Correspondence with Edith Maryon 1912–1924

GA 263 — 11 October 1922, Stuttgart

Letter to Edith Maryon

Rudolf Steiner to Edith Maryon

Stuttgart, 11 October 1922
Landhausstrasse 70

My dear Edith Maryon,

This time there is no way of reducing the amount of work in Stuttgart. The young people who have gathered there to work in anthroposophy want everything, and on top of that comes the old stuff. The school, especially at this moment, demands a great deal. The affair with the various rascals has been handled with incredible foolishness by the teachers. I don't want to write any more about it because the things are actually too silly. But they will do immense harm to the school.

In addition, the Stuttgart gentlemen are also losing all connection with the anthroposophical movement. They sit on their chairs, play board, and people don't want to know anything about them.

One example is this. I should have been in Stuttgart as early as Monday. Since I could not make it, I telephoned Mr. Uehli and asked him to give a lecture to the young people on Monday evening. They said they did not want a lecture from him.

And so there is no connection at all between all the people who are here now and the leadership in Stuttgart. You have to do everything yourself. So there is always more work to be done, but there are no more co-workers. That is why it is not possible to do anything to defend against hostility. Because you can't even get to such things. The fact that I was absent from school for so long has also been bitterly avenged. The teachers have completely lost contact with the students in the higher grades. And I tremble at what kind of report Hartley will give. But perhaps he is too great a fool to notice the damage.

Could you say: the people don't have the skills! Well, yes. But it's not that. It lacks enthusiasm, an active desire to work. They want a rut, a routine; they want to be a heavy mass, not a stimulating element. Basically, they are just lazy.

Thank you for the news. I'm sorry that such confusion reigns. Let's hope that things will work out after all. We will set up the lighting so that it works without a spotlight. I am writing this letter quickly now at half past six in the morning so that I can finally send a few lines to our studio, where I would so like to be again. In the meantime, I am sending my warmest regards

Rudolf Steiner

I want to leave on the 15th or 16th.