11. To Rudolf Ronsperger

My dear friend!

It gave me great pleasure to learn from your kind letter that, guided by the original Gervinus, you have advanced to one of the universal ideas of our great and beloved Schiller. I only wish that this acquaintance might pour the fire of devoted love into your soul, so that you may immerse yourself in the thoughts of that hero of ideas himself. You will see that all those ideas that lived in the ancient Greek people have blossomed anew in the German people and put the most satisfying words into the mouths of everyone who is capable of rising to these ideas: Germanism is a repetition of Hellenism; and when the German name has faded away, when all our singers have “rested in the sand,” our thinkers will long since have passed away, then the younger generations will have to absorb our culture, our ideas, if they do not want to fall behind their ancestors.

The realization of Schiller's thoughts, which you found in Gervinus, is not the responsibility of one man, but of the state. It was Gervinus's idea to create this totality in the German people when he wrote his works, but also when he discussed contemporary political issues with Uhland, Arndt, Haupt, Lachmann, Dahlmann, Falk, Jac. and Wilh. Grimm, Lappenberg, Ranke, et al. in Frankfurt and Lübeck on contemporary political issues, as well as when he conferred in Heidelberg with Welker, v. Gagern, etc., etc., etc., on the magnificent efforts toward unity in Germany, and on many other occasions. In short, if you believe that Gervinus expected the creation of that totality from beautiful or philosophical literature, you are mistaken; according to him, this is just as much a matter for the parliaments as it is for the educators of the people. Literature to produce that totality, you are mistaken; according to him, this is as much a matter for parliaments as it is for educators of the people. Much has already been achieved, though not here, of course. As far as worldview is concerned, we must leave the matter alone for the time being; when you are able to think more calmly, the opportunity will be much more favorable. For now, just accept the following image. A blind man and a sighted man go together to an art gallery; if the latter has no aesthetic talent, they will both leave equally satisfied; but if he does, he will have seen a small universe—and to put it bluntly: one only finds something in the world when one is looking for it. This search does not begin at the age of seventy, but with the first stirrings of the mind—so do not be too anxious about the struggle with reality; I am very sorry that you did not tell me about your new plan; I take a great interest in your endeavors. Please do so, I beg you, as soon as possible.

During my studies of peasant philosophy, I became aware of a fact that I found most interesting. A few years ago, there lived in Minkendorf near Laxenburg a schoolmaster named Wurth, who was certainly one of the most ambitious of his kind. He was active as a writer in many fields and rendered many services to true science. I cannot resist sharing a couple of his verses with you to see what you think of them.

He wrote the following poem on the death of his little son:

"There is a little hill in the cemetery,
Which I love dearly;
When I think of this little hill,
My eyes grow dim.
My eyes grow dim and my heart heavy,
So that it almost crushes me.
For this little hill holds
What makes me so happy!
This little precious grave
Encloses my dear little son.
My little Ernst lies there,
My child, my little angel!"

Or:

How, when the golden rays of the spring sun
Flow in gentle warmth upon the earth,
Greet the woods and fields with a mild breath,
The beautiful flowers sprout without number; And like the song of birds from mountain and valley,
Awoken by spring, pours out into the universe
And springs and streams kissed by the mouth of love
Sing softly murmuring through the hall of creation.
So, O Heiligenkreuz, you precious gem!
My heart has opened up in springtime. In the mild sunshine of your love.

Many a flower has sprouted from it. And many a song that lay dormant in a deep shrine poured forth from a heart warmed by love. —

This is, I believe, a quite commendable achievement for a village schoolteacher. Think what this man might have accomplished if his education had enabled him to absorb the highest ideas that moved our classical age. I mention this only as an interesting curiosity.

I was talking about the study of peasant philosophy. This may surprise you, but I assure you that not everything peasants think is the result of sermons, etc. The rural population has its own convictions of an ethical, theoretical, and even aesthetic nature, which are very interesting in themselves.—

Finally, I repeat the congratulations I expressed wholeheartedly at the door of the Ministry of Education; I am as pleased as you are about the favorable outcome of your request. Once again, from the bottom of my heart: good luck! I almost forgot that my dear friend A. L. published your prologue; perhaps you would be able to send me a couple of copies (two or three). It will probably not be possible now, but it can always be done in October when we meet again.

I must close, as I am already quite confused today. Please excuse this and reply soon to your

ever unchanged
Rudolf Steiner.

NB. Please take into account, due to other delays in the delivery of letters to me, the address already noted last time:

Rudolf Steiner - Oberlaa near Vienna.

Source: Original (7 pages, 2 double sheets), RSA; gift from Christoph Koller, Bern (2010), from the estate of Rudolf Koller, Zurich; print: GA 38 (1985), pp. 22-26; reply to letter dated: before Aug. 3, 1881 (not available); replied on: before Aug. 10, 1881 (not available) People and institutions: Georg Gottfried Gervinus; Friedrich Schiller; Ludwig Uhland; Ernst Moritz Arndt; Moritz Haupt; Karl Lachmann; Friedrich Christoph Dahlmann; Adalbert Falk; Jakob Grimm; Wilhelm Grimm; Johann Martin Lappenberg; Leopold von Ranke; Carl Theodor Welcker; Heinrich von Gagern; Johann Wurth; k. k. Ministry of Culture and Education in Vienna; Albert Löger Places: Frankfurt am Main; Lübeck; Heidelberg; Münchendorf; Laxenburg; Oberlaa; Vienna