The Rudolf Steiner Archive

108

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum, 9 June 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher,

Thank you very much for your welcome letter. I hasten to reply and hope that the letter will arrive in Vienna on Monday. I am very pleased that everything is going so well, although unfortunately the scientists are staying away. I believe you are very right to prevent people from trying to insert things in Oxford; it would certainly go very badly. Mrs. Mackenzie knows very well what she can do there. If, on the contrary, she could get together a little money for the events there, it would be good, because they have to limit themselves somewhat in this respect; for example, they will invite Miss v. Heydebrand, and if the money is sufficient, Dr. Stein as well; with more money they could of course do more. But they could also do a lot of propaganda to get as many people as possible to come to Oxford, which would of course be very desirable, because we also have to try to make an impression there through the people who come from out of town – especially if they are not all aunts! I have just received a long letter from Mrs. Mackenzie, more details when you return. I have no idea for the time being how many or how few people will turn up in Oxford. It is very encouraging that everyone is keeping well, there was some pain here but I am treating it with eucalyptus oil now and I think that will help. Otherwise I am working a lot but I don't know yet if it is any better than last time! On Sunday we are photographing the eurythmy therapy children for 'Anthroposophy'. A photo of the further training course children is in the works.

I hope you have much success with the second lecture cycle.

With warmest greetings

Edith Maryon

112

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
October 11, 1922

Dear and honored teacher,

Since the letter still has not arrived, I fear that it means too much work. I am sad about that! I had a faint hope that they would leave something out and correct lectures, which still gives enough work!

Here the time is filled with telephoning, answering letters and doing a great deal of organizing in all areas! But today, because the sun is shining a little, I am going to Basel.

Mrs. Horegood has written to me, some questions that have to wait for your arrival, and to me personally about Susie, because she wants to send her to [the] Villa St. Georg. Hopefully it will be possible to arrange this, to the satisfaction of Susie and her mother.

Admiral Grafton has visited me several times. I hope that things are not as bad as all that with his daughter; she just wants to get to know life a bit herself. She will be going to live with Rev. Lord Victor Seyman for a few months in three weeks. The Admiral has high hopes for this because he is a clergyman and a lord!! I very much hope he won't be disappointed! He talks about it sensibly and places some hope in his daughter's opinion; she also seems nice to me.

Mr. Steffen came back yesterday evening and was very pleased to hear that the 5th lecture was already on its way. He also told me that Prof. Bürgi is really putting a lot of effort into it and helping him a lot.

Otherwise I have no further news from London, but the Admiral intends to make enquiries at the consulate today, and if anything is known about your visa, I shall write to you immediately.

Furthermore, I would just like to send you my best wishes – and hope that you are not suffering from headaches! And that everything is calm in Stuttgart and that people are paying a good deal of attention.

With my warmest regards,

Edith Maryon

113

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
October 14, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher,

The program seems to be as follows:

November 7: departure from Hook
1-8 Nov. London an.
2-9 Thu. Rehearsal Evening Royal Academy Dramatic Art:
3-10 Fri. Rehearsal
4-11 Sat(1) Performance 8:30
5-12 Sun. Rehearsal Evening
-13 Mon(2) Performance 8:30 (2 programs)
7-1 4D. Evening performance
8-15 M.(3) Performance 8:30
9-16 D.
10-17 F.(1) Performance 7:00 Steimway Hall.
11-18 S.(2) Performance 3:00
12-19 p.m. (3) lecture 3 p.m.
13-20 m.
14-21 p.m. England (if desired)

Baron Rosenkrantz thinks that they might receive invitations from theater managers if the eurythmy is well received. With Miss Wilson, they already have fourteen people. It's a shame that they didn't put on the Pied Piper, it's always well received, and they could easily put on Goethe, especially in this venue! Perhaps it is not too late for the first performance? The people at the consulate say there will be no difficulty in having the passports extended in London if you wish. I don't have any more information about the eurythmy permit, but I asked again in London today. Next week, you may have to be a little more forceful in the event that they still do not come.

I will be very glad when you come back; it is quiet and restless here, few people, but a lot of cleaning to do, and in between, phone calls and endless letters to write, I actually get nothing done.

I fear that we will have a somewhat difficult time in London; it seems as if general parliamentary elections are just around the corner, then everyone thinks and talks about nothing else and everything is topsy-turvy. Patrons for England are provisional.

A.E. (No idea who A.E. is!) Albert Edward??
Miss Sybil Thorndike (addressed to)
Lady Louisa Lodor
The Duchess of Grafton
The Lady St. Helier
Miss Lena Ashwell
M. Edmond Holmes
Miss Manda Royden (pastor)
Miss L. Bayley (Polytechnic.) Education.

This brochure is being sent around and seems to me to be a good preparation.

The letter made me very sad. It is truly terrible that people have so little understanding and enthusiasm, and without these two [things] one does not make rapid and firm enough progress despite the exhausting and excessively long and heavy work. You can't be everywhere at the same time, you need reliable and energetic colleagues. I think Hartley is not clever enough to have noticed much. Here he mostly admires Blümel's lessons at school.

I must post this letter right away, so just send my warmest regards.

Edith Maryon

114

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
[presumably after October 14, 1922]

Wednesday.

Dear and esteemed teacher,

This morning the invitation for the eurythmists finally arrived, and I went to the consulate. It was quite difficult! He said it was not at all within his power to arrange anything for The Hague, one would have to take steps there; however, one could only do that once the ladies were already there, and that would of course be too late because it would take quite a long time. He gave all sorts of clever advice that the ladies should come from The Hague to Basel to pick up their visas in person; that passports should be sent by post, etc. It took a long time before I changed the minds of the three gentlemen, and finally he telephoned to Zurich and received permission from there to send the papers there and the visas to The Hague, where I have to pick them up in person. (Theirs are coming to Basel). The permission of the Ministry of Labor is not here yet, and I promised to send it to him immediately, and also that I would send someone to the Ministry and the Foreign Office in London. They want to inquire by telephone from Zurich.

I will also have the admiral write.

Then I wrote to the Baron to urge him on and also complained that I had been given too few details that it would have been possible to know; they are taking the matter far too lightly over there, it is actually much more difficult than they think. I also told him that he must speed things up. They have really been a bit slow; the invitation should have been here earlier and they should have started with the Ministry of Labor earlier. In all likelihood, I should travel to The Hague earlier now, only then I have to order a heated room there, and if I wait too long, they will give me something far away! It may be that if it takes too long, it will be necessary to telegraph from The Hague. Perhaps it would be a good idea to send Mrs. Fortuyn to the consulate to make a late request? Or should they wait until I arrive? You can't make a mistake because of the shortness of time.

I hope you are keeping well – in terms of health? I hope everything is going smoothly without any disruptions.

With best regards

Edith Maryon

115

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
October 30, 1922

Dear and esteemed teacher.

This letter and sketch have just arrived. Baron Rosenkrantz asks that they be sent on immediately so that there is time to work on the sketch and have it printed. If you would like to make any changes, please write to him at the same time. I think it is quite nice! Today I finished another series of figures that I will take with me to London. My address will be:

Royal British Nurses Club:
194.Queen's Gate. S.W.7.
Telephone: Kensington 4349

Mrs. Drury-Lavin writes to me that she is still in bed with a breast ulcer and as soon as it gets better, the doctor will send her to the seaside, so she fears that she will in all likelihood be unable to come to London. She is quite sad about it, of course.

I hope the journey went well, without too much fatigue, and that she will try to take care of her health a little now? Just a little! I am leaving on Wednesday morning!

With best regards

Edith Maryon

116

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Ceres Restaurant
Basel, [probably late October/early November 1922]

Saturday

Dear and honored teacher,

Just a few lines to let you know that I have received another letter from Baron Rosenkrantz, in which he informs me that he has asked at the Hotel Gwalia, but it is fully booked and also a little expensive, and it will not be possible this time because they have no money to cover the hotel costs; so I fear that your fate will be to stay with Dr. Larkins! Rosenkrantz says that you will live there quite quietly and that you and Frau Doktor will have a flat to yourselves; I did not get any further details.

I am sending a clipping from the Basler Nachrichten.

On Thursday, Miss v. Blommestein and Mr. v. d. Pals gave a concert in Miss v. Blommestein's studio. Almost the whole of Dornach was there (members), and we were packed in like sardines.

Otherwise, there is little to report. I am only worried that you may have left Stuttgart alone? If only they would try to find a little time to rest in The Hague, to chase away the headaches! I very much hope that they will. It is very difficult to write here, but hopefully the letter is legible.

With best wishes

Edith Maryon

118

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's studio, Goetheanum,
December 7, 1922

Dear and honored teacher,

I have to write a few lines quickly because I have just learned that tomorrow is a holiday. Miss Kuterova is going to the post office now, otherwise I wouldn't be able to send a letter that would arrive any earlier than Monday.

I am sending a reply from Jeannette Franklin. I tried to telephone Dr. Wegman four times but only managed to reach her once in Basel. She does not seem very happy about Mr. Knauer coming now because, as she said, four doctors are too many. She wanted to visit me yesterday but did not come. I would have liked to see her, because I wanted to emphasize once more that it is only a visit of a few days.

The letter arrived very quickly, at noon the next day! It surprised me and gave me great pleasure.

I very much hope that everything goes well, with great care, without catching a cold, especially in Stuttgart and on the journey. I paint a lot and rest a little and hope to write again on Sunday. Leinhas told me that there was a branch meeting, but since it had already been scheduled, it was no use saying anything, but I am sorry not to have half an hour to rest. In a great hurry with

warmest greetings

Edith Maryon

During the night of December 31, 1922 to January 1, 1923, the Goetheanum was destroyed by arson

“The night of the fire that took the Goetheanum from us planted the seed in [Edith Maryon's] body, which had been weakened by previous illnesses, that developed into more than a year of suffering.”

Rudolf Steiner, “Nachrichtenblatt” of May 11, 1924. Letters from 1923 and 1924

121

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

Monday 3:30 a.m. [Dornach, February 26, 1923]

Dear and beloved teacher,

I am keeping calm and thinking as good thoughts as I can. Sending many thoughts to the gathering and hoping for the best.

Waiting patiently for Friday and sending best birthday and other greetings.

Edith Maryon

122

Edith Maryon to Rudolf Steiner

[Dornach, presumably shortly before February 27, 1923]

Saturday, 2 o'clock in the afternoon

Dear and esteemed teacher,

So far nothing has come. Dr. Wegman came yesterday, I sat in the big armchair for twenty minutes and afterwards it was completely still and everything was in order. The sunset was quite beautiful, I hope the journey was also quite good and that you arrived safely. Today I am reading Steffens' “Little Myths”; he seems to me to be a kindred spirit of Hans Christian Andersen. My thoughts are mostly in Stuttgart, I very much hope that people will pull themselves together and achieve something worthy, the world needs it so much, and then one could have some hope again.

I am sending two clippings, the one from Collison does not seem to me to be badly done, in response to the wild lies of the Berlin correspondents. Miss Rove's letter about Stuttgart is good too. There are others, but nothing of note.

I send my very best wishes, including birthday greetings and good wishes, and hope that you will be back soon!

Edith Maryon

125

Edith M. Rudolf to Rudolf Steiner

Sculptor's Studio, Goetheanum
[presumably after March 25, 1923]

Tuesday morning

Dear and esteemed teacher,

the letter has just arrived, so I think that if I write now, you will also receive it before my departure. What a shame that there is such a rush; I thought it was just the rehearsal on Saturday.

I am very sorry that the company is not doing any satisfactory deeds. Yesterday evening, too, I had such an unpleasant feeling that you have reason to be very dissatisfied with something, and I was very sorry. I hope I will still get a message. The state of health is always pretty much the same. Dr. Weg[man] came yesterday. She said that many people have it right now. Yesterday, Bauer also had it. The fat boy has had a relapse of the flu.

Bauer is going to Basel this afternoon and wants to take the letter with him; she sends her regards. Kalähne would also like to send her regards. The Swiss newspapers are full of the border dispute, and the tone is rather touchy. I have no further news; just best wishes and hopes for Saturday and an improvement in the situation in Stuttgart.

With warmest regards

Edith Maryon