Albert Steffen

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Albert Steffen - 1916

Albert Steffen (born December 10, 1884 in Wynau , † July 13, 1963 in Dornach ) was a Swiss writer and anthroposophist . After Rudolf Steiner's death , Steffen was his successor as chairman of the General Anthroposophical Society from 1925 .

Life

Albert Steffen was born the third of six children to a country doctor. At the age of five he lost his brother, who was two years older than him. He attended primary school in Wynau and secondary school in Langenthal . At the age of fourteen he came to Bern to pass the entrance examination to the grammar school; he failed at first and only got into the quarta instead of the tertia. He felt set back, felt ashamed and withdrew into solitude. He entrusted his thoughts and feelings to the diary - which he kept until his death - and so began his writing. In 1904 he passed the Matura . In Lausanne he studied medicine from 1904 at the request of his father, who wanted to hand over his medical practice to him. While studying medicine, Steffen got into an existential crisis, in the course of which he decided to become a poet and work therapeutically through the word. He dealt intensively with Nietzsche and Dostoevsky . On the other hand, his studies in natural sciences did not satisfy him: "(...) nature did not save me". In April 1905 he began studying the humanities in Zurich , which he continued in Berlin from autumn 1906 .

“It had become clear to me that if I wasn't to wither, I had to become a poet, by which I understood something that hardly exists these days, namely a synthesis of science, art and religion on the basis of the great ideas of humanity. "(From: My decision to live )

In Berlin he sent his first novel Ott, Alois and Werelsche to the Berlin publisher Samuel Fischer , who actually published it and thus made Steffen known as a new Swiss poet. In 1907 he heard Rudolf Steiner's first lecture in Berlin , but did not meet him personally until almost four years later in Munich , where he lived between 1908 and 1920. Four other novels were written here, all of which were published by S. Fischer Verlag .

During his time in Munich, he joined the German Section of the Theosophical Society (DSdTG), which was headed by Steiner at the time , an offshoot of the Adyar Theosophical Society (Adyar-TG). The turn of the year 1912/13 saw the separation of the DSdTG from the Adyar-TG and the establishment of the Anthroposophical Society . Steffen followed Steiner's direction and became an anthroposophist . In the summer of 1914 he worked on the construction of the first Goetheanum .

In Munich Albert Steffen met the Polish painter Stanislaus Stückgold with his wife Elisabeth and their severely disabled daughter Felicitas. In 1920 Elisabeth Stückgold went to Dornach, accompanied by Albert Steffen, to seek advice from Steiner for the daughter. There took Steffen on request Steiner the editor of the newly founded weekly Das Goetheanum , which he maintained until his death.

At the turn of 1923/24 Steiner appointed Albert Steffen as deputy chairman of the General Anthroposophical Society . Because of Steffen's ever closer connection with anthroposophy, Steffen's works were no longer published by S. Fischer Verlag from 1919, whereupon Steffen founded his own publishing house, the Verlag für Schöne Wissenschaften , in 1928 .

In 1925, after Rudolf Steiner's death, he became chairman of the General Anthroposophical Society. In 1935 he married Elisabeth Stückgold (1889–1961), now widowed.

In June 1946, together with the National Councilor Emil Anderegg, he published an appeal to the Swiss people calling for Switzerland to become a politically neutral “oasis of humanity” in the spirit of Henri Dunant .

In 1951 he received a prize from the Swiss Schiller Foundation for his novel From Georg Archibald's Curriculum Vitae and Legacy Writings .

Albert Steffen died on July 13, 1963 at the age of 79. His estate is administered by the Albert Steffen Foundation in Dornach.

Evaluation of his literary work

In contrast to the lyrical work of Christian Morgenstern , the most famous poet in the early history of the anthroposophical movement, Albert Steffen's literary work, even in his main works, is hardly (no longer) known outside of anthroposophy. Despite his extensive oeuvre, he is one of the forgotten Swiss poets of the 20th century, along with Alfred Fankhauser , Siegfried Lang and Otto Wirz .

Its literary quality is controversial among experts. While his work was seen by Germanists such as Walter Muschg or Fritz Strich and the Austrian philologist Friedrich Hiebel - anthroposophist and friend Steffens - as an essential part of literary innovations within the 20th century, Emil Ermatinger assessed his early poems as "the delicate flowers of a pure soul" , his later ones as “artificial glass flowers, whose bright transparency does not reveal the riddles of life, but the common doctrines of a religious sect”. Others made out "often enough (...) figures without individual life, that is, mere allegories" in his works.

In addition, Steffen's play The Fall of the Antichrist - along with individual poems - has gained a certain popularity thanks to the setting by the composer Viktor Ullmann . After the re-performance of this mystery play in Bielefeld in 1995, it was re-staged by the Greifswald Theater in 2008.

