauserstr. 11
  32. Mr. Richard Hannemann, Wierow near Greifenhagen in Pomerania
  33. Mr. Hugo Harder, Karlsruhe i. Baden, Edelsheimerstr. 5
  34. Mr. Walter Hartwig, Lörrach-Stetten, Dammstr.
  35. Mr. Horst von Henning, Weimar, Luisenstr. 19
  36. Miss Elfriede Herrmann, Halle a. 5., Humboldtstr. 40
  37. Mr. Friedrich Hirsch, Memmingen, Ulmerstr. 13
  38. Dr. Caroline von Heydebrand, Stuttgart, Werastr. 13
  39. Mr. Bernhard Hubo, Hamburg, Hohenfelderallee 12
  40. Mr. Johannes Jung, Erfurt, Alsenstr. 18
  41. Dr. Josef Kalkhof, Freiburg i. Br., Katharinenstr. 1
  42. Mr. Carl Kälber, Eßlingen, Olgastr. 10
  43. Mr. Carl Keyserlingk, Koberwitz near Breslau
  44. Mr. Karl Kieser, Stuttgart, Schützenplatz 16
  45. Miss Luise Kieser, Heilbronn, Mörikestr. 8
  46. Mr. Andreas Körner, Nuremberg-Loher Moos, Heroldsbergerweg 67
  47. Mr. Friedrich Kiem, Berlin-Steglitz, Hollsteinischestr. 30
  48. Mr. Werner Klein, Düsseldorf, Viktoriastr. 5
  49. Mr. Wilhelm Korth, Berlin-Schmargendorf, Breitestr. 3 III.
  50. Mr. Eugen Kuenstler, Cologne, Belfortstr. 9
  51. Mr. Georg Kugelmann, Rostock, Schröderstr. 42
  52. Mr. Friedrich Kutscher, Dresden-Weißer Hirsch, Querstr. 11
  53. Dr. Willibald Lehmann, Bremen, Wartburgstr. 8
  54. Graf Otto Lerchenfeld, Schloß Köfering near Regensburg
  55. Frl. Anna Mahn, Vitznau, Canton of Lucerne (Switzerland), at
  56. Frau v. Brandenstein Herr Walter Mayen, Breslau, Lehmdamm 6811.
  57. Mr. Alfred Meebold, A.-G. Stahlwerke-Weißenfels, Julisch-Venetien (Italy)
  58. Miss J. Charlotte Mellinger, Frankfurt a. M., Bürgerstr. 90
  59. Mr. Rudolf Meyer, Berlin, Cottbuser Ufer 25
  60. Miss Anna Mollwo, Lübeck, Overbeckstr. 8
  61. Mr. Emil Molt, Stuttgart, Spittlerstr. 8
  62. Mr. José del Monte, Stuttgart, Spittlerstr. 8
  63. Mrs. Gertrud Müller-Thalwitzer, Königsberg i. Preußen, Ht. Trag. 19
  64. Mr. Emil Mund, Leipzig A, Posadowsky-Anlage 17 II.
  65. Mrs. Henny Mustert, Osnabrück, Friedrichstr. 221.
  66. Dr. Ludwig Noll, Stuttgart, Gänsheidestr. 88
  67. Dr. Felix Peipers, Stuttgart, Gänsheidestr. 88
  68. Carl Picht, Ulm a. D., Olgastr. 4
  69. Dr. Hermann Poppelbaum, Frankfurt a. M., Holzhausenstr. 30
