Rudolf Steiner 1861 - 1925 and Steiner Education (History)

Rudolf Steiner was born in Kraljevec (then Austria, today Croatia) on 27th February , 1861, as the first child of Franziska and Johann Steiner, from Lower Austria. Rudolf Steiner died on 30th March, 1925. Chronological Biography

Steiner/Waldorf Education has its roots in the spiritual-scientific research of Rudolf Steiner. According to Steiner's philosophy, man is a threefold being of spirit, soul, and body whose capacities unfold in three developmental stages on the path to adulthood: early childhood, middle childhood, and adolescence.

In April of 1919, Rudolf Steiner visited the Waldorf Astoria cigarette factory in Stuttgart, Germany. Germany, defeated in war, was teetering on the brink of economic, social, and political chaos. Steiner spoke to the workers about the need for social renewal, for a new way of organizing society and its political and cultural life. Emil Molt, the owner of the factory, asked Steiner if he would undertake to establish and lead a school for the children of the employees of the company. Steiner agreed but set four conditions, each of which went against common practice of the day:

1) that the school be open to all children;

2) that it be coeducational;

3) that it be a unified twelve-year school;

4) that the teachers, those individuals actually in contact with the children, have primary control of the school. Steiner's conditions were radical for the day, but Molt gladly agreed to them.

On 7th September ,1919, the independent Waldorf School (Die Freie Waldorfschule) opened its doors.

From that beginning there are now over 900 schools world wide. The Edinburgh school was founded by Pelham Moffat in 1939.