Lessons for the Participants of Cognitive-Cultic Work 1906–1924

GA 265a

Letter from Alexander Strakosch to Emil Bock

Strakosch Sanatorium Wiesneck 15.2.57

Buchenbach im Breisgau

Dear Mr. Bock!

From the fact that I am writing from Wiesneck, you will be able to conclude that many things have turned out quite differently than we expected. We came here on July 31, stayed in the so-called country house, which is furnished for convalescents, and hoped to regain our strength by Michaelmas so that we could then resume our normal life in Dornach. But in August, Frau Strakosch suffered a dangerous relapse. We suddenly had to move to the actual sanatorium, where we are still today, because the periods of improvement were followed by repeated relapses. As a result, I was unable to carry out my intended visit to Stuttgart to see you. In December and early January, little went well, but fortunately Ms. Strakosch has been getting a little stronger in the last few weeks. However, we will probably have to stay here for some time. Given these facts, you can well imagine that I am still a little upset. We hope that you were able to recover properly in the Black Forest and we wish you – unfortunately belatedly, but all the more sincerely for it – all the best for your health and your work. In view of the tragic events in society, your work is now more important than ever. Will friends in Germany finally wake up and take positive action?

And now to the subject of the F.M. and M.Ac. – I would like to proceed in the order of your letter.

The 5th degree was that of the “Knights of the Rose Cross”. – I have only ever met Michael Bauer in the fourth degree. From the very beginning, there were 9 (nine) degrees in the M.Ae.. The number of 33 degrees is based - as Rudolf Steiner told me - on the fact that the F. M. could not read occult correctly. Because two threes 3 3 must be read 3x3 = 9! This simplifies the question. In the M.Ae. the first three degrees - symbolic degrees - (they corresponded to my view) were called the “II. class”. When one was initiated into these degrees, the answer to the question of the Dweller of the Threshold, “Have all the conditions been fulfilled?” was: “The Great Master has granted a dispensation.” From the 4th degree onwards, we knew that one had to have occult abilities. Therefore, there were only a few members of these degrees. There were about 12 in the 5th degree; Marie Steiner was the only one in the 6th degree. It was called the Kadosh or Avenger degree.

What you mean by the transition from black to red in connection with the 5th degree is not clear to me. I only experienced during each practice of the ritual how at a certain word of the so-called “Rosicrucian conclusion” the black curtains fell and the walls lit up in red.

I never heard of an analogy between the degrees of the M.Ac. and those of the outer F. M.; it may never have been mentioned, because Rudolf Steiner soon said that we were now on our own. (In terms of meaning, I no longer remember the wording.) The degrees of the FM did not apply in the M.Ac. I knew personalities who had reached high degrees in the FM, but in the M.Ae. they had to start from the bottom. We were also not allowed to call ourselves or identify ourselves as “Freemasons” in relation to the FM.

We had only three altars. At the altar of the East, Rudolf Steiner always stood as the “master”; Marie von Sivers was always at his left. The other altars were occupied by personalities from the respective cities.

There was no mention of a transition from compass to straight edge in my case. I only know that in the formula spoken in the ritual from the first degree onwards, only the brothers of the past, the present and the future are mentioned, and that the first are referred to as: “We take compass and straight edge in our hands...”

I do not want to give up hope that I will be able to talk to you about these and other things one day. In a strange way, two rhythms overlap in Mrs. Strakosch's and my life. As you know from volume 1 of my “Life Paths” ($. 35), Rudolf Steiner invited me in March 1908 to work for anthroposophy, that is 49 = 7 x 7 years, and for 33 years this work has been developing within the form that Rudolf Steiner gave it at the Christmas Conference.

Ms. Strakosch and I thank you very much for your kind wishes and send you our warmest regards,

Alexander Strakosch