  70. Mr. Hans Raether, Berlin NW 87, Solingerstr. 3
  71. Mrs. Thekla von Reden, Berlin, Motzstr. 54
  72. Mr. Dipl.-Ing. Alfred Reebstein, Durlach near Karlsruhe, Schloßstr. 6
  73. Dr. Paul Reiche, Greifswald, Knopfstr. 4
  74. Ms. Helene Röchling, Mannheim, L. 9. 10
  75. Prof. Dr. Oskar Römer, Leipzig, Windmühlenweg 25
  76. Miss Dorothea von Schmehling, Wiesbaden, Adelheidstr. 91 78.* Mr. J. G. W. Schröder, Stuttgart, Schwarenbergstr. 84
  77. Mr. Friedrich Schuster, Essen, Papestr. 59
  78. Mr. Hans Schwedes, Bensheim a. d. Bergstraße, Schönbergerstr. 35
  79. Mr. Richard Seebohm, Zwätzen near Jena
  80. Mr. Albert Seel, Pforzheim, Zähringerallee 25
  81. Mr. Franz Seiler, Stuttgart, Champignystr. 17
  82. Mr. Wilhelm Selling, Berlin, Motzstr. 17 85.* Mr. Carl Stahlbusch, Berlin-Zehlendorf, Annastr. 5 86. Mr. Carl Stavenhagen, Hamburg, Klosterallee 49
  83. Mrs. Gertrud Stein, Fahr near Neuwied, Haus Hohenstein 88.* Mrs. Johanne Stockmeyer, Waldhaus Malsch, Amt Ettlingen near Karlsruhe
  84. Mr. E. A. Karl Stockmeyer, Stuttgart, Kanonenweg 44
  85. Mr. Dipl.-Ing. Alexander Strakosch, Stuttgart, Kanonenweg 44
  86. Mr. Otto Thorwirth, Gotha, Leesenstr. 23 a
  87. Mrs. Joanna Thylmann, Darmstadt, Herderweg 62
  88. Mr. Wilhelm Trommsdorff, Stuttgart, Gerokstr. 65
  89. Mr. Ernst Uehli, Stuttgart, Hohenheimerstr. 67 95.* Ms. Hildegard von Veltheim, Munich, Ohmstr. 15
  90. Miss Toni Völker, Stuttgart, Falkertstr. 72
  91. Miss Ellida Wagner, Quedlinburg a. H., Heiligegeiststr. 5
  92. Mr. Günther Wagner, Frauenalb near Karlsruhe i. B.
  93. Mr. Kurt Walther, Frankfurt a. O., Gurschstr. 6
  94. Mr. August Wegfraß, Erfurt, Schmidstetter Ufer 4
  95. Mrs. Anna Weißbrod, Freiburg, Badstr. 50
  96. Mrs. Ella Weißhaar, Wildberg Castle on the Nagold
  97. Mr. Wilhelm Wittkopf, Lehe on the Weser, Kronprinzenallee 40 104. Prof. Dr. Hans Wohlbold, Munich, Adalbertstr. 55 105. Mr. Max Wolffhügel, Stuttgart, Maienstr. 2
  98. Mrs. Elise Wolfram, Leipzig, Karlstr. 26
  99. Mr. Wilhelm Zeuch, Gera, Flanzstr. 8II.
  100. Mrs. Magda Zoeppritz-Ney, Mergelstetten, Felseck, Wttbg.
  101. Mrs. Clara von Zychlinski, Bonn, Schumannstr. 43

n October 1923, the definitive list of trusted persons was published in No. 8 of the “Mitteilungen”. Of the 109 names listed above, those marked with an asterisk (*) no longer appeared. The following new ones had been added:

Mr. Cornelis Apel, Stuttgart, Landhausstr. 95
Dr. Hermann v. Baravalle, Stuttgart, Landhausstr. 14
Mr. Paul Baumann, Stuttgart, Kanonenweg 44
Mr. Eugen Benkendberfer, Cannstatt, Paulinenstr. 13.
Mr. Christoph Boy, Stuttgart, Rechbergstr. 4
Colonel Max v. den Brincken, Sondershausen, Marienstraße 60
Mr. Albert Dibbern, Stuttgart, Werfmershalde 10
Miss Emmi Dresler, Siegen i. Westf., Burgstr. 5
Mr. Wilhelm Fink, Stuttgart, Ameisenbergstr. 1
Mr. Ludwig Gauf, Darmstadt, Annastr. 36
Mr. Wilhelm Gaum, Pforzheim, Nagoldstr. 9
Mr. Jürgen von Grone, Stuttgart, Villastr. 14
Mr. Max Gümbel-Seiling, Kaiserslautern i. d. Pfalz, Finkenstr. 1
Dr. Herbert Hahn, Stuttgart, Landhausstr. 95
Mr. Georg Heins, Bremen, Besselstr. 40
Dr. Karl Heyer, Stuttgart, Im Kühnle 4 B
Dr. Friedrich Husemann, Stuttgart, Gänsheidestr. 88
Countess Pauline Kalckreuth, Munich, Adalbertstr. 55 III
Mr. Georg Klenk, Munich, Arcisstr. 49 III
Mr. Rudolf Köhler, Bremen, Humboldstr. 141
Dr. Eugen Kolisko, Stuttgart, Kanonenweg 44
Dr. Bruno Krüger, Stuttgart-Obertürkh., Cannstatterstr. 20
Mr. Hans Kühn, Stuttgart, Ameisenbergstr. 1
Mr. Theodor Lauer, Stuttgart, Kornbergstr. 7
Mr. Emil Leinhas, Stuttgart, Werastr. 13
Ms. Erdwine Lindemann, Brake (Lippe-Detmold), Detmolderstr. 113
Dr. Rudolf Maier, Stuttgart, Werfmershalde 8
Baroness Nora von Malchus, Ravensburg, Rudolfstr. 8
Mrs. Meta Meier, Bremen, Humboldtstr. 133
Mr. Oskar Meyer, Freiburg i. Br., Weberstr. 4
Miss Johanna Mücke, Berlin W 30, Motzstr. 17
Mr. Martin Münch, Berlin, Zahlendorf-Mitte, Gertraudstr. 10
Dr. Otto Palmer, Stuttgart, Gänsheidestr. 88
Mr. Wilhelm Pelikan, Stuttgart, Fraasstr. 14
Dr. Kurt Piper, Stuttgart, Urbanstr. 31 A
Dr. Paul H. Praußnitz, Jena, Johann-Friedrich-Str. 1 pt.
Mr. Otto Reebstein, Stuttgart, Landhausstr. 70
Mr. Otto Rennefeld, Charlottenburg, Kantstr. 130 A
Dr. Friedrich Rittelmeyer, Stuttgart, Urachstr. 41
Dr. Ludwig Roesel, Leipzig, Georgiring 5
Miss Dr. Maria Röschl, Stuttgart, Landhausstr. 90
Mr. Wilhelm Ruhtenberg, Stuttgart, Kanonenweg 44
Mr. Diplom-Ing. Lothar Schäfer, Bremen, Osterholzerstr. 35
Mr. Franz Schäffler, Eßlingen, Urbanstr. 36
Mr. Werner Schlitte, Naumburg a.S., Friedenstr. 5
Mr. Wilhelm Schrack, Cannstatt, Teckstr. 4
Dr. Erich Schwebsch, Stuttgart, Alexanderstr. 26 B
Dr. Walter Johannes Stein, Stuttgart, Kanonenweg 44
Dr. Simon Streicher, Stuttgart, Falbenhennenstr. 5
Dr. Hans Theberath, Stuttgart, Maienstr. 5/7
Dr. Carl Unger, Stuttgart, Werastr. 13
Mr. Wolfgang Wachsmuth, Stuttgart, Bopserstr. 19
Mr. Louis Werbeck, Hamburg, Holzdamm 34
Dr. Rudolf Zoeppritz, Mergelstetten, Felseck, Wttb.

  1. See under Notes. ↩

  2. Coming soon – for members only – from the Philosophisch-Anthroposophischen Verlag Berlin. More details will be provided. [Now in GA 257] ↩

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