Week 6
There has arisen from its narrow limits
My self and finds itself
As revelation of all worlds
Within the sway of time and space;
The world, as archetype divine,
Displays to me at every turn
The truth of my own likeness.
Week 32
I feel my own force, bearing fruit
And gaining strength to give me to the world.
My inmost being I feel charged with power
To turn with clearer insight
Toward the weaving of life's destiny.
—Translation by Ruth and Hans Pusch
The Steiner Online Library (SOL) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization established to increase public awareness of Anthroposophy, a philosophy created by the 20th century polymath Rudolf Steiner. In 2021, the e.Lib, Inc. transferred the Rudolf Steiner Archive and related technology, books and materials to SOL through an Asset Transfer Agreement, dated January 23, 2021, in furtherance of each nonprofit's respective mission.
In addition to maintaining the existing Rudolf Steiner Archive, SOL launched a new mobile-friendly website, SteinerLibrary.org. By creating the new site to suit all devices and types of users, SOL can reach a broader audience around the world and grow Anthroposophy worldwide. In furtherance of this goal, SOL will also continue to locate additional works, translate them into English and include them in the library.
Dr. Christopher Wietrzykowski
Co-Founder, Executive Director and President
Dr. Christopher Wietrzykowski has had an intense interest in Rudolf Steiner since reading How to Know Higher Worlds in 2003. He soon became a vital contributor to the Rudolf Steiner Archive, personally digitizing and editing approximately one third of the materials on the Archive. In 2012, the original founder of the Rudolf Steiner Archive asked Chris to take over the site in the future and announced the arrangement to the Anthroposophical community. Dr. Wietrzykowski set aside his dentistry career in 2020 and took a deep dive into computing. Building upon his prior knowledge of computing, he taught himself several programming languages, website design, and system administration.
Karin Wietrzykowski, Esq.
Co-Founder, Director of Operations, Secretary and Treasurer
Karin Wietrzykowski is an attorney, focusing on technology transactions. Having served as General Counsel to a consortium of digital content producers, technology companies and digital media retailers, she is well versed in corporate law, IP protection, and other legal issues pertaining to digital media. Karin has also worked with several nonprofit organizations. Karin is a long-time student of metaphysics and first encountered the works of Rudolf Steiner in the early 2000's. Her interest in Spiritual Science has grown exponentially since then and she now has dedicated her career to Anthroposophy and the Archive.
The advent of the technological revolution has caused mankind to fall into a deep materialism. Much of our former cultural life has been stripped away and is now supplied for us through television and computerized devices. We no longer ask ourselves important life questions but instead seek authoritative answers from political leaders and scientific "experts". The cost we pay is a loss of our spiritual freedom. Instead of following our own unique path we are coerced to follow one that has been set for us.
Rudolf Steiner foresaw all these things in the early 20th century. His philosophy, Anthroposophy, provides a pathway back to a world that includes spirit. It explains how our material world is interwoven with an objectively real spiritual world that we can come to know through study and meditation. It explains the inner workings of reincarnation and karma. In whole, it provides a way for people to come to an understanding of their true place in relation to the world.
Steiner Online Library aims to preserve the vast wealth of information contained in the books, articles and transcribed lectures given to the world through the personality of Rudolf Steiner.
A distinct summary of Steiner's message could be summed up by the Ancient Greek aphorism "Man, know thyself!" By studying his teaching, we begin to truly understand our whole being and its purpose in the world. SOL presents this information in a free and easily searchable format to English speakers throughout the world to enable them to carry out this task of self-knowledge.
Thus, through this endeavor to know ourselves we come to better understand the world around us and our unique place in it. We become no longer merely cogs in a wheel but rather a wonderful synergy of individual, free beings working together as a unity.
Starting in 1978 and continuing up to the present, The Rudolf Steiner Archive has been actively bringing Steiner's words to interested people around the world. We were small at first, but have grown quite a bit since then ... read all about it.
We are a small nonprofit with the expenses of a large website. Your generous financial gifts make this venture possible. If you can't contribute now, please visit our Help Out page for additional ways to support our work in the future. Thank you!