Topics

Topics

Internal Differences & World War

1925-1945

1925
The manifold cultural initiatives continue after Rudolf Steiner’s death and begin to spread internationally. Albert Steffen becomes president of the General Anthroposophical Society, giving it his stamp through his productivity as a writer until the early 1960s. There are Anthroposophical Societies in 15 countries.

1928
The second Goetheanum opens with a conference that attracts over 2000 participants.

1935
The Anthroposophical Society in Germany is banned by the National Socialists on November 1, 1935.

1935-1945
This ban and Switzerland’s war-induced isolation greatly restrict activities at the Goetheanum and worldwide. Seasonal and professional conferences are conducted at the Goetheanum during the war. Internal disagreements lead to the exclusion of some members, while Ita Wegman and Elisabeth Vreede are excluded from the Executive Council, with the result that the medical and curative education movements and large parts of the Dutch and British Anthroposophical Societies continue their work independently of the General Anthroposophical Society until the 1950s and 1960s.

1938
In addition to staging Rudolf Steiner’s mystery plays and plays by Albert Steffen, Marie Steiner stages Goethe’s unabridged Faust I and II – the world premiere in summer 1938. Scenes from it had already been presented at the Paris World Fair in 1937.