The Rudolf Steiner Archive

91

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
Jan. 27, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher,

I have had no news since Mannheim and I very much hope that your health is good? It is very exhausting to travel so much with daily lectures and other commitments, with no time to rest. I wish I knew how everything was going; but I'm sure you don't have any time to yourself. Here, everything is going relatively well, but it's boring. I can't carve much at once, but I could do a lot more, but I get pain and then have to stop because it would be stupid to break something, otherwise I would risk it.

In England, things are getting a bit out of hand. Instead of being happy that you are coming at all, and doing the desirable thing themselves, they only think of their own advantage, and of exploiting as much as possible, and they are disrupting everything that has been prepared by other people. Instead of seizing the fruits now, why didn't they help with the work earlier? I am really somewhat indignant. I am sending a copy of part of a letter from Mrs. Mackenzie which arrived today.

Perhaps we will have to leave out eurythmy until August. I have suggested that Collison should come here in February, if he will be sensible by then, as there is a bit of time before Easter. I have been invited to stay with Mrs. Mackenzie and also with Mrs. Drury-Lavin, but there will only be room for me where you are not! My sister will probably be in London, but only before Easter. Everything is so vague!

Meanwhile, I wish it were a week later! I hope you are finished with Stuttgart!

With warm regards,

1 letter Hanover, 1 letter Bremen

Edith Maryon

93

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
March 1, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher!

Olga has just brought me this letter from Mrs. Mackenzie. I have read the letter; unfortunately it is over with eurythmy this time, but since it could not have been done properly, it is perhaps better to wait for Oxford; then we will be able to achieve something decent. I am a little sorry. No other news has come.

Today we got the Ahriman out and started the preparatory work for transferring the Lucifer – Geck, of course, resisted and first appealed to Sonderegger and then to Aisenpreis, but in vain, because what I ordered was the only right thing to do. She then complied!

Yesterday I was in Basel and today I'm going to the post office at 5 a.m. to pick up my boots from “Father”!

The studio looks terrible, the greatest disorder everywhere, and 4 workers inside. It will take a while.

I hope you are not too tired? The last few weeks have been really quite terrible.

If only you took a lot of vacation time in Berlin! Then you might have time to write an essay for the Hibbert? But only if there are quite a few free hours. Otherwise it would be a shame and no fun.

I hope the lectures in Halle and Leipzig went well and were well attended. I would also like to know that there is plenty of quiet time in Berlin; the leaders from day to day probably won't reappear as soon as their own day is over! Maybe they'll

they will even be buried.

With best wishes

Edith Maryon

94

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
March 3, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher!

I am sending you the program for Stratford. For the time being there is no “chairman” for Sunday because Mrs. Mackenzie is hoping for Lord Haldane. We will see. I am also enclosing the preliminary program for Oxford. Please return them, they are my only copies!

Has the doctor decided to go to Stratford now that there is no eurythmy? I ask because of the distribution of rooms, but unofficially, of course.

My sister writes to me that Frank may have a rectory near Oxford for August; we will be able to participate then. It is not yet certain, but I hope so (although it is very uncertain whether I can be there).

Yesterday we had ten workmen in the studio! Today the second block of Lucifer was brought down safely, but it is going slowly and cautiously because the work is difficult.

Miss Lewis would like to rent Mr. Imrie's very small room; it needs to be painted because it is very dirty. I thought about it and ordered the work on the condition that if you are not satisfied, Miss Lewis will cover the costs, which amount to about 9% of the Swiss franc. Otherwise, there is nothing special to report. There is a lot of work to be done, and quite a bit of dirt; I will be quite happy when everything is in place and you are back here at work. I am arranging things so that as much space as possible is gained in the studio for your statue, which I am very excited about.

I hope you have plenty of free time in Berlin and that you don't feel the need to attend many lectures. I also hope that your health and voice are doing well.

With warmest regards,

Edith Maryon

96

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
March 8, 1922

Dear and honored teacher!

I am sending you a Theosophical letter that was meant for you.

Today the fourth block of Lucifer was delivered, and I hope to restore some order in the studio by tomorrow evening. It would have been impossible for you to work here during this time. Your corner with the table and everything was completely cleared, and they built a kind of track where the blocks could travel; and where Ahriman stood, there is now a forest of beams and poles, etc.; the studio furniture and the models are all piled up in the corners. It's quite uncomfortable, but necessary. There are between four and ten workmen at a time (I help myself with some cologne to improve the air!). Also, from time to time, all the doors are open. But by the end of the week everything will be nice again; I expect it to be ready by next Tuesday or Wednesday at the latest. I am very glad to hear that everything went well at the lectures in Leipzig after all. I would like to hear more about it and also learn something about eurythmy.

I hope you have not heard many lectures from this program... [see drawing, facsimile p. 90], and that you will gain some time for other things. I very much hope that all is well with your health, and that you will come back Tuesday or Wednesday?

With warmest regards

Edith Maryon

97

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
May 9, 1922

Dear and honored teacher, it seems to me a very long time until the 24th! But I am very busy, and in addition to all sorts of other things, I have made some sketches of the hooded figures with Ahriman and Strader from the Guardian of the Threshold, which are very fun to do! I don't know what you will say about them. Then I am doing an experiment in another area of art, but because it has to do with color, I will most likely not succeed.

Mrs. Mackenzie wrote: she works for Oxford and sends her regards. She has the first committee meeting for Kings Langley Priory School tomorrow. She is also sending a letter to the “Teacher's World” by Freeman, which seems very good to me, and I will send you the letter.

Now I hope you take good care of yourself in Berlin, but even more so in Munich. Please let me know if you have any more headaches or dizziness.

I have done a lot of thinking, yesterday and today. Tomorrow I am going to Basel to pick up the clock; to the bank, etc., nothing else of note

to report. With best regards

Edith Maryon

99

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum
May 12, 1922

Dear and honored teacher,

By the time you read this, you will probably have arrived in Berlin, where I hope everything goes well, especially today's lecture, and that it will be very well received.

Mrs. Mackenzie writes to me that Miss v. Heydebrand is invited to Oxford and, if they have enough money, a second teacher from the Waldorf School. I sent you a copy of the “Manchester Guardian” with an “interview” (to Munich) - it seems particularly good to me. Perhaps it could be reprinted in Stuttgart? I will send you a second copy.

Yesterday I was at the meeting with Miss Ruhlaß regarding the sewer system, etc. The situation is as follows for the time being: the municipality is drawing up a plan, and Mr. v. Mutach, for his part, is now working [on one] for us, on the basis that 15 members participate (including him, so that he has a personal interest in the matter), who join together to form a small company and lend the community a contribution with low interest, perhaps 4 percent for a number of years, perhaps 5, and that the community then takes over the sewerage itself. The nine people present have agreed, provided the contribution is not too high; we will have to wait until the municipality announces the cost estimate to see how much it will be. I have said that I believe you will also agree under the same conditions. Mr. v. Mutach will now ask the others if they will join in, and then approach the nine outsiders with the same question.

The municipality has already started work on the path along the railway line, and the question is whether to continue to the three houses. However, v. Mutach goes to Beatenberg until the 20th and can only start working on the plans after his return. Baronesse Rosenkrantz is enthusiastic about the idea of an illustrated double issue of the “Anthroposophy” journal for Oxford - and she is particularly pleased that you have written something special for the journal. Dr. Wegman has agreed to write an illustrated article about clinics and laboratories. May I have a picture taken of clay eurythmy for children in the greenhouse? I think it would be very useful to reproduce this in connection with the school. Please answer me this so that I can prepare everything. Your English essay in the “Goetheanum” will be translated for the next issue of “Anthroposophy” in preparation for Oxford. Hopefully the lectures went well on the 12th, 13th, 14th? And you will take great care in Munich – not just going out, etc. How are you in terms of health? I am very keen to know everything.

With very best wishes,

Edith Maryon

100

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
May 15, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher!

This morning's letter was very welcome and much appreciated, just when I thought I'd waited long enough and still had no news of how everything is going and whether you are too tired – I particularly want to know about that – or whether you have headaches? I'll send these few lines to the hotel in Cologne, and then I'll probably write again in Hamburg. I don't have an address in Leipzig. Will you be back on the 24th? The children's performance is on the 25th, so hopefully you will have arrived by then at least, but I am still hoping for earlier! It gives me great satisfaction that everything has gone so well so far. I will hear more about the stupid questions in Leipzig later. There is nothing special here. I am very busy, although I can't carve much, unfortunately, so I do all sorts of other things. I am going to Basel tomorrow to get a few things. Are you going via Stuttgart on your way back? I hope so, because you are always held up there, and I have so many questions to ask in that empty studio!

I am thinking especially of the lecture today and send you all my best wishes that everything may go well.

With my warmest regards

Edith Maryon

102

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
May 17, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher!

This morning Ehrsam brought me the telegram – thank you very much! But I couldn't tell from it whether the lecture went well, without any incident – because I was afraid! At any rate, you arrived in Mannheim, hopefully without burnt fingers, either mentally or physically. I urge myself to be patient until further news, but I am impatient! I still couldn't go to Basel, there is a thunderstorm today, and it seems as if I will be prevented from going again. There is nothing special to report here, many are a little sick, stomach problems, but not serious, says Wegman. (Not me.) Ljungquist, Mitscher, Countess Lerchenfeld, Donath and a few others. Stuten told me a few days ago that he had to go to Amsterdam, so he must have left by now – I think he traveled alone! Kulerova and Geck are both resting, nothing serious either. It is very boring here, but [people are] quite industrious.

The thunderstorm has stopped, so I will be able to go to Basel after all.

I hope you will receive a letter in Cologne tomorrow addressed to the Monopol Hotel; another letter (with a newspaper) was sent to Munich. We are now halfway through the lectures and I am looking forward to the 24th! Will you be going via Stuttgart or not?

With warmest regards

Edith Maryon

103

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
May 17, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher!

I have just returned from Basel and heard about the uproar in Munich. It is just what I feared. I couldn't understand why it was so dark – and thought that noise and disturbances must have occurred as well. I am very glad that you left. But I am still worried about the rest of the lectures, because these people might be traveling with you, so please be very careful everywhere, especially in Leipzig. I hope that other gentlemen will travel with you and that you will not be walking alone. Please be very careful. I hope to have news soon about the rest of the lectures. Goodbye.

With my warmest regards,

Edith Maryon

105

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's Studio, Goetheanum,
June 2, 1922

Dearest and most honored teacher,

So far, no news from Vienna has reached Dornach. I am impatiently waiting for someone to write here with news of the journey and report on the situation (regarding the congress), because I still hope that perhaps all the newspaper reports about Dr. Kolisko's lecture have been exaggerated and that we will not be as harmed as one might expect at first glance. I would also very much like to know whether there are any signs in Vienna of the hostile attacks that have taken place in Germany? Or are they being spared over there? It would really be quite nice if the Austrians would show themselves to be more dignified and reasonable than the Germans have unfortunately done; then one could hope more for the future of the Central Powers. I still have no report from Mrs. Mackenzie. There is a lot to do in the houses, a whole range of small repairs and improvements.

Herr von Heydebrand has taken two photos of the children in the further training course and will photograph the children during the eurythmy therapy next week. Have you now thought of what you want to say for 'Anthroposophy'? I hope you are well and that the first lecture went well. Did quite a few people come? I wish I could be there too. It is quiet here, heavy and boring. You are also anxious, you don't know what could happen and you want to hear and experience everything! Please take good care. There was a thunderstorm yesterday and a bit today, but neither was too bad.

With my warmest regards,

Edith Maryon