Works

Original editions

Novels (and novel-like works)

  • Ott, Alois and Werelsche , S. Fischer, Berlin 1907
  • Determination of brutality , S. Fischer, Berlin 1912
  • The renewal of the federal government , S. Fischer, Berlin 1913
  • The right lover of fate , S. Fischer, Berlin 1916
  • Sibylla Mariana , S. Fischer, Berlin 1917
  • Life story of a young person , Beautiful Sciences, Dornach 1928
  • Wildeisen , Dornach 1929
  • Seeker after himself , Dornach 1931
  • From Georg Archibald's curriculum vitae and bequeathed writings , Dornach 1950
  • Oasis of humanity , Dornach 1954
  • Altmann's memoirs from the hospital , Dornach 1956
  • Thirty-three years , Dornach 1959
  • Mission of Poetry , Dornach 1962

Dramas

  • The Exodus from Egypt - The Manicheans . Two dramas, S. Fischer, Berlin 1916
  • The four animals . Drama in six acts, Seldwyla, Zurich 1924
  • Hieram and Solomon . Tragedy in nine pictures, Dornach 1925
  • The chief of the general staff . Drama in five acts, Dornach 1927
  • The Fall of the Antichrist . Dramatic sketch in three acts, Dornach 1928. Opera adaptation by Viktor Ullmann (Stage consecration festival in 3 acts, 1935; World premiere 1995 Bielefeld)
  • The death experience of Manes . Drama in five acts, Dornach 1934
  • Adonis game / an autumn celebration , Dornach 1935
  • Peace tragedy . In five files, Dornach 1936
  • Drive to the other country . Drama in a prelude and seven pictures, Dornach 1938
  • Pestalozzi . Play, Dornach 1939
  • Call on the edge . Drama, Dornach 1943
  • Martyrs . Tragedy, Dornach 1944
  • Karoline von Günderrode . A tragedy from the German Romantic era, Dornach 1946
  • Barrabas . Drama in four acts, Dornach 1949
  • Alexander's change . Drama in five acts, Dornach 1953
  • Lin . Drama, Dornach 1957

Volumes of poetry

  • Road consumption , Rhine, Basel 1921 (extended Dornach 1927)
  • Poems , Dornach 1931
  • The Comforter , Dornach 1935
  • Passiflora / A Requiem for Felicitas , Dornach 1939
  • Wake up, you death sleeper! , Dornach 1941
  • Epoch , Dornach 1944
  • Selected poems , ed. v. Walter Muschg, Basel 1945
  • Spätsaat , Dornach 1947
  • At the Way of the Cross of Fate , Dornach 1952
  • Illness not to death , Dornach 1955
  • Climb up the Parnassus and see Dornach 1960

Essays

  • The crisis in the life of the artist , Seldwyla, Bern 1922
  • The artist between west and east , Grethlein, Zurich 1925
  • The artist and the fulfillment of the mysteries , Dornach 1928
  • Encounters with Rudolf Steiner , Grethlein, Zurich 1926 (extended to Dornach 1955)
  • Mani / His life and his teaching , Dornach 1930 (extended Dornach 1965)
  • Goethe's ghost figure , Dornach 1932 (extended Dornach 1970)
  • Dramaturgical contributions to the beautiful sciences , Dornach 1935
  • Pestalozzi's life portrait , Dornach 1939 (extended Dornach 1965)
  • Conrad Ferdinand Meyer's living figure , Dornach 1937 (extended Dornach 1965)
  • Early red of the mystery poetry , Dornach 1940
  • Spiritual home , Dornach 1941
  • Crisis, catharsis, therapy in the spiritual life of the present , Dornach 1944
  • Vanguard of the Spirit , Dornach 1945
  • The rebirth of beautiful sciences , Dornach 1946
  • Flight of the Mysteries , Dornach 1948
  • Spiritual knowledge / God's love , Dornach 1949
  • On the colored windows of the Goetheanum , Dornach 1953
  • Burning problems , Dornach 1956
  • Poetry as a way to initiation. For the 100th birthday of Rudolf Steiner , Dornach 1960

Memories, sketches and miniatures

  • Bauz . Two stories, Huber (= Swiss storyteller 6), Frauenfeld / Leipzig 1916
  • The saint with the fish . Seven short stories, S. Fischer, Berlin 1919
  • Little Myths , Seldwyla, Zurich 1923
  • Pilgrimage to the Tree of Life , Seldwyla, Zurich 1925
  • In Memoriam Rudolf Steiner , Hoenn, Landschlacht 1925
  • Turn of life , Dornach 1931
  • Merkbuch , Dornach 1937
  • Book of Review , Dornach 1938
  • Self-knowledge and a view of life , Dornach 1940
  • On Spiritual Paths , Dornach 1942
  • The genius of death , Dornach 1943
  • Novellas , Dornach 1947
  • From the portfolio of a ghost seeker , Dornach 1951
  • Memorial pictures for Elisabeth Steffen. Ghost memories . Portfolio with watercolor reproductions, Dornach 1961
  • Pictures of life at the gate of death. Sketches and miniatures . Portfolio with watercolor reproductions, Dornach 1963

translation

  • In another country - In another country . Poems translated by Albert Steffen and Percy MacKaye , Dornach 1937

As editor

  • The Dr. Rudolf Steiners in the Goetheanum 1921 (together with Walter Johannes Stein ), Verlag am Goetheanum, Dornach 1922
    • New edition in: The Anthroposophical Pedagogy (= Introduction to Anthroposophical Topics 1), ed. v. Joseph Morel, Novalis / Phil.-Anthr. Publishing house, Schaffhausen and Dornach 1983

From the estate

All posthumous works were published by the Albert Steffen Foundation, Dornach.

