Friedrich Nietzsche

Written in 1889 (CW 5) Immediately upon reading Nietzsche's Beyond Good and Evil in 1889, Rudolf Steiner recognized a kindred spirit--a courageous fighter for the freedom of the human individuality who waged a fierce but unconscious battle against the unspiritual views of the age. Rudolf Steiner met Nietzsche once in Naumburg in 1895. By this time, Nietzsche's mental state had already deteriorated. In his autobiography, Steiner recounts his intensely affecting encounter with Nietzsche, facilitated by Nietzsche's sister, Frau Foerster-Nietzsche. There, Steiner describes the profound impact of being led into Nietzsche's room and observing him lying on his bed in a state Steiner called 'spirit-night.' In a radiant vision, Steiner saw Nietzsche's ill-starred destiny, his soul yearning for the spiritual enlightenment it sought but could not fully grasp. This moment transformed Steiner's previous impression of Nietzsche into an encompassing spiritual understanding. Soon afterward, Frau