---
ga: 277
title: "Notes on the Development of Eurythmy"
words: 444
---
# The Origin and Development of Eurythmy 1912–1918

## GA 277a — London

### Notes on the Development of Eurythmy (London, May 1914)

*Lory Maier-Smits, notes from 1965*

During these days in Berlin, Mr. Harry Collison, the head of the London branch, came to see my mother and me and told us that he had spoken to Dr. Steiner about his desire to bring eurythmy to England, and that Dr. Steiner had responded very favorably, emphasizing that “he considered it highly desirable and that he should immediately arrange a date for these courses with Miss Smits.”

This took place in May 1914. It had not been possible before then because such a strong demand for eurythmy had arisen that the period from the end of January to April was already filled with courses in Berlin and Kassel. Mr. Collison had not only asked for courses in London, but also for small weekly performances in front of an invited audience, i.e., not only for members. These performances were made possible because, in addition to myself, Elisabeth Dollfus-Baumann, Flossie von Sonklar-Leinhas, and a younger sister of mine [Ada Smits] were asked and invited by Mr. Collison to accompany him, and we were able to prepare for these performances at Haus Meer in April and work out at least two English poems. Otherwise, our program consisted largely of German texts and a newly developed musical experiment, Beethoven's “Ecossaisen,” which we had ventured to perform and which, in terms of time, formed an essential part of the program. Mr. Collison also came to see us before our departure and helped me translate Rudolf Steiner's Bottminger notes into English, which was not so easy. But based on this, I was able to venture to give the lessons in English. And then we all traveled together to England, lovingly looked after by Mr. Collison for the whole month of May.

After our return at the beginning of June, similar training work to that in winter began again at home, in which some non-German ladies, a Russian woman and two young English women also wanted to participate, but one of them no longer dared to travel to and stay in Germany because of the already very unsettled mood in England at that time. Then the situation became increasingly threatening, Munich was canceled, and war broke out, making all further work impossible for the time being. Once again, I was completely on my own for months. Because of our Belgian citizenship, we were not allowed to take in people who were not members of our family in our house on the left bank of the Rhine, nor was I allowed to travel.