1910 Annual Report for the German Section of the Theosophical Society
Translated by Marie Steiner for the thirty-fifth Anniversary and Convention of the T.S., 1910
To the President, TS: - With the expression of heartiest respect and with fraternal greetings, I have the honor to submit to you the Annual Report of the Theosophical Society in Germany. In the course of the present year the Theosophical cause in Germany has made again very satisfactory progress. 3 new Lodges have been founded, and the work in the old Lodges has been continued in such a way, that old members could penetrate more and more deeply into Theosophical Science and life, whilst younger members had the possibility of building up Theosophical knowledge and feeling from the bottom. The number of listeners at our public lectures has been increasing steadily, so that it may be said the Theosophical movement in Germany succeeds in producing a favourable impression upon the outer world and in awakening comprehension also in those who do not yet belong to the Society. New Lodges have been founded in Görlitz, Vienna, Klagenfurt. The total number of Lodges is now 47, and 3 Centres. 522 members have joined the Section during the year, 8 have died, 63 have dropped or resigned, 1 has passed to another Section. The net increase amounts to 450. The effective number of members at the last Convention of the Section (end of October) was 1950.
This year too, the lecture-work of Dr. Rudolf Steiner has been continued with activity. Higher problems indeed could be treated in the Lodges, thanks to the preparatory work of former years. The outlook of occult sciences in the most various directions has been widened. In Order to give the necessary solidity to the treatment of the subjects, not only single lectures were given, but, just as in former years, lecture-series. Such series of lectures have taken place this year in Vienna, Hamburg, Munich, and Berne. They were found so useful that Theosophical friends from abroad arranged them this year, as they did in previous years. They took place in Stockholm, Copenhagen, Christiania. It was possible for Dr. Steiner to lecture again during his short stay in Italy, in Milan, Rome and Palermo. The lecture-series which Dr. Steiner gave in Munich in August was preceded as last year by the performance of Ed. Schuré's drama, The Children of Lucifer. This year we could bring forth not only the repetition of this drama, but could risk the performance of Dr. Steiner’s Rosicrucian Mystery-Drama, The Portals of Initiation. Again the whole scenic work was done by members of our Society (painters, sculptors, etc.), and the acting itself was entrusted to members alone. The scenic management was directed again by Dr. Steiner himself. It would be impossible to mention the names of all those who worked with devotion at these performances, the preparation of which «behind the stage» took many weeks. Only the principal actors shall be mentioned: Frl. Waller, Frl. v. Sivers, Herr Doser, Dr. Peipers and Herr Seiling had the principal parts in Dr. Steiner’s drama. The painters, Herr Volckert, Herr Hass, Herr Linde, worked at the decorations, and Frl. v. Eckardstein’s genial artistic many-sidedness came to expression in scenic pictures, where particular stress was put upon plastic art and the effect of colors. Countess Kalckreuth and Frl. Stinde deserve special thanks, as their selflessly devoted activity alone makes such an enterprise possible. Particular thanks are deserved by Mr. Ad. Arenson, who made the profoundly impressive music for the mystery play.
The activity of members in lecturing and holding classes, progressed also in a healthy way. Lecture-work is done by Dr. Unger, whose philosophic thought-work is put in a self-dependent way into the Service and for the great benefit of the Theosophical movement; it was done by Frl. v. Sivers, Frau Wolfram, Frau Wandrey, Herr Walther, Herr G. Wagner, Frau v. Reden, Herr M. Bauer, Herr Adolf Arenson, Herr Schwab, Frl. Völker, Frau ReifBusse, Herr v. Rainer, Frl. Stinde, Frau v. Gumppenberg, Frau Peelen, Frl. Scholl and others.
The work in the «Rooms for Art and Music,» which was described in the last Report, has been continued, and in Stuttgart and Berlin new Rooms have been opened.
The Magazine, Luzifer - Gnosis, edited by Dr. Steiner, cannot be continued regularly by reason of the overburdening of the editor with work in the service of the Society, but it gains in expansion, because new editions of the old numbers are continually made. It is hoped that it will soon be possible to issue new numbers. The affairs of the Section are dealt with in the Mitteilungen, edited by Frl. Scholl.
The Convention of the Section was largely attended, and took place on the 29th, 30th, and 31st of October, in Berlin. It was followed by a series of lectures delivered by Dr. Rudolf Steiner, on «Psychosophy,» and attended by nearly all members who had come to the Convention. We therefore can look forward with good hopes to the New Year. We send the warmest greetings to our revered President and to the brothers in India.
Dr. Rudolf Steiner,
General Secretary.