Brief Report on the Vienna Conference

GA 277d — 5 October 1923

Words of Introduction before the Lecture

The conference in Vienna that I have just come from went very satisfactorily. Two public lectures were held on September 26 and 29, which were very well attended: the first lecture on Anthroposophy as a contemporary challenge, the second lecture on the moral-religious significance of Anthroposophy. I was then able to give four branch lectures at the conference, in which I dealt in particular with the relationship between anthroposophy and the human soul, incorporating some of the material that has already been discussed here from a wide variety of perspectives: the significance and possible renewal of the Feast of St. Michael.

Then, on Sunday, September 30th, there was a very well-attended eurythmy performance at the Vienna New City Theater. The success of this eurythmy performance has given rise to the fact that next Sunday, the day after tomorrow, another such eurythmy performance will take place in Vienna. The eurythmy performances have also been given a further impetus by the fact that just this evening, while I am speaking to you here, one is taking place in Gmunden in the Salzkammergut. It is possible that other eurythmy performances will follow in Austria.

On Monday, October 1, a meeting of the Austrian members of the Anthroposophical Society took place. The Austrian Anthroposophical Society will now join the other national societies, so that the Austrian Anthroposophical Society will also be present among the national societies at the founding of the International Anthroposophical Society at Christmas in Dornach.

On Tuesday evening, thanks to the extremely valuable suggestion of Dr. Wegman, our medical friend Dr. Glas in Vienna was able to give a lecture and hold a very detailed discussion with a number of Viennese doctors, scientists and medical students at the home of Mr. van Leer. We can already say that just like the similar one in London at the beginning of September, went very well, so we can hope that a lot can be done for this medical-therapeutic side of anthroposophical endeavor.