Description 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 Foerster-Nietzsche asked Steiner to organize the Nietzsche Library at the Archive in Naumberg, and for several weeks Steiner was able to immerse himself in the books Nietzsche had read. Reflecting on Nietzsche’s intense, devoted, and wide-ranging studies, Steiner especially pointed to a heavily annotated volume by Ralph Waldo Emerson. Rudolf Steiner’s meeting with Nietzsche and his experience in the Archive immediately preceded his writing this book. They are the heart of Friedrich Nietzsche: Fighter for Freedom and inform the mood in which it was written. Friedrich Nietzsche: Fighter for Freedom is an intimate and unique portrait of Friedrich Nietzsche himself and a true characterization of his eternal creative goal, the “superman.” Through authentic spiritual research, Rudolf Steiner illuminates for us Nietzsche’s enduring legacy and provides a deep, spiritual understanding of his life and work.This book is a translation from German of Friedrich Nietzsche, ein Kämpfer gegen seine Zeit (GA 5). C O N T E N T S Foreword to the 1985 Edition Introduction: Friedrich Nietzsche and Rudolf Steiner 1 Friedrich Nietzsche, a Fighter against His Time 2. The Psychology of Friedrich Nietzsche as a Psychopathological Problem 3. Friedrich Nietzsche’s Personality and Psychotherapy 4. The Personality of Friedrich Nietzsche, a Memorial Address Index
