Fri, 27 Jun 2008

In defence of Rudolf Steiner

By NNA correspondent Wolfgang G. Voegele

DORNACH (NNA) - In response to recent campaigns against Rudolf Steiner and the Waldorf schools, Walter Kugler, director of the Steiner Archive in Dornach, Switzerland, has revised, retitled and republished his book “Demonising Steiner” (Feindbild Steiner) which first appeared seven years ago.

“Rudolf Steiner as some see him and others perceive him” is the new title of the 128-page volume, which is set to correct a range of false judgements and also offers insiders some new information.

The chapter “Steiner versus anti-semitism” is one section that has been revised and enlarged. Here Kugler shows how much Steiner’s comments – which cause such offence to modern critics – were wholly in line with debates common at the time about the assimilation of the Jews.

For example, reflecting on the nineteenth century the Jewish historian Michæl A. Meyer wrote in 1994: “Judaism had lost its justification because it had no intrinsic content enabling it to survive over time […] According to Hegel, Judaism had ceased to possess any world-historical importance.” This is precisely the same perspective from which Steiner assessed the situation of liberal Judaism. The reader learns that similar ideas had governed the work of the “Association for Jewish Culture and Science” which was founded in Berlin as long ago as 1819.

According to Kugler, critics have also entirely overlooked Steiner’s articles in the “Journal Against Anti-Semitism” (“Zeitschrift zur Abwehr des Antisemitismus”).

A completely new chapter in the book is entitled “Occultism: Source of the Sciences” which, in line with academic studies on esotericism, shows that western esotericism and modern science have a common origin. A sentence by the well-known American scientist and journalist Russell W. Davenport – “Steiner is no more a mystic than Einstein; he was first and foremost a scientist, but one who dared penetrate the secrets of life” – is still as topical as ever.

Another new addition to the book is a section citing commentators who see Steiner as one of the twentieth century’s greatest lateral thinkers. These quotations come from renowned writers, art academics and museum directors.

The core of the book remains largely the same however. It points to important facts in Steiner’s biography that critics have overlooked or intentionally ignored. A new arrangement and better print quality of illustrations also enhance the volume’s attractiveness.

The cover depicts a wave rolling on the shore, as symbol for the rhythmically recurring attacks on Rudolf Steiner and anthroposophy which, at regular intervals over the past hundred years, have been launched by opponents in an effort to defame Steiner and render him the object of public disapproval. The fact that public interest in objective accounts is increasing has not hindered them in their undertaking.

In his foreword to the expanded edition, Kugler writes that his hope for the original edition published in 2000 was that public perception of Steiner would gradually become more factual. There had been no lack information from among the ranks of the anthroposophical movement.

But a certain type of critic, says Kugler, is not really interested in clarification and objectivity. This was thoroughly clear from occurrences such as false media reports, for instance in the Frankfurter Sonntagßeitung newspaper in July 2007, or the application to have some works by Steiner put on a list of proscribed publications that pose a risk to young people. What is really going on is still shrouded in darkness, writes Kugler, but he suspects that the aim of such activities is to cast the Waldorf schools in a bad light.

The Frankfurter Sonntagßeitung printed an entirely false report which implied that tendencies to violence in Waldorf schools were greater than at state schools. The paper never published a correction.

Kugler does not specifically name one of the fiercest opponents, Michæl Grandt – who lodged a formal complaint against the authority which had dismissed the application to blacklist Steiner.

Ten years ago, already, the brothers Guido and Michæl Grandt published their “Black Book of Anthroposophy” in the attempt to conflate Rudolf Steiner with satanism in the public’s perception. Fortunately this did not succeed, thanks to pro-active publicity work by the anthroposophical movement. Michæl Grandt has now announced publication of a new book in the autumn, issued by a well-known publisher with links to the Evangelical Church in Germany. This is said to be a companion volume, a “Black Book” to attack the Waldorf schools.

Thus the next round of anthro- and Waldorf bashing is imminent. Kugler’s revised book has therefore appeared with perfect timing.

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Walter Kugler: “Rudolf Steiner. Wie manche ihn sehen und andere wahrnehmen”. Stuttgart: Verlag Freies Geistesleben 2008. 128 pages, EUR 9.90, CHF 18.90

Item: 080627-01DE Date: 27 June 2008

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