Last Months of Steiner's Life
During the last six months of his life, a serious intestine illness confined Rudolf Steiner to bed. Little is known about this illness and Steiner neither talked nor wrote about it, except occasionally in letters sent to his wife Marie von Sivers.
Here are excerpts from those letters.
October 6, 1924
I had to bite the bullet myself today and sent the Berliners this telegram: “My physical condition makes it absolutely impossible to travel in the coming months. This is the reason why, much to my regret, you will not be able to count on my presence.”
You can not imagine how bitter I feel, but I foresee that nursing and absolute tranquility may alone bring some comfort in the coming weeks. Therefore, do not worry. The symptoms are not life threatening. They are however persistent and will not go away quickly. This haemorrhoid illness seems completely harmless, but to me, is the worst, because it forces me to lie down almost motionless, as I have been since you departed.
October 11, 1924
The daily haemorrhoid therapies are terribly painful and far from pleasant, but have really brought about a significant improvement. It is just that things cannot be hurried. Do not worry about me, all that can be done is being done, and the care I am receiving is second to none. It is just that the therapy is unpleasant and the treatment painful. It is never an agreeable moment when the two doctors (Ita Wegman and Ludwig Noll) must begin the haemorrhoid treatments. But all in all, things are still moving well ahead.
On March 20, 1925 (ten days before his death) Steiner wrote to Marie:
My health is improving, only slowly. I hope that in time, I will be able to work on the building model (design for the second Goetheanum) in order to avoid delays.
On March 27, 1925 (three days before his death) Steiner wrote to J.C. Träxler, a tradesman who had taken the brother and sister of Steiner into his own house in Horn.
Dear Mr Träxler,
I was saddened to hear of my sister's eye condition. (She had an eye disease and, around 1925, became completely blind). Unfortunately, I am so sick myself that I cannot think of visiting her, but I would not want my sister to become worried by the news of my illness. I am so very grateful to you, honourable Mr. Träxler, for taking such loving care of my brother and sister. I think that Mrs Barth, who I know well, was a good choice. (She was a distant relative who cared for Steiner's brother and sister until the autumn of 1926). Will you give the good woman my cordial greetings? Mrs. Barth's fee will, as usual, be settled on my behalf by my friend Count Polzer. I must leave it to our friend, Dr. Glass, to decide whether an examination of the left eye will be necessary. He will write me with his opinion, once he has been to Horn. I will also write to him.
Thanks again, Yours sincerely,
Rudolf Steiner
Rudolf Steiner monument in Schweizergarten, a park in Vienna
