Stefan Łubieński [anthroposophist] ON THE SEA AND EARTH OF RUBIE 1936 cover Mrożewski

ŁUBIEŃSKI Stefan: NA MORZA I ZIEMI RUBIEŻY Scenic ballad in 4 acts. O SMANTKU-RYBAKU AND WALKA CZŁOWIEKA Z ODMETEM, illustrations by the author, published by St. Michael's Society, composition by Gebethner and Wolff, Miejsce Piastowe 1936, pp. 108 25.5x19cm

Cover: woodcut by Stefan Mrożewski

Publisher's binding, cardboard with insert.

"Stefan Łubieński, count h. Pomian, (born 10.03. 1893 in Ostrowce - died 23.02.1976 in Driebergen), son of Count Stanislaw and Adolfina Barbara née Czarnowska. He spent his youth on the family estate in Ostrowce. He graduated from the Music Academy in Vienna, where he studied composition. He traveled and changed professions many times. He worked as a composition teacher at the Cracow Conservatory. From 1921 to 1926 he lived in Japan. Fascinated by the local culture, especially Japanese Nō drama, he wrote the book Between East and West. Japonja na guardia Azji: the mystical soul of Nippon, which was published in Warsaw by the Gebethner and Wolff publishing house in 1927. In the same year Łubieński settled in Rotterdam, where he worked at a Polish foreign trade post. In 1930, he married Nora von Ijsselstein. The author of his biography, Cecyle van Spronsen, writes about the thirty professions that Lubienski imitated, mentioning, among others, the occupation of shoemaker, teacher of Russian in the British army, work in a bank as a secretary and diplomat.

Above all, however, Lubienski was an artist. He fulfilled himself both as a composer, which stemmed from his education, and as a poet and playwright, as well as a lecturer. Most of Lubienski's works were inspired by Rudolf Steiner's philosophy, which he was to become acquainted with at the age of 13, while still in his family home. His first anthroposophical reading was Steiner's Theosophie, which his mother and brother Michael (later also an anthroposophist) were studying at the time. Lubienski was a student of Valentin Tomberg. He belonged to the anthroposophical circle in Rotterdam. He received membership card No. 409 on 1.03.1928. In the documents of the Polish Anthroposophical Society in the Archives at the Goetheanum, an address appears next to his name: Amsterdam. Z. Saxen Weimarlaan 28 1e bovenhuis. Despite his residence in the Netherlands, Lubienski, probably thanks to his brother, was well versed in the affairs of Polish anthroposophists, which he gave expression to in critical letters addressed to the AAG secretariat, as well as to members of Polish circles. He participated in the Berlin September esoteric congresses, where he gave annual anthroposophical lectures.

He wrote in Polish and German. In 1919, Lubienski's esoteric fascinations found expression in the magazine Torch, created with Waclaw (Bojomir) Muttermilch, where he headed the art and literature section. Lubienski's most important works inspired by anthroposophy include: Prolegomena to Knowledge Acquired by the Work of the Spirit, Resurrection. A Mystery in 3 Parts, On the Edge of Land and Sea [The Black Fisherman]. A stage ballad in three acts, Dawn. Tragedy in 3 Phenomena, Before Time ("On the Threshold"). Symphonic drama, Dawn. Mystery tragedy in 3 acts with prologue and epilogue, On the sea and land of the frontier. A stage ballad in 4 acts about Smantek the fisherman and man's struggle with the abyss, The Foreground. Stage poem-mystery in 3 parts: (in three separate evenings), Resurrection: a stage work in 3 parts, short story Street player and his death, Zaporozhye. A cycle of cosmic hymns. In 1973, Lubienski completed his autobiography Vor der Schwelle: Lebenserzählung eines polnischen Künstlers und Suchers, which was published in Rendsburg in 1987. There were also four lectures by him published in German in the volume Die polnische Volksseele und die Anthroposophie in Rendsburg in 1989. In the Netherlands, where the Stefan Lubienski Association (Stichting Stefan Lubienski, 3755GK Eemnes, k. Utrecht, Watersnip 11) is active, publications include: Mens en Kosmos, Het twaalfvoudig pinkstermysterie, De Innerlijke en de Uiterlijke twaalfvoudigheid." Monika Rzeczycka