  • To rise again in death . Poems, 1964
  • In memory of Otto Rennefeld . Memories of the poet friend and references to his life's work . Essays, 1965
  • Dante and the present . Essays, 1965
  • Present tasks of humanity. Outlook on the work of the Anthroposophical Society . Essays, 1966
  • Christmas pictures . Portfolio with three essays and seven color watercolor reproductions, 1966
  • Spirit awakening in color experience. Reflections, sketches, memories . With twelve color watercolor reproductions, 1968
  • About the nucleus of Rudolf Steiner's mystery dramas . Essays, 1971
  • The message from Novalis . Essays, 1972
  • Spirit training and community building . Essays and Speeches, 1974
  • Travel journal. Observations and memories . Sketches and watercolors, 1978

Work edition

  • Selected works in four volumes . For the 100th birthday of the poet ed. by Manfred Krüger , Dornach / Stuttgart 1984

literature

  • Robert Faesi : Albert Steffen , in: Designs and changes in Swiss poetry . Amalthea, Zurich / Leipzig / Vienna 1922, pp. 204–232
  • Paul Bühler : The Albert Steffen book. Honored to the poet on his sixtieth birthday by his friends . Birkhäuser, Basel 1944
  • Helga Schmidt: Albert Steffen and his work. Contributions to a monograph . Diss. Phil. Vienna 1950
  • Adelheid Petersen: Albert Steffen's broadcast . Phil.-Anthr. Publishing house, Dornach 1954
  • Fritz Strich : Albert Steffen. Speech to celebrate his 70th birthday . Eirene, St. Gallen 1955
  • Friedrich Hiebel : Albert Steffen. Poetry as a beautiful science . Francke, Bern 1960
  • Rudolf Meyer : Albert Steffen. Artist and christian . Urachhaus, Stuttgart 1963
  • Friedrich Behrmann: In memory of Albert Steffen In: The Swiss Red Cross . Vol. 72, Issue 7, 1963, pp. 37-40.
  • Dieter Fringeli : The therapeutic poet Albert Steffen , in: Poets on the sidelines. Swiss authors from Glauser to Hohl . Artemis, Zurich and Munich 1974, pp. 49-64 and 176f
  • Thomas Ehrsam and Monica Wietlisbach in: Helvetische Profiles . 47 writers from German-speaking Switzerland since 1800 . Edited by the Zurich Seminar for Literary Criticism with Werner Weber , pp. 221–227. Artemis, Zurich and Munich 1981
  • Herbert Witzenmann : The development of the imagination. In memory of the hundredth anniversary of Albert Steffen's birthday . Gideon Spicker Verlag, Dornach 1984
  • Ingeborg Woitsch : Pictures of Fate. Albert Steffens " Kleine Mythen" - impulses for working on your own biography. Free Spiritual Life Publishing House, Stuttgart 1996.
  • Friedrich Heyer:  Albert Steffen. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 14, Bautz, Herzberg 1998, ISBN 3-88309-073-5 , Sp. 1522-1527.  ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )
  • Peter Selg : Albert Steffen. Encounter with Rudolf Steiner . Verlag am Goetheanum, Dornach 2009.
  • Reto Caluori: Albert Steffen . In: Andreas Kotte (Ed.): Theater Lexikon der Schweiz . Volume 3, Chronos, Zurich 2005, ISBN 3-0340-0715-9 , p. 1738.
  • Klaus Hartmann : Albert Steffen, The Poet's Young Years. Vol. 1, Verlag für Schöne Wissenschaft, Dornach 2020, ISBN 978-3-85889-170-9

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ For example in his foreword to the selection of poems published by him in 1945; see. Fringeli, Dichter im Abseits , p. 62f
  2. ^ Albert Steffen , St. Gallen 1955
  3. ↑ Quoted from Fringeli, pp. 59f
  4. ^ Illustrated history of German literature in six volumes , Naumann & Göbel, Cologne 1986, volume 5, p. 95
  5. ↑ Three sets of the Exodus from Egypt
personal data
SURNAME Steffen, Albert
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Swiss writer and anthroposophist
DATE OF BIRTH December 10, 1884
PLACE OF BIRTH Wynau
DATE OF DEATH July 13, 1963
Place of death Dornach SO