Our Dead

GA 261 — 26 October 1908, Berlin

Eulogies Given at the 1907 General Meeting

It now falls to me to fulfill the special duty of remembering at this moment those dear members of our Society who have left the physical plane during this year.

We have Mrs. Agnes Schuchardt, a lady who has lived in theosophical pursuit for many years. She has been a member of the Theosophical Society for a long time, and although she was already confined to her bed when the German Section was founded, she was still very much connected in her soul to what was happening internally and externally; and many a letter she wrote to me showed how she followed what was going on with heartfelt concern.

Secondly, Franz Vrba, who joined the Theosophical Society as a member of the Prague branch and who left the physical plane after a relatively short period of membership.

Furthermore, we have two particularly poignant cases from our Munich branch. One is Otto Fluschke. The name Huschke is inextricably linked with the development of Theosophical work in Germany, and Huschke was among those who offered their help when the German Section was being founded. He was already deeply involved in the Theosophical movement and in occultism. It was always a pleasant duty for me when I came to Munich to visit the always sickly and immobile gentleman and to see what kind of occult needs and aspirations prevailed within the four walls of this gentleman. It may well be said to be particularly painful that Mr. Huschke's death occurred in the days when his daughter, Miss Huschke, also left the physical plane. They both shared everything they had in life, theosophically, as much as possible. Miss Huschke was also a dear member of the Munich Lodge, and above all, one of the most ambitious members. Otto and Flilda Fuschke lived together and left the physical plane together a few hours apart, and will continue to live together theosophically in other worlds.

The passing of our dear Mrs. Doser from the physical plane is a fifth case. Mrs. Doser was also one of the oldest members of the German Section. In a very special way, she allowed into herself all that came from the resources of the occult world movement. Everyone who knew her or came into close contact with her will have felt in their hearts the nature of this wonderful woman, who was so devoted and tender on the one hand and, on the other, filled with a deep yearning. The last period of her life was marked by a serious illness, which she bore with a wonderful dignity. But she was a person who, despite everything, had something of the blissful anticipation of living towards a new world in the depths of her consciousness. She lived her life in such a way that she faded away on the outside, as it were, but this allowed her inner spiritual life to become ever richer and richer. I am certain that those personalities who were closest to her during her life will also fully recognize these feelings as their own. A number of members made it possible for Mrs. Doser to visit the sunny south, for which she longed so much; and it was really touching to see how she could perceive the spiritual power in the physical sun. And it will remain unforgettable for me that in Capri, a few hours before her death, this soul of Frau Doser addressed a few lines to me, from which emerges the longing to overcome the yearning, the mood, the confinement of the physical plane: “I want to get out, board a ship tomorrow, - out into the wide sea!” It was a feeling that the soul was freeing itself from the physical body.

I have to mention a painful event in the death of Fritz Eyselein. Many of you who were at the Theosophical lectures know that in Fritz Eyselein a personality came among you who, so to speak, early in the development of the German Section, fell into an unfortunate state of mind that made it impossible to help her. It is neither necessary nor perhaps even tactful to go into this here, which needs only to be hinted at and which can therefore no less enable us to give our dear Fritz Eyselein the most beautiful feelings of love and friendship on the other side.

Now we have to mention a personality who bid farewell to the physical plane last year and who had been at the head of the Munich Lodge for years: Fräulein von Hofstetten. Based on her extensive life experience, she was able to take over the leadership of this lodge in an appropriate manner. This lady, who had also been in poor health for a long time, whose body had only been held together by a lively mind for a long time, also had an active striving in every direction, and she was always there when something needed to be done, even if she had just undergone an operation; And anyone who has become acquainted with the beautiful inner and outer life of Miss von Hoffstetten will give her the most beautiful love on the other side. Another member who was more interested in the Theosophical Society and passed away from the physical plane is Mrs. Fähndrich. We will also remember her with love and respect beyond the physical plane.

Now I have to mention our dear Mrs. Rozbenstein, who belonged to the Heidelberg Lodge for a short time and was taken from us after a short time by a treacherous illness. She was a beautiful, self-contained nature, deeply and earnestly devoted to our cause. We will also send her the feelings of love.

In saying this, I have remembered those who are no longer with us in the flesh, but who are always with us in spirit.

The assembly honors the memory of the persons mentioned by standing up.