Emil Molt (14 April 1876, in Schwäbisch Gmünd, Kingdom of Württemberg – 16 June 1936, in Stuttgart) was a German industrialist, social reformer and anthroposophist. He was the director of the Waldorf-Astoria-Zigarettenfabrik, and with Rudolf Steiner co-founded the first Waldorf school. Hence, Waldorf education was named after the company.
Emil Molt | |
---|---|
Born | 14 April 1876 |
Died | 16 June 1936 | (aged 60)
Nationality | German |
Occupation | industrialist |
Known for | Waldorf school |
Spouse | Bertha Molt |
Molt was born in southern Germany and was orphaned as a teenager.[1] He enlisted in the military and worked for Emil Georgii after he was discharged. Georgii's son Emil Jr. hired Molt to work at the Waldorf-Astoria cigarette factory at Stuttgart. He later became its general manager and owner.[1]
A biography written by Molt's daughter detailed how he purchased the Waldorf Astoria brand name from the tobacconist shop in a New York hotel owned by the Astor family.[2]
Molt's association with Steiner began due to his interest in spirituality, particularly after he signed up as a member of the Theosophical Society in 1906. Steiner was regularly invited to speak in its gatherings.[3] The industrialist also became a follower of Steiner's esoteric philosophy called anthroposophy.
After World War I people believed it was possible to initiate new social arrangements.[4] One of them was Molt, who decided to address the educational needs of his factory workers and their children.[4] For this initiative, he was drawn to Steiner's holistic proposition in education, which holds that teaching must attend to multiple aspects of human experience.[5] Following a series of consultations, Molt and Steiner founded the Waldorf school after gaining the approval of the German Minister of Culture in May 1919.[1] Molt bought the Uhlandeshohe Restaurant as the school's first building and altered it according to Steiner's specifications.[6] The adjoining properties were later purchased as the school expanded.[6] The Waldorf School opened with twelve teachers.[7]
Waldorf schools became the largest independent school movement in the world.[8][9]