Esoteric Lessons 1913–1923

GA 266III — Hildesheim

History of the Youth Circle IV

To all young-minded people who strive for a genuine renewal of spiritual life!

Almost too much has already been written about the Youth Branch. However, as one of its co-founders, I feel it necessary to respond to two circulars in order to bring the actual task of the Youth Branch back to the forefront. The first, circulated as Circular No. 2 by the office of the Stuttgart Youth Branch, should never have been published if it had been clearly understood that the Youth Branch is above all a place for serious work and learning inwardly and working outwardly, and that it is not intended to be an organization that, like a rigid shell, suffocates the good core it surrounds. The other letter comes from Paul Baumann, Stuttgart, and seems to have been written in a spirit that is already evident in a senile “youth,” but which the Youth Branch is supposed to overcome.

Instead, it seems necessary to me to create an association that arises spontaneously from an inner need, without “patrons” or “trusted representatives recognized by the board,” who could, after all, hinder lively development due to their senile character. This is not meant as a criticism of these two circulars. It is only meant to show that they do not contain the spirit that can carry the youth to the fulfillment of their mission: to be the bearers of the anthroposophical movement in the future and to bring about the renewal of spiritual life out of youthful feeling already now. But how can young people fulfill their mission if they are organized (2nd circular) or placed under guardianship, as Paul Baumann strives to do, despite all the good thoughts and fine words contained in his circular?

The following draft is intended to provide inspiration for the work that will make this mission possible:

Draft outline of the work in the Youth Branch!

The work in the Youth Branch should be carried out above all with a view to enabling young people to become the bearers of anthroposophically oriented spiritual science. In order to enable the members of the Youth Branch to do this, regular meetings adapted to local conditions should be held, with appropriate presentations and lectures and the active participation of the audience, to educate the participants in the spirit of spiritual science, especially to strengthen their will and to sharpen and develop their thinking and judgment.

Before the youth branch can make any kind of public appearance, it must have an energetic, knowledgeable core of personalities who are capable, on the one hand, of representing the spiritual scientific point of view in a concise and convincing manner in relation to the so-called exact sciences and, on the other hand, of showing people who have a genuine feeling for spiritual science but but are unable to express this feeling objectively in a logical and appropriate manner, and to show them the way to clear intellectual activity and an active mind.

Everyone must be aware that the future of the anthroposophical movement rests on me. I want to develop my abilities so that I am able to stand up for anthroposophically oriented spiritual science with my whole personality. Only when a trained group of personalities imbued with this consciousness has been created will it be possible to approach the circles of young people who are not yet involved in the anthroposophical movement and win them over to our cause. If we add ability to our will, then the struggle against the old way of thinking can be taken up everywhere.

If the work of the Youth Branch is carried out in this spirit, the outer form will emerge of its own accord. Those who are willing to participate in such work will find like-minded people. There will already be people in these youth circles who are capable of giving lectures and providing inspiration based on anthroposophically oriented spiritual science. If the young people cannot find their way forward with their own abilities, there will certainly be people among the older members who are willing to speak on a topic in the Youth Branch or to teach in an area determined by the Youth Branch.

A local group does not need a chairperson or similar, only a managing director who takes care of the purely business side of the local group. He or she is elected by at least seven members and can then join the head office. He or she remains managing director as long as he or she enjoys the confidence of at least seven members. The head office is responsible for bringing the individual local groups together and keeping them in contact. The chief executive is appointed by the spiritual headquarters – Dr. Steiner. The individual offices are responsible for arranging lectures, courses, renting premises, covering costs, registering members with the board of the Anthroposophical Society in Berlin and with the chief executive, etc.

If there are people who are not yet members of the Anthroposophical Society but who show a firm intention to work in the spirit described above, they may be admitted to the Youth Branch upon application. The work of the local group will then guarantee that the new member will work for our cause in the right spirit.

Depending on the expenses of the local groups, a contribution may be levied, part of which shall be paid to the head office to support its work.

Practical tips for successful work can be provided by each local group sending details of its individual work to the other local groups via the head office through its managing director. This constant communication allows us to learn from each other's successes and failures, what is necessary and what work is particularly effective.

This draft is only intended to provide inspiration for work. What could be considered organization in it is not intended as such, but is only meant to be a thread that conveys a common, purposeful unity of forces.

Anyone who is willing to work positively from this point of view is requested to send their agreement to the address below. It is to be hoped that young people will still be found who are not imbued with senility and who are willing to work in a purposeful striving for the renewal of spiritual life.

Ehrenfried Pfeiffer
Dornach near Basel, Haus Wendhof.