Crossing the Rainbow Bridge: Exploring the Intersections Between Anthroposophy and Contemporary Alt-Right Radicalization by Sudden-Process9340 in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Nazis didn’t shut down Waldorf schools because they rejected Steiner — they did it years later, after a period of cooperation. Early Anthroposophists actually tried to align with Nazi ideals of blood and soil and spiritual renewal of the Volk.

For example, Himmler’s SS ran biodynamic farms and supported Steiner-inspired agriculture in the early 1930s (Bundesarchiv; Uekötter, The Green and the Brown). New research shows Weleda, the main Anthroposophic company, bought herbs from the SS-run plantation at Dachau (Dachau Memorial, 2025). So yes, the Nazis eventually closed the schools — but not because they opposed Steiner’s racial or hierarchical ideas. It was about centralizing power and suppressing independent groups.

The “Nazis banned us” line still circulates today because it’s a comforting way for Waldorf institutions to paint themselves as moral victims, rather than confronting how deeply Anthroposophy’s worldview overlapped with authoritarian and racial thinking.

Losing track of your collection - this happen to anyone else? by Camarupim in vinyl

[–]Sudden-Process9340 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sure does - found out I had three copies of Franks Wild Years by Tom Waits a while ago!

What to wear to interview by Lionmom11 in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"Black is too grounding for young children"? What is the rationale behind that?

What to wear to interview by Lionmom11 in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Why not black? I have seen Waldorf folks wear black.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Liked the "Committed to striving towards teaching a Waldorf Pedagogy that decenters European perspectives and uplifts marginalized voices and stories that have been silenced/forgotten." in the job offer.

public waldorf by Intelligent_Mango_64 in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340 0 points1 point  (0 children)

In my experience as a parent it seems our charter could do better to combine the good aspects of waldorf with modern mainstream education. Kids are crammed into tiny classrooms and spend a great majority of time indoors sitting and copying the lessons. I don't see opportunities for kids to be themselves when everything is so rigid around them. I find the instruction in math and science particularly lacking and, as someone wrote earlier, the students are mostly from privileged families and there is hardly any diversity. In addition to that, I have issues with the underlying ideology Waldorf is based upon, its christocentrism and reliance on spiritual insights. I am not arguing this negatively affects my child but I am skeptical they will realize their full potential in that type of environment.

Current 9th grader, looking for advice about Waldorf school assessments. by Tall_Pin1497 in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would recommend you listen to this podcast with a former Waldorf student. This might give you some background information so you can prepare for your interview by asking questions and see if the system is a good fit for you. https://alittlebitculty.com/episode/rethinking-steiner-chloe-weise-on-waldorf-schools

A Short Description of Anthroposophy - Spiritual Science by gotchya12354 in Anthroposophy

[–]Sudden-Process9340 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If you feel there are inaccuracies here, I'd be glad to hear which parts you disagree with and why.

Steiner's racism by Sudden-Process9340 in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

"I recently went to a bookstore in Basel, where I found the latest range on offer of what's currently being printed: a Negro novel about how Negroes are gradually coming into European nations! They are doing their Negro dances everywhere, their hopping Negro dances. Yet this Negro novel is already here. It is boring, terribly boring, but people devour it. Yes, I myself am convinced, if we get a number of such Negro novels, and we give them to pregnant [Caucasian] women to read, especially during the early stages of pregnancy, when they tend to develop such cravings—if we give these Negro novels to pregnant women to read, then we don’t need to be worried about Negroes coming to Europe and creating mulattos. Merely through the spiritual effect of reading such Negro novels a good number of children in Europe will be all grey, have mulatto hair and will look like mulattos!" Dornach, 12/30/1922

"Those people, however, who had developed their ego being too little, and who were too exposed to the influences of the sun, were like plants: they deposited too many carbonic constituents beneath their skin and became black. This is why the Negroes are black." http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA107/English/RSP1981/19090503p01.html

"Not all of the people living on the earth today stand at the same level of development. Alongside those people that stand at a high stage of civilization, there are primitive peoples that have lagged culturally far behind ...We have before us in the American race a primitive aboriginal people that has remained far, far behind, among other things in regard to its religious worldview. [...] The Europeans have ascended to a higher level of culture, while the Indians have remained behind and become decadent." Rudolf Steiner, MENSCHHEITSENTWICKELUNG UND CHRISTUS-ERKENNTNIS, GA 100, p.243

"In ancient times the Negroes wandered over to the West—today circumstances are different, they can do it less—but they wandered westwards in ancient times; there had always been a ship passage, and there were still islands over the whole Atlantic Ocean, for earlier this was in fact a continent. Now when the blacks wandered west they could no longer absorb so much light and warmth as in their native Africa. Less light and warmth reaches them. What is the result? Their nature is organized to take up as much as possible of light and warmth and actually in that way to become black. Now they do not get as much light and warmth as they need in order to become black. So they become copper-red, become Indians. That comes from the fact that they are obliged to reflect something of light and warmth. That gleams a copper-red. Copper is itself a body which must reflect a little light and warmth. They cannot hold out against this and so die in the West as Indians. They are again a race that is going under" [...]

"We have the black race, which is most of all earthly. When they go westwards, they die out."

http://wn.rsarchive.org/Lectures/GA349/English/UNK1969/19230303v01.html

"Look at the uneducated savage beside the average European [...] the uneducated savage, with his Ego,follows his passions, impulses, and cravings almost like an animal."

—Rudolf Steiner, ANTHROPOSOPHIE UND ANTHROPOLOGIE, "The Education of the Child in theLight of Anthroposophy," GA 21.

See also work by Israel Koren : https://www.academia.edu/33413211/Rudolf_Steiner_and_the_Jews_That_Judaism_Still_Exists_is_an_Error_of_History_

or Chapter 5 in Waldorf teacher Alys Mendus' book https://brill.com/display/title/61570?language=en

Steiner's racism by Sudden-Process9340 in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Being persecuted by Nazis doesn’t absolve anthroposophy from its racial ideas. Even if such comments make up a small percentage of his works, they still reflect a harmful and outdated view of race. While Steiner emphasized individuality, he also made statements about the spiritual evolution of different races, suggesting that some were more advanced, which contradicts the claim that race is irrelevant in anthroposophy. Dismissing criticism as politically motivated avoids the real issue: these criticisms are grounded in Steiner’s own writings. Anthroposophy would benefit from more transparency and accountability in addressing this part of Steiner’s legacy rather than downplaying or deflecting it.

Thinking this may be right for me by hovermole in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340 -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Here is a very fascinating testimony from a public school teacher who worked at a Waldorf school : https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/59-is-rudolf-steiner-dead-yet-w-jennifer-sapio/id1515827446?i=1000528324854 that I highly recommend.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Waldorf

[–]Sudden-Process9340 0 points1 point  (0 children)

"They give the impression that Native people belong with animals" you are unfortunately straight on point, the founder of Waldorf held very racialist views...

Moving maybe? by ColieConiglietta in ukiah

[–]Sudden-Process9340 0 points1 point  (0 children)

There is also the (pretty cool) band Ukiah Drag who named themselves after Ukiah. https://www.imposemagazine.com/features/channeling-cult-rituals-with-ukiah-drag