Georg Friedrich Philipp von Hardenburg (Novalis) was born May 2nd, 1772, in
Oberwiederstedt, Prussian Saxony. Novalis was the most significant representative of Gennan romanticism at the end of the eighteenth century. He was a poet, a writer, a scientist, a thinker and philosopher who was profoundly influenced by Fichte and Kant.

The great philosopher, prophet, pedagogue, and spiritual seer Rudolf Steiner has
given many indications about the being Novalis. Steiner has even gone back in time to
find out who Novalis was in many previous incarnations. If we are to take seriously what
Steiner says, Novalis is one of the oldest and most significant souls in human history.
According to Steiner, Novalis can write about the most profound foundations of life
because he was there when those foundations were laid. And the most important moment in Christian history can be divined by Novalis because of his central role in the enactment of the mysteries of Christianity. Of course, the reader is free to surmise what you will out of pure study of Novalis's work, but it is often found that an inner question about the works of this author arises, "From what source can such wisdom flow?"

Having simply stated these ideas without a clear elucidation of Steiner's details
also leaves the reader free to pick up the trail if one feels so inclined. A wonderful book
summarizing Steiner's thought concerning Novalis is found in, Eternal lndividuality, by
Sergei Prokofieff. This book will require some familiarity with the philosophy of
Steiner, called Anthroposophy. All endeavors in this direction will yield a wealth of fruit
found in few other places. Otherwise, the reader is free to simply bathe oneself in the
rich and poignant images of the poet/philosopher/scientist known as the "father of
humanity."