To the members of the “Theosophical Society (ITV) in Germany”,
gathered in Leipzig at Pentecost 1902.
By Dr. Franz Hartmann[1]
Translation from German by Robert Hutwohl[2]
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I am pleased to see that the Theosophical movement in German-speaking countries has made significant progress in the past year. Not only has the number of Theosophical societies and their membership increased, but interest in a higher worldview has also spread to wider circles.
It is not without reason that the Germanic peoples have been called “the people of thinkers,” and indeed, apart from ancient Indian literature (of which modern Indians generally understand very little), there is no other literature that has arisen from such profound self-knowledge as the theosophical literature of the Germans. Admittedly, there are also some superficial chatterers among our philosophers, but we need only point to the great mystics of the past: Jakob Böhme, Theophrastus Paracelsus, Bishop Tauler, Meister Eckhart, Thomas à Kempis, Eckartshausen, and so on, as well as to the great poets such as Goethe, Schiller, Friedrich Rückert, and many others. For wherever a great, true, and glorious idea is expressed in any work of art, be it in religion or science, in poetry, music, sculpture, or painting, it has its origin in the feeling for the true, the good, and the beautiful—in other words, in “theosophy.”
One might object that H. P. Blavatsky’s works were written in English and are therefore the national property of the English, but this view is incorrect; for Blavatsky was Russian and, as she herself says, chose English for her works only because it is the most widely spoken language in the world. Furthermore, her works are by no means the exclusive property of any one party, but belong to all of humanity.
Neither religion, nor science, nor theosophy is the monopoly of any nation, society, or association. Theosophy is the self-knowledge of truth; it belongs to those who attain it for themselves. Every time an attempt is made to make it subservient to the self-interests of any sect or party, falsehood creeps in. Then the spirit escapes, and only the empty form remains, which, because it is spiritless, ultimately disintegrates. Theosophy in the true sense of the word is the inner, spiritual life, the higher self-consciousness within us, and the ultimate goal of all instruction in science and religion, of all education, and of all study of theosophical teachings is the awakening of this higher consciousness and inner life, through which humanity, by recognizing its indwelling divine nature, attains a higher level of existence. This is also the most direct path to improving the prevailing conditions. For every person acts according to their nature, and this nature arises from the degree of their self-knowledge. As they attain a higher level of knowledge, their nature is refined, and with it, their morality and conduct. Through this, humanity naturally reaches a higher stage of evolution, a stage to which no coercion by external means can bring it.
Unfortunately, in many circles today, the means are confused with the end, the theoretical study of theosophical teachings with theosophy itself. Many believe that theosophy is synonymous with spiritualism, or with a phenomenal “occultism,” or with a morbid mysticism and religious fanaticism. The fact is that the entire universe arose from the highest wisdom through the creative will, and that consequently wisdom encompasses all realms of feeling and thought. However, just because a person can speak knowledgeably about the number of planets, the inhabitants of the astral plane, or similar matters of which they have no personal experience, does not make them a theosophist. There is also the temptation for such a person to present what they have heard or read somewhere, or received through mediumistic communications, as their own experiences in order to gain prestige, and then begins the boasting and lying, vanity and lust for power, self-deception and perhaps also swindling, as one occasionally finds in certain false prophets.
All knowledge without an underlying truth is hollow; the foundation of all true knowledge is the self-knowledge of truth. This requires no intellectual agonizing, but above all, love for truth. A person in whom the principles of selfless love, living faith, trust in the law of divine justice, mercy, and patience have become their spiritual powers and are manifest in their will, thought, speech, and action—such a person, even if they have read little, is the true Theosophist. How much better it is to carry heaven within myself and to know the glory of divine existence from my own inner experience than to know only from books how to classify the divisions and subdivisions of heaven! It is better to have a clear conscience and to be blessed than merely to know what eternal bliss would consist of, if one possessed it.
But these inner experiences are the result of great perseverance in spiritual growth; they require many lifetimes or reincarnations and are therefore not for everyone. For this reason, theories about life in the afterlife, accounts of phenomena, whether true or false, speculations about supernatural things, and so on, generally hold far more appeal for newcomers than the arduous practice of self-discipline, self-control, self-knowledge, love, justice, patience, and other Christian virtues, even though these alone bring people closer to God, because they are not inherent to mortal beings but originate in their higher, spiritual self, whereas empty knowledge does not ennoble people but leaves them where they are.
Knowledge alone is not wisdom. There is no such thing as “theoretical” theosophy; for the very essence of wisdom lies in its being born of practice. Certainly, knowledge is a means to achieving practice and is therefore highly recommended; but knowledge is only a means, not the end. Knowledge without true understanding rests on opinions, delusions, and imaginings; it is built on sand and leads to strife, discord, and self-righteousness.
The foundation of a proper theosophical society is not “knowing better” and arguing about theories, but rather mutual harmony, that is, the high regard and cultivation of what each person recognizes in themselves and in others as great, noble, and holy. The purpose of theosophical study, which primarily includes inner self-reflection, is to attain true spiritual self-knowledge, that is, to develop our inner higher nature and to come to know the God within us, whose temple we are, as the Apostle Paul also teaches. In this knowledge of God, which is the self-knowledge of truth, all differences of opinion and disputes cease. In it, all people are united. This union with our divine nature elevates us above all differences of nation, age, gender, and denomination. The “master” within us is neither “Catholic” nor “Protestant”, neither “materialist” nor “spiritualist”, neither a “Schopenhauerian” nor a “Nietzschean”; he is attached to nothing, he stands on his own two feet, he is free, and the more the individual approaches him, the more he raises him from the realm of illusions and helps him to freedom.
This freedom is not acquired through an increase in acumen, cunning, or personal megalomania, but through an elevation of the sense of justice and true self-awareness, which is rooted in the recognition of the unity of the essence of humanity and all creatures.
How necessary it is that this self-confidence be fostered among the people becomes clear when we look at the social conditions of our time. Let us listen, for example, to what Mr. W. Russell says in the “Daily News” about the conditions among the upper classes in England, and consider to what extent his words can also be applied to our situation. He writes the following:
“The luxury that is practiced in such a terribly intensified way in everything has produced an almost insane addiction to the possession of money. . . . No one is ashamed anymore to live at the expense of others. Men and women are no longer valued for who they are or what they can achieve, but for the money they have. Money alone decides when choosing a husband or wife. . . . Another bad sign of the times is the decline of family life, the neglect of domesticity. Religious consciousness has also been lost to modern society. We live in an age of decay. We are Romans of the worst period of ancient Rome, immersed in luxury and effeminacy. Our only ideal is the possession of money. Courage has become so unfashionable that we boast of cowardice. The beauty in art means nothing to us anymore. Religion has degenerated into a kind of Isis worship. Patriotism is periodically and artificially invoked.” Throughout the entire country, not an ounce of true manly courage can be found, and women have lost all feminine sensitivity. To find anything similar, we must go back to the worst period of the Roman Empire.”
Whether Mr. Russell is right about what he says about his fellow countrymen is for each individual to judge. Nor do I know if Mr. Russell is familiar with the doctrine of reincarnation, but it is nonetheless noteworthy that H. P. Blavatsky claimed that the present-day English are reincarnations of the Romans from the worst period of the Roman Empire. It is foreseeable that history repeats itself, and that just as the Germanic tribes suffered for centuries under Roman influence, even after the empire’s demise, similar consequences will occur in Germany the more we fall under English influence. I say this not out of ill will toward the English, among whom I myself have many esteemed friends, but to emphasize how necessary it is for every person and every nation to preserve their independence and sovereignty of feeling and thought.
This is not the place to address the prevailing conditions in Germany, which also threaten us with the decay of society; however, I cannot help but mention, however futile it may be, a great danger, all the more serious because it is heeded by so few, namely the “materialization” and corruption of the German language by the so-called “improvers” of German spelling. A language is not, as some believe, a haphazard collection of arbitrarily adopted sounds, but a product of development, and it corresponds precisely to the character of the people it inhabits. The German language is one of the few that still possesses something spiritual and powerful. The more perfect a language is, the more signs it has (like Sanskrit) to indicate subtle vowel stresses and lengthenings. The more a people loses its refined sense for such nuances, the more monotonous and soulless its language becomes. Conversely, by abolishing the signs for these subtleties, the subtlety itself, and thus the feeling, is lost. A person who can no longer distinguish between “Muth” and “Mut” (courage) or between “That” and “Tat” (action) is certainly on the path to brutality and a lack of spirit. A well-known philosopher and occultist wrote fifty years ago: “Since, of all educated nations, only the Germans possess a fully developed original language, the Germans must become the masters of the world as soon as they recognize the power inherent in their language.” Through the corruption of language, the spirit disappears, and with it, the power.
All of this does not mean that the Theosophical Society as such should engage in any agitation for this or that reform; this would be contrary to its constitution, which allows each member to believe whatever they please. However, every person who wishes to reach a higher level should strive to promote good and avoid evil. “Good” is everything that elevates humanity, “evil” is that which degrades it. If everyone worked on themselves and within their own circle, general reforms would come about naturally. To this end, anyone who feels called to do so can gather a circle of friends and acquaintances and form a Theosophical Society without first seeking permission. The more such societies there are, the better, and if they wish to join the general central organization in Germany, they themselves will benefit from the advantage that always arises from the union of individuals into a larger whole.
Notes:
[1] Excerpt from his letter of greeting addressed to the General Assembly of the T. G. in D.
[2] To the members of the “Theosophical Society (ITV) in Germany”, gathered in Leipzig at Pentecost 1902. By Dr. Franz Hartmann. [An die Mitglieder der “Theosophischen Gesellschaft (I. T. V.) in Deutschland”, versammelt in Leipzig zu Pfingsten 1902.] Theosophischer Wegweiser 4, no. 9 (June 1901), 259-268 [Translation from the German by Robert Hutwohl, ©2025]