The four Mystery Dramas were created, produced and printed one each year, one after the other, from 1910-1913. They took place in different theatres in Munich but always in the month of August. The writing of the dramas, the creating of the scenery, the making of the costumes, the learning of roles, the general directing, the organization of the printing and all the other inummerable things connected with such a major production happened within a matter of weeks before the main performance. There was a literal whirlwind of activity, and it is reported that often the scenes were written during the night before a scheduled rehearsal, and that at five or six in the morning a boy would come from the press to pick up the manuscript for the printing of the scene for that day's rehearsal.

All this activity centered around Rudolf Steiner who gave directions or advice on every aspect of the production down to the smallest details. He not only wrote the dramas themselves, but also indicated how such soul and spiritual pictures could be presented and played on stage.

A fifth drama was also planned, which was to include scenes from Ancient Greece and its mystery centers, but the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 meant that it had to be postponed. Rudolf Steiner's early death in 1925 resulted in it never coming to production, nor ever being written down.

About seven years have passed since the end of the first drama, ten since the beginning of it. All the main characters are to be thought of as having started or continued a serious study of the spiritual science expounded by Benedictus. Thus, they all must have seen as significantly matured in their spiritual understanding.

Both Capesius and Strader have entered onto the path of initiation, but in very different ways. Capesius, through his slow steady studying and research, has achieved direct experience of spiritual beings, but in an uncontrolled and at first frightening manner. Strader has not achieved this, but he has experienced tremendous inner transformations of his soul which are clearing away hindrances and preparing him for future stages of development.

Maria has been forced to realize that her relationship to Johannes must change if his soul forces are to develop correctly, however Johannes also finds this change difficult, even unacceptable. At this point, through a 'chance' meeting of Johannes and Capesius, both Johannes and Capesius 'accidentally' have a direct experience of the inner nature of the soul. Johannes experiences two sides of himself, which shocks him severely, and Capesius experiences Johannes experiencing this. The result is that, through spiritual vision, both are thrown unexpectedly back into their last incarnation in the Fourteenth Century.

In that ancient time, Capesius was a Templar Knight and Strader was a Jewish doctor associated with the Templars; opposed to them was Maria as a Christian monk, with Johannes, as the Master Miner, her student. It comes out that Capesius was actually the father of Thomas(Johannes) and his lost sister Cecillia (Theodora), who he had abandoned earlier, but eventually wishes to become reconciled with. Theodora and Thomasius are engaged to be married, but find out at the last moment that they are brother and sister. Thus, Capesius, Theodora, and Maria all find themselves in a struggle around Johannes's soul, which is being pulled in different directions by different loyalties. This is all taking place at the same time the peasants and the Knights Templar are experiencing dramatic changes in their lives and the imminent fall of the Knights' castle.

After the retrospective, Capesius can live through the spiritual transformation which led him into his past life quite consciously; but in doing so, he also comes face to face with the guilt remaining from his deeds then and the need to atone for them now, which he has not the strength to face.

Maria, for her part, can experience the temptation which she fell for in that earlier life and through her remembrance of it, is able to overcome it in this life and thus face the necessary consequences.

Johannes is shocked by the retrospective and is not able yet to deal with the consequences of what arose for him on the basis of his past life. He therefore is led into fantasy-full delusion and a state of self-placation.

The final result of the drama, is that Maria alone is able to really step into the next stage of initiation. Through the power of her spiritual understanding of the situation and her love for the other participants in her 'knot of destiny' she will have to bring the support necessary if the others are to progress past their weakness and confusion

About seven years have passed since the end of the first drama, ten since the beginning of it. All the main characters are to be thought of as having started or continued a serious study of the spiritual science expounded by Benedictus. Thus, they all must have seen as significantly matured in their spiritual understanding.

Both Capesius and Strader have entered onto the path of initiation, but in very different ways. Capesius, through his slow steady studying and research, has achieved direct experience of spiritual beings, but in an uncontrolled and at first frightening manner. Strader has not achieved this, but he has experienced tremendous inner transformations of his soul which are clearing away hindrances and preparing him for future stages of development.

Maria has been forced to realize that her relationship to Johannes must change if his soul forces are to develop correctly, however Johannes also finds this change difficult, even unacceptable. At this point, through a 'chance' meeting of Johannes and Capesius, both Johannes and Capesius 'accidentally' have a direct experience of the inner nature of the soul. Johannes experiences two sides of himself, which shocks him severely, and Capesius experiences Johannes experiencing this. The result is that, through spiritual vision, both are thrown unexpectedly back into their last incarnation in the Fourteenth Century.

In that ancient time, Capesius was a Templar Knight and Strader was a Jewish doctor associated with the Templars; opposed to them was Maria as a Christian monk, with Johannes, as the Master Miner, her student. It comes out that Capesius was actually the father of Thomas(Johannes) and his lost sister Cecillia (Theodora), who he had abandoned earlier, but eventually wishes to become reconciled with. Theodora and Thomasius are engaged to be married, but find out at the last moment that they are brother and sister. Thus, Capesius, Theodora, and Maria all find themselves in a struggle around Johannes's soul, which is being pulled in different directions by different loyalties. This is all taking place at the same time the peasants and the Knights Templar are experiencing dramatic changes in their lives and the imminent fall of the Knights' castle.

After the retrospective, Capesius can live through the spiritual transformation which led him into his past life quite consciously; but in doing so, he also comes face to face with the guilt remaining from his deeds then and the need to atone for them now, which he has not the strength to face.

Maria, for her part, can experience the temptation which she fell for in that earlier life and through her remembrance of it, is able to overcome it in this life and thus face the necessary consequences.

Johannes is shocked by the retrospective and is not able yet to deal with the consequences of what arose for him on the basis of his past life. He therefore is led into fantasy-full delusion and a state of self-placation.

The final result of the drama, is that Maria alone is able to really step into the next stage of initiation. Through the power of her spiritual understanding of the situation and her love for the other participants in her 'knot of destiny' she will have to bring the support necessary if the others are to progress past their weakness and confusion

The four Mystery Dramas were created, produced and printed one each year, one after the other, from 1910-1913. They took place in different theatres in Munich but always in the month of August. The writing of the dramas, the creating of the scenery, the making of the costumes, the learning of roles, the general directing, the organization of the printing and all the other inummerable things connected with such a major production happened within a matter of weeks before the main performance. There was a literal whirlwind of activity, and it is reported that often the scenes were written during the night before a scheduled rehearsal, and that at five or six in the morning a boy would come from the press to pick up the manuscript for the printing of the scene for that day's rehearsal.

All this activity centered around Rudolf Steiner who gave directions or advice on every aspect of the production down to the smallest details. He not only wrote the dramas themselves, but also indicated how such soul and spiritual pictures could be presented and played on stage.

A fifth drama was also planned, which was to include scenes from Ancient Greece and its mystery centers, but the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914 meant that it had to be postponed. Rudolf Steiner's early death in 1925 resulted in it never coming to production, nor ever being written down.