To the Members of the Executive Board of the German Section of the Theosophical Society

You will recall that at the last General Assembly, a decision was made to take over the “Theosophical Library”, formerly associated with the “German Theosophical Society”, for the Section.

When we were approached with this proposal by the previous owners, no further conditions were attached.

However, Mr. Paul Krojanker, representing Mr. Graf von Brockdorff, has now confidentially presented me with the following conditions. I would like to note in advance that Mr. Graf von Brockdorff is the representative of the previous owners.

The conditions are as follows:

1) The library shall become the property of the German Section of the Theosophical Society (Adyar), although Graf von Brockdorff, or his representative, shall remain co-owner in such a way that if the Section decides at any time and for any reason that it no longer wishes to maintain the library, ownership shall revert to the aforementioned.

2) The library's headquarters remain in Berlin.

3) The library should be as public as possible.

4) The library is managed by a library commission, which publishes an annual report. It is desirable that this commission include members from the external branches.

5) A capital of 1000 Marks is being handed over with the library, which is to be used only for the purposes of the library, but not for rent and salaries.

It is Count Brockdorff's wish that the writer of this (Mr. Krojanker) should be active in the library commission.

Now I would like to make a proposal to the esteemed board: we simply reject these conditions and declare that we are willing to take over the library and manage it if no further conditions are attached to the transfer, that is, if the board is left entirely to its own devices as to how the library is managed. Of course, the library's capital of 1000M is also part of the library.

Firstly, we did indeed make the decision at the general assembly under this condition. And secondly, we will not get out of the unclear ownership and even more unclear administrative situation if we agree to a half-measure, as proposed to us.

I request that you share your opinion on the matter with me so that I can continue the formal negotiations. Once the ownership structure has been organized, I will take the liberty of making further proposals regarding the establishment, administration, etc. of the library.

With theosophical greetings
signed Dr. Rudolf Steiner