Elisabeth Vreede

Elisabeth Vreede: Adversity, Resilience, and Spiritual Science

Rudolf Steiner entrusted the Esoteric Section and the Mathematics and Astronomy Section at the Goetheanum in Dornach, Switzerland, to Elisabeth Vreede (1879–1943) because of her special abilities. He commented, “Miss. Vreede is one of the people who best understands my lectures.” Elisabeth Vreede was recognized as the “esoterically educated” member of Steiner’s governing body.

Nevertheless, in 1935 she was stripped of all her positions at the Goetheanum in Dornach and prevented from resuming them. Lili Kolisko wrote of her, “Dr. Elisabeth Vreede was a member of the Executive Council whose opinion was considered of very little or—one could almost say—no importance.” Herbert Hahn wrote to Elisabeth Vreede, “I feel we must thank your loyal custodial task and your unfailing enthusiasm for all of Anthroposophy for much, much more than we can grasp at this time.”

This book—employing numerous, previously unpublished documents dealing with tragic misunderstandings in the anthroposophical movement—offers testimony to the greatness of this singular individual.

This book was originally published in German as Elisabeth Vreede: 1879–1943 (Verlag des Ita Wegman Instituts, 2009).

C O N T E N T S:

Foreword

1. “All of Heaven seemed to be called down” (1879–1913):
The Way to Rudolf Steiner

2. “Dr. Steiner was very pleased with my lectures” (1914–1923)
Dornach

3. “Tested to the ultimate degree” (1924–1925):
The Christmas Conference and the Esoteric Executive Council

4. “Executive Council’s Idylls” (1925–1935):
The Decade after Rudolf Steiner’s Death

5. “May soul live in this house” (1935–1943):
The Final Years

Appendices:

Elisabeth Vreede: The Christmas and Michael Impulses:
Lecture at the Opening of the Second Goetheanum, 1928

Elisabeth Vreede: Isis–Sophia, Christmas Essay, 1928

About the Author

Peter Selg was born in 1963 in Stuttgart and studied medicine in Witten-Herdecke, Zurich, and Berlin. Until 2000, he worked as the head physician of the juvenile psychiatry department of Herdecke hospital in Germany. Dr. Selg is now director of the Ita Wegman Institute for Basic Research into Anthroposophy (Arlesheim, Switzerland) and professor of medicine at the Alanus University of Arts and Social Sciences (Germany). He lectures extensively and is the author of numerous books, many of which have been published in English.

Marsha Post is senior editor, translator, and Waldorf and adult education coordinator for SteinerBooks. While living in New York City, she was a leader in the Anthroposophical Society branch. She also served on the General Council of the Anthroposophical Society.