max Heindel, of its true name Carl Louis von Grasshoff, born the July 23rd 1865, dead the January 6th 1919. Founder of the Rosicrucian Fellowship (Rosicrucienne Association) between 1909 and 1911, based in Mount Ecclesia, Oceanside in California.

Biography

Carl Louis was born on July 23rd, 1865 close to Copenhagen (Denmark) in the Danish minor nobility. Its true name was Carl-Louis von Grasshoff. His/her father François L. Von Grasshoff was of German origin, his mother was Danish. They had 3 children whose elder one was Carl-Louis. At the 16 years age it entered to the school of the marine of Glasgow, where it made studies of engineer. Between 1895 and 1901 it settled in New York City as engineer consultant.
Max Heindel settled then in Los Angeles in 1903, where he became member of the Société Théosophique, of which he was vice-president in 1904 and 1905. After a cardiac serious attack in 1905, it was during months with the doors of death.

Although large admiror of Mrs. Blavatsky, teaching theosophic did not satisfy it entirely because of his too Eastern references, and too not very Christian. Having intended to say that a spiritual Master taught on the old continent, max Heindel went to Germany and remained there of at the beginning of November 1907 at the end of March 1908. He attended the German mediums theosophic, in particular in Berlin. He took note of many cycles of conferences and had also approximately 6 talks deprived with Rudolf Steiner, which was General secretary of the German Section of the Théosophique Company, before founding the Société Anthroposophique.

Before setting out again for California, max Heindel announced to Dr. Steiner that it had started to write a work of occultism, left summary of the lesson of the East and the Occident. Dr. Steiner asked then, that if it were made use of unspecified lesson published by him, it would have to be mentioned like reference and information source. Consequently, max Heindel dedicated the first American edition of its “ Rosicrucian Cosmo-design ” (Cosmogony of the Rosicrucian brotherhood, published in 1909) to Dr. Steiner.
The English text of the dedication was the following:

“ To my valued friend, Dr. Rudolph Steiner, in grateful recognition off much valuable information received; and to my friend, Dr. Alma Von Held up, inheartfelt appreciation off the priceless influence for drunk person-growth she has exercised in my life ”.

What one can roughly translate by:

“ my estimated friendly, Dr. Rudolph Steiner, in deep recognition of very invaluable received information; and with all my gratitude with my friend Dr. Held up Alma Von, for the priceless influence which she exerted in my life and on the growth of my heart ”.

Rene Guénon, in his work Théosophisme, History of a pseudo-religion , pointed out well the similarity between the teaching of Steiner and that of max Heindel, not only in certain concepts, but in the terminology, it from of deduced that as the lesson from Steiner were former and than max Heindel had recognized by its dedication the duty with Steiner, it was not any doubt that the source was well Steiner, with less adds it prudently, that the two authors drew with a common source. That is as well highlighted in the article of Wachsmuth published in the Tournant review mentioned in the sources. Jose Dupre who wrote a very critical work on Steiner and the anthroposophie, does not hesitate to qualify max Heindel of plagiaire.
However in the following editions of Cosmogony the dedication was withdrawn. As of its return to the United States, it founds its first center rosicrucian on November 14th, 1908, and in 1909, its Cosmosgonie of the Rosicrucian brotherhood publishes. It undertook then lecture tours which had much success, which led it to consider the creation of a true Center of diffusion of its philosophy rosicrucian, which was built in Oceanside. In August 1910, he married Augusta Foss, a theosophist very set on astrology, which taught to him in addition. They lived initially for 8 months with Ocean-Park close to Los Angeles and then were established in Oceanside, in California. In 1910, max Heindel again failed to die of a cardiac serious attack and was hospitalized, but hardly restored, it took again the diffusion of the lesson rosicrucians. It organized courses by correspondence, entirely free, which comprised courses of Bible, courses of philosophy rosicrucian, and courses of astrology. However on January 6th, 1919 an ultimate heart attack was right of him. Its widow Augusta Foss-Heindel continued to diffuse the enseignement.
Max Heindel also founded a esoteric school by correspondence for the candidates with initiation. The candidates committed themselves not to eat meat, not to drink alcoholic drinks, and not belonging to another esoteric association, however the membership of the Franc-maçonnerie was allowed. The candidate also committed himself to make certain exercises and periodically returning a report/ratio on this subject in the Center of Oceanside. Each month, it received a “Letter with the Candidates” written by max Heindel. After the death of Heindel, the letters were gathered in a collection which was sent to the people requiring to become effective candidate of Association rosicrucian.

Primary sources

• ARC n°182 of December 1977, Bulletin of Rosicrucienne Association, Center of Paris.
• ARC n°184 of February 1978, Bulletin of Rosicrucienne Association, Center of Paris.
• Mrs Blavatsky and secret Doctrines, max Heindel, preceded by a short biography, ED. house Rosicrucienne, Aubenas, 1977.
• the Fifth Gospel, Rudolf Steiner, Note 93 - ED. Triads, 1982 - GA 148
• Die Geistigen Hintergründe of Ersten Weltkrieges, Rudolf Steiner, GA 174b
• Re-examined Turning 118/119 of Dec. 2003 - reports/ratios of max Heindel with Rudolf Steiner.
• Guénon Rene, Théosophisme - History of a pseudo-religion , Editions Traditional, Paris 1986
• Dupre Jose, Rudolf Steiner - Anthroposophie and freedom , ED. Clavellerie, Chancelade 2004

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