Documentary Material
1. Adolf Hitler about Rudolf
Steiner and Three-folding
“In
the course of the London affair, there gradually emerged such
mysterious circumstances that it has become not only expedient
but indeed necessary to look somewhat more closely at this
Minister [Simons], the intimate friend of the Gnostic and
Anthroposophist Rudolf Steiner, follower of Three-folding of
the Social Organism and whatever all these Jewish methods of
destroying the normal frame of mind of the people are called:
to see whether that mindless face, as Lloyd George described
it, is really just the result of a deficient intellect, or if
it is the mask behind which something else is concealed ...
[He continues with a protest against Simon's
political activity, and particularly the movement to disarm the
German people] ... And who is the driving force behind all
this devilishness? The Jew! Friend of Doctor Rudolf Steiner,
the friends of Simons, the ‘mindless’ ...”
Adolf
Hitler, Staatsmaenner oder Nationalverbrecher (“Men of the State
or National Criminals”), in: Voelkischer Beobachter, 35Jg., 15
March 1921, S.2. (original German text)
2. Prohibition of the
Anthroposophical Society in Germany, November 1, 1935
“Prussian Secret Police, Berlin, November 1, 1935.
The deputy chief (stell. Chef) and Inspector
II 1 B 2 69121/766 L/35.
Regarding: the Anthroposophical Society.
In
accordance with paragraph 1 of the decree of 2.28.1933 for the
Protection of People and State, issued by the President of the
Reich, I hereby dissolve the Anthroposophical Society within
the territory of the German Reich, effective immediately. The
organization's properties are to be confiscated. The
re-establishment of the Society, as well as the creation of
undercover successor organizations, is forbidden under threat
of the penalties described in paragraph 4 of the above-named
decree.
Grounds: According to its historical development, the
Anthroposophical Society is internationally oriented and even
today continues to maintain close contacts to foreign
freemasons, Jews and pacifists. The methods of teaching
developed by its founder, Steiner, and followed in the
anthroposophical schools still existing today follow an
individualistic and human-oriented education, which has nothing
in common with principles of national socialistic education. As
a result of its opposition to the National Socialistic idea of
Volk (Voelkische Gedanke), the continued activity of the
Anthroposophical Society imposes the danger of injuring the
National Socialistic state.
The
organization is therefore to be dissolved on account of its
subversive character and the danger it poses to the public.
sig.
in absentia, Heydrich.
BAK
(German Federal Archives) R.43 II/822 (original German
text)
3. Dr. J.W. Hauer on Waldorf
Schools
“[...]
To briefly summarize my judgement: Every undertaking and
activity of anthroposophy necessarily arises out of the
anthroposophical world view. The anthroposophical world view is
in its most important points directly opposed to national
socialism. Therefore, schools which are built out of the
anthroposophical world view and led by anthroposophists mean
danger to true German education, particularly through the
relation of the anthroposophical communities to
Dörnach, the international center of anthroposophy,
in which Jews also play an important role, or at any rate have
played until the present. A survey of the teachers and leaders
of the individual Waldorf Schools in Germany before the [Nazi]
takeover indicates clearly that the Jewish impact was important
in the German anthroposophical communities and schools.”
Prof.
Dr. J.W. Hauer, in an internal report for the Secret Service,
Stuttgart on February 7, 1935. BAP R 4901-3285 (original German
text)
4. From “Report on Waldorf
Schools” and “Report on Rudolf Steiner and Philosophy”
by Alfred Bauemler
The
understanding of man (.Menschenkunde) which underlies
Waldorf education contain deep and correct insights, which R.
Steiner derived mostly from his exceedingly fruitful study of
Goethe's writings on natural science. The National Socialistic
understanding of man can only be derived from race. To the
extent to which race is a reality of nature, it could appear
that already in the point of departure there lay an essential
correlation between Rudolf Steiner's understanding of man, and
that of National Socialism: Steiner departs from the formative
forces of Nature and bases school-education on the development
of natural forces. One might thereby call his education
“biologically” founded. However, if one were to attempt to
introduce the concept of race as we understand it into this
biological foundation, it would explode Steiner's understanding
of man. This is because National Socialism departs from the
reality of blood, and from the differences that exist
between groups of people of differing blood. We grasp these
differences not only biologically/anthropologically, but
primarily historically, in that we turn our attention to
those things which people of varying blood-heritage have
produced and developed: the cities, works of art, inventions,
scientific systems, etc. Rudolf Steiner's understanding of man
has no access to this historical thinking derived from
knowledge of the reality of race. The position occupied in our
world view by the man determined by the forces of race is
occupied in the world view of Rudolf Steiner by the Spirit of
Man, sovereign over all history. The thought of Rudolf Steiner
is not biological-racist, but biological-cosmic.”
Alfred
Bauemler, Report on Waldorf Schools, 1937, in: Achim
Leschinsky, “Waldorf Schools in National Socialism”, Neue
Sammlung, May/June 1983, p.280. (original German
text)
“Steiner is not only an epigone of idealistic philosophy, but
he builds upon the philosophy of the intellect (spirit) in a
decided manner. The fateful turning point occurs through the
fact that Steiner replaces the theory of heredity with a
different, positive theory. He does not simply overlook the
biological reality, but rather consciously converts it to its
opposite. Anthroposophy is one of the most consequent
antibiological systems in existence.” (p.401)
“Objectives of pedagogical activity: According to the basic
assumptions of anthroposophy, these objectives can only be
humanistic, and not based on race or ethnic group.” (p.403)
Alfred Bauemler, Report on Rudolf Steiner and Philosophy, 1938,
in: Uwe Werner, Anthroposophen in der Zeit der Nationalsozialismus
1933-1945, Muenchen, 1999, p. 401, 403. (original German text)
5. “Anthroposophy and its
Associated Institutions”
“Die
Anthroposophie und ihre Zweckverbaende. Bericht unter
Verwendung von Ergebnissen der Aktion gegen Geheimlehren und
sogenannte Geheimwissenschaften vom 5. Juni 1941.” RSHA ca.
Oktober 1941. (“Anthroposophy and its Associated Institutions.
Report applying evidence from the Operation against Secret
Teachings and so called Occult Sciences of June 5, 1941.” RSHA,
ca. October 1941)

A b s c h r i f t
Berlin, 1.November 1935
Geheime
preussische Staatspolizei
Berlin, 1.November 1935
(ausgehändigt 12.November)
Betrifft
Anthroposophische Gesellschaft
Auf Grund des
§ 1 der V.O. des Herrn Reichspräsidenten zum Schutze von Volk
und Staat vom 28.2.1933 löse ich mit sofortiger Wirkung die im
Gebiete des deutschen Reiches bestehende Anthroposophische Gesellschaft
auf. Das Vermögen der Organisation wird beschlagnahmt. Die
Neu-Gründung der Gesellschaft sowie die Schaffung getarnter
Nachfolgeorganisationen wird bei Androhung der Folgen aus § 4
dieser Verordnung verboten.
Gründe!
Nach der
geschichtlichen Entwicklung der Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft
ist diese international eingestellt und unterhält auch heute noch
Beziehungen zu ausländischen Freimaurern, Juden und Pazifisten.
Die auf der Pädagogik des Gründers Steiner
aufgebauten und in den heute noch bestehenden anthroposophischen
Schulen angewandten Unterrichtsmethoden verfolgen eine
individualistische, nach dem Einzelmenschen ausgerichtete
Erziehung, die nichts mit den nationalsozialistischen
Erziehungsgrund-sä¤tzen gemein hat. Infolge ihres Gegensatzes zu
dem vom Nationalsozialismus vertretenen völkischen Gedanken
besteht die Gefahr, dass durch die weitere Tätigkeit der
Anthroposophischen Gesellschaft die Belange des national-sozialistischen
Staates geschädigt werden.
Die
Organisation ist daher wegen ihres staatsfeindlichen und
staatsgefährdenden Charakters aufzulösen.
I.V. Heydrich
Stempel. Beglaubigt : gez. Bosse
Kanzleiangestellte
[For the English translation of this letter, see
Note 2, above]

