Prof. Dr. L.W.J. Holleman Study Group

Mission

The aim of our study group is to promote an understanding of the "Agriculture Course" by R. Steiner, as well as to make accessible modern scientific work related to it. We share what we have learned via our website, leaflets and other printed works, talks and presentations, including creative works such as poetry, music and eurythmy.

Members

Sophia Holleman
General enquiries
sophia.holleman@gmx.ch
David Cuthbertson
Technical questions
scienceinthegreen@gmail.com
Robert de Klerk
robertdeklerk2@hotmail.com
Jannie Möller

Overview of the Activities of our Group

1995 - David Cuthbertson agreed to translate and publish Prof. Wim Holleman's unfinished report on his experiments on the biological transmutation of chemical elements with the alga Chlorella. This research was inspired by indications given in Dr. Rudolf Steiner's 1924 Biodynamic Agriculture lectures. Cuthbertson was invited to do so by Holleman's daughter, Sophia. To support this work the Prof. Dr. L.W.J. Holleman Stichting was set up; to further the work and ideas of Holleman on the phenomenon of biological transmutation through on going research and education, especially in relation to agriculture and ecology.

1999 - Holleman's report was published on this website.

2000 - Meeting with Ir. Jean-Jaques Allegraud, Prof. Jean-Paul Biberian, David Cuthbertson, Dr. Jennifer Greene, Sophia Holleman and Jannetje (Jannie) Möller at which it was agreed that Biberian would conduct experiments designed to repeat those of Holleman's.

2003 - Jean-Paul Biberian announced successful results in the biological transmutation experiments with Marinobacter, for which we had obtained the funding.

2004 - David Cuthbertson made a poster presentation of our work at the 11th International Conference on Condensed Matter Nuclear Science in Marseilles.

2005 - Our website was further updated with literature based research from David Cuthbertson, as well as with links to other related experimental research.

2006 - David Cuthbertson and Sophia Holleman gave a one day presentation of our research findings to the Natural Geometry (Metamorphic Geometry of Nature) Group, at Emerson College, England.

2007 - Further updates to the website, including deeper insights into the scientific thinking of Rudolf Steiner, in relation to modern scientific and philosophical ideas, by David Cuthbertson. Also added were new references to the work of Rudolf Steiner and Herzeele.

2011 - Prof. Jean-Paul Biberian and Dr. Valérie Michotey were prepared to repeat the experiment of 2003 with Marinobacter in a more elaborate form. We also helped with preparatory studies for the project 'Biological Transmutation: its essential Role for Soil Health'. The project was an initiative of Dr. Joan S. Davis and Dr. T. Jäger. Sophia Holleman added Repeat of Herzeele experiment by L.W.J. Holleman in 1933 to the website and a Working-translation in english of Herzeele's 'Entstehung der unorganischen Stoffe' 1875.

2016 - On 11th January 2016 Dr. Joan Davis passed away. In 2011, on a crucial moment in our Stichting's history she took up contact with us and since then a stream of activities was set on. We are ever so thankful for her impulse and encouragement to persevere with the research on biological transmutation.

2016 was also our 21st anniversary. We made a list of all our public and private sponsors, by way of thanks:

This year was an important one for us. We took a new decision to deepen our understanding of the scientific ideas of Rudolf Steiner's Biodynamic Agriculture course, rather than concentrating on the finding of sponsors to support new experiments on the very challenging phenomenon of the biological transmutation of chemical elements. It should be noted that this was only a change of emphasis in our aims.

Jannie Möller started a study in relation to the enlivening or new-forming of matter, in particular in relation to the water element. Sophia Holleman started a study of Tillandsia usneoides, a plant which gains its nourishment from the air.

David Cuthbertson started a study of Steiner's 5th Agriculture lecture in which Steiner stated that chemical element transmutations may be determined by quantitative chemical analysis.

Inspired by their research into transformations in nature, Sophia and Jannie made a Eurythmy programme. This involved a group of eurythmists, musicians and speechformers. The programme was called "Wolken in Wandlung" (Metamorphosis of Clouds). The group performed in Switserland (Aesch, Dