General Anthroposophical Society Annual Report 2001 Contents General Anthroposophical Society The General Anthroposophical Society ................................................................................................... 3 The Society World-wide ........................................................................................................................ 3 The Annual Theme for 2002/03 ............................................................................................................. 4 School of Spiritual Science The Sections General Anthroposophical Section.......................................................................................................... 5 Section for Mathematics and Astronomy ................................................................................................ 6 Medical Section .................................................................................................................................... 6 Science Section and Agriculture Department .......................................................................................... 7 Pedagogical Section.............................................................................................................................. 9 Art Section ..........................................................................................................................................10 Section for the Spiritual Striving of Youth ..............................................................................................11 Section for the Arts of Eurythmy, Speech, Drama and Music...................................................................11 Section for the Literary Arts and Humanities..........................................................................................13 Section for Social Sciences .................................................................................................................13 Goetheanum Departments and Facilities at the Goetheanum ............................................................................15 Finances, Accounting and Budget Treasurer's Report ...........................................................................................................................17 Review of the year 2001 ......................................................................................................................17 Prospects for 2002 ..............................................................................................................................17 Annual Accounts (2001) of the General Anthroposophical Society ..........................................................18 Budget 2002 .......................................................................................................................................19 General Information and List of Addresses The General Anthroposophical Society ..................................................................................................20 The Sections of the School of Spiritual Science ......................................................................................21 Departments and Facilities at the Goetheanum......................................................................................24 The Society World-wide .......................................................................................................................26 Conferences and Work Programme of the Sections 2002/03 The conferences and the work programme of the Sections 2002/03 are listed in a separate leaflet which can be obtained in German or English from the Membership Office at the Goetheanum. The leaflet and the 2001 An- nual Report in German has been mailed to Members of the General Anthroposophical Society with the journal Das Goetheanum No. 12/2002. The Annual Report and the work programme in English can be obtained from the Internet: Annual Report: www.goetheanum.ch/society/ar2001.pdf Work Programme: www.goetheanum.ch/events/wp2002.pdf Publisher: General Anthroposophical Society Responsible for the contents of the individual reports: Executive Council, Section Leaders and Department Leaders Concept, final editing of the texts and layout: Elsbeth Wirz Translation into English: Johanna Collis Front page: Marion Ehrsam - Atelier für Gestaltung © 2002 Allgemeine Anthroposophische Gesellschaft 2 General Anthroposophical Society This Annual Report for 2001 gives an account of the tual Science. While the constitution of the General events and achievements of the past year for the Anthroposophical Society enables the groups linked information of members of the General Anthropo- with it to develop their own structure and cultural sophical Society, its many friends and any others identity, working with anthroposophy nevertheless who may be interested. It also takes a brief look at leads to an experience of the common spiritual basis the tasks to be faced in the immediate future. In the underlying all human endeavour regardless of cul- report from the General Anthroposophical Society as ture, language or religion. Cultivation of this common such, readers will find a discussion of the annual spirituality forms the common bond between the theme for 2002/ 2003. This is followed by articles world-wide Anthroposophical Society and its groups from the Sections of the School of Spiritual Science. across the globe in all their tremendous variety. A description of how an annual conference is planned and managed will illustrate the way in which the When the Society was founded at Dornach in Swit- various departments and facilities at the Goetheanum zerland during the 1923/24 Christmas Conference, work together. The Treasurer’s Report is followed by representatives of English-speaking countries were the accounts for 2001 and the budget for 2002, and also present. In England, attention was drawn to this Annual Report concludes with a section of gen- anthroposophy during Rudolf Steiner’s first visit there eral information and a list of contact addresses in 1902. Work began in the United States of America world-wide. in 1909/10, and in New Zealand and Australia in 1915. After the Second World War activities spread The General Anthroposophical Society to South Africa and Ireland. In other countries Eng- lish is the second language for many individuals, so The General Anthroposophical Society came into there is an increasing demand for translations into being at Christmas 1923 when Rudolf Steiner invited English of Rudolf Steiner’s works and those of many attendance at its founding with the intention of unit- other writers on anthroposophical subjects. In what- ing all the contemporary activities in the field of an- ever way possible and depending on the financial throposophy within a single society. means available, the Executive Council and Section Leaders are committed to making the work initiated The Society’s tasks include on the one hand the by the Goetheanum accessible to people who do not promotion of spiritual research within the School of know German. Spiritual Science, and on the other the creation of a general foundation on which all kinds of individual With the cooption of two new members and their concerns and intentions can be brought forward and confirmation at the 2001 General Meeting, the Ex- be perceived, understood and mutually recognized. ecutive Council currently has six members from five countries. Visiting the world-wide national societies is At its core the Society embraces the School of Spiri- a very important aspect of their work. The General tual Science together with the General Anthroposo- Scretaries or National Representatives cultivate links phical Section and, at present, nine specialist Sec- with the Executive Council, the Section Leaders and tions and one specialist Department. The Sections the Goetheanum as well as with each other. On the not only encourage and carry out spiritual research in basis of their work in their own countries, the Gen- the various specialist fields but also aim to bring eral Secretaries are consulted on matters concerning about practical applications of the research results the General Anthroposophical Society. In addition to obtained. There are also ongoing endeavours to in- their regular personal contacts with one another, crease interdisciplinary collaboration between the they meet as a group with the Executive Council and Sections. the Collegium of the School of Spiritual Science twice In addition to the administrative offices, the General a year at the Goetheanum. For the spring session Anthroposophical Society also encompasses a num- they are joined by the National Representatives and ber of facilities which serve the anthroposophical for the autumn session by members of national movement. These include the Archives, the Library, councils and by group leaders. In view of world the Bookshop, the Publishing House, and the weekly events, the meeting in November 2001 focussed on journal Das Goetheanum. how further to strengthen the work of anthroposo- phy as a counterforce to terrorism. The Society World-wide For the greater part of the twentieth century the The General Anthroposophical Society is active in political situation made it impossible to found na- about 50 countries, and a great variety of estab- tional societies in the countries of Eastern Europe, lishments — well over 10,000 — are more or less but over the last decade societies have been founded closely connected with it and with the School of Spiri- in the Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia,