# 50. Goethe Days in Weimar

*Report on the 13th general meeting of the German Goethe Society*

In the previous issue, I spoke about the speech given by Kuno Fischer in memory of Grand Duchess Sophie of Saxony, who died in March. This speaker's remarks were beautifully illustrated the following day at the General Assembly of the Goethe Society. Prof. Bernhard Suphan, the director of the Goethe and Schiller Archive, explained how the deceased had taken care of the future of Goethe's manuscript estate and the other literary treasures that had been added to Goethe's papers in recent years. It has understood the mission in the highest meaning of the word, which has fallen to it through the legacy of Goethe's last descendant. It has been ensured for all time that the Weimar Literary Archive will be preserved in a worthy manner and made available for the purposes of German literary studies. The Grand Duchess has made her archive an inalienable family legacy of the Grand Ducal House of Weimar. In future, the head of the family will always be the respective owner of the legacy. He will have to ensure that science derives the appropriate benefit from it. The next heir to the archive is the present Hereditary Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst. In her will, the Grand Duchess speaks in words that arise from full realization of the obligations she has assumed with the archive. Suphan's messages made a deep impression on the gathering. It is now known what the fate of the literary treasures kept in Weimar will be.

After Suphan's remarks, the chairman of the Goethe Society spoke of the recent growth of the Goethe National Museum. A portrait from the beginning of this century or the end of the previous one deserves special mention. Neither the painter of the picture nor the person portrayed have survived. But anyone who has seen the picture in the Goethe House will have no doubt that Ruland is right in thinking that it depicts Mrs. Rat at an advanced age. The features of Goethe's mother are unmistakable. Another interesting novelty is a number of Goethe's drawings from the estate of the French Countess Vaudreuil, which her grandchildren donated to the Goethe House. The countess once lived in Weimar and was a friend of Goethe's house. She received the drawings from the poet.

The Weimar Court Theater did its utmost to enrich the content of this year's celebration. Before Kuno Fischer's speech, the Adagio from Beethoven's Trio (op. 96), arranged for orchestra by Franz Liszt, was performed by members of the Court Opera under the direction of the aged General Music Director Ed. Lassen, followed by the final movement from the Mass by the same composer (in C, op. 86). On the 8th there was a performance of Gluck's opera "Orpheus and Eurydice" under Bernhard Stavenhagen's excellent direction and with the ladies Fräulein Hofmann (Orpheus) and Frau Stavenhagen (Eurydice), which made a strong impression on the audience. On the 9th, the theater offered visitors Shakespeare's "Winter's Tale" staged by Karl Weiser and performed in the leading roles by Miss Richard (Hermione) and Karl Weiser (Leontes).

*The following is a reprint of contributions by Rudolf Steiner that were inadvertently not included in the first edition of this volume.*

One of the events that brings life to quiet Weimar every year is the Goethe Festival, which has been held there annually since 1885. The members of the community, which bears the name "Deutsche Goethegesellschaft" (German Goethe Society), gather every time the Whitsun days have passed to refresh Goethe's memory. This year, the death of Grand Duchess Sophie of Saxony on March 23rd made it impossible to hold the festival in the spring. This woman had previously been the soul of the Goethe Day. She considered it a serious duty to cultivate the memory of Goethe in a worthy manner since she came into possession of Goethe's estate through the poet's grandson Walter. She built a splendid house for this treasure; she did everything she thought necessary to make the stay of the Goethe friends who came to Weimar more pleasant. Several months had to pass before the management of the Goethe Society could decide to celebrate the Goethe Day without this woman. The first Goethe Day, which she was no longer able to attend, was to be held in connection with a worthy memorial service for the Grand Duchess. The boards of the Goethe Society, the Goethe and Schiller Archive, the Schiller Foundation, the Shakespeare Society and the Weimar Court Theatre joined forces to organize the celebration. It took place on October 8 and 9.

*Kuno Fischer*, the philosopher of beautiful speech, was called upon to present a picture of the deceased woman to the mourners. He deserved the floor on this day. For he has been on the most friendly terms with the court of Weimar for years. He knows the Grand Duchess's way of thinking like few others. And he has an attitude and a view of life that enable him to appreciate a woman who derived all the strength for her work from her view of the profession of a princess. You have to be as conservative as he was to see into this woman's soul; you have to have as much of a religious view of life as he did if you want to show how the deceased's deeds flowed from a pious, godly emotional life. Something of the belief in the divine grace of God could be felt in Kuno Fischer's speech. In a certain sense, he believes in powers that control the destiny of people who are placed on princely heights. The aged historian of philosophy obviously feels very comfortable in the air of the court, he wears the title of Excellency with satisfaction and he likes to pin on the medals that princely favor has bestowed on him. He derived his character from the traditions of the House of Orange, from which the Princess descends. She is a true member of this house, who has translated the saying of the Oranians: "Je maintiendrai" into the German words: "Dominion over oneself is the prerequisite for any activity and for the serious, conscientious execution of assumed duties." The deceased was Dutch to the core. And the German literature of the classical period was dear to her because she found so much of the Dutch spirit she was familiar with in it. After all, Goethe and Schiller made Dutch heroes and their deeds the reproach of several of their poems. Kuno Fischer explained the Grand Duchess's peculiarity as a result of a misguided upbringing and a good school of life. In childhood she was taught things from which she learned how the world is not and how it cannot be influenced. Her upbringing was largely self-education. Her energy, her sense of purpose grew out of the history of her home.

Kuno Fischer is no longer the great orator he once was. If he still had the oratorical power at his disposal that was once his own, he would have instilled the soul of every listener with the solemn mood from which his speech arose. The tones that were heard only told of the deep affection he had for his deceased wife, but they sounded dull. This time the speech was not in harmony with the sentiment and warmth of feeling.

The speech was preceded by the Adagio from Beethoven's Trio, which Liszt arranged for orchestra (opus 96). It was followed by the final movement of the Mass in C by the same composer (op. 86). These pieces were performed by members of the Court Opera under Lassen's direction.

On October 9, the actual Goethe Assembly took place. The participants were particularly interested in the announcements made by Prof. Bernhard Suphan about Grand Duchess Sophie's decree. She has secured the existence of the Goethe and Schiller Archive, which she founded, for all time and ensured that its treasures will be as fruitful as possible for German literary studies. The valuable manuscripts and the house in which they are kept form an inalienable family fideicommissary of the Grand Ducal House of Weimar. In future, the owner will always be the respective head of the house. Initially, the archive will become the property of Hereditary Grand Duke Wilhelm Ernst. The owner is obliged to ensure the worthy preservation and appropriate utilization of the papers. Kuno Fischer's speech was given a significant illustration by these messages from Bernhard Suphan. The Grand Duchess has shown that she has been able to fulfill the mission entrusted to her by Walter von Goethe's will in the most beautiful way imaginable. Dr. Ruland made interesting announcements about additions to the Goethe National Museum. First of all, there is a painting that was created at the end of the last century or at the beginning of the present century. There is no record of who painted the picture or who it depicts. Anyone who has looked at it in Goethe's house will have to agree with Ruland that it probably depicts Mrs. Rath, Goethe's mother, in old age. Her features and those of Goethe speak to us from it. Another piece of news are the hand drawings by Goethe which the grandchildren of the French Countess Vaudreuil have donated to the Goethe National Museum. This woman, who once lived in Weimar, frequented Goethe's house and received the drawings from Goethe.

The usual lunch took place in the afternoon. This time it was quieter than in previous years. People were under the impression of the loss they had suffered. Privy Privy Councillor Dr. Ruland expressed the painful feelings about this loss in his toast to the Grand Ducal House. Karl von Stremayr, the Minister of Education of the Austrian second ministry Auersperg, spoke beautiful words. His speech had a beneficial effect because it flowed from a heart that had preserved the old good German-Austrian spirit in the gloomy times that have now befallen the Germans of Austria. Professor Oncken from Giessen touched on political circumstances in a less than tactful manner in a subsequent toast to the ladies. Julius Rodenberg, Karl Frenzel, Erich Schmidt, Freiligrath's daughter, Lina Schneider, Professor Minor and Otto Erich Hartleben were among us at the banquet.

The Court Theater heightened the significance of the celebration with two performances. On the 8th, Gluck's "Orpheus and Euridice" was performed under Stavenhagen's excellent direction and with the ladies Hofmann (Orpheus) and Agnes Stavenhagen (Euridice); on the 9th, Shakespeare's "Winter's Tale" was staged by Karl Weiser and performed by Miss Richard (Hermione) and Weiser (Leontes) in the leading roles.

When the official festivities are over, the "Goethe guests" gather in the magnificent "old smithy", which the Grand Duke gave to the Weimar artists and in which they have set up a comfortable artists' home. The longest Goethe meetings take place here. The oldest gentlemen do not leave these cozy rooms before dawn; and when they have grown tired, the younger Goethe community stays together for a long time. Our dear friend Otto Erich Hartleben then takes matters into his own hands; and he never leads the crowd that joins him out into the darkness of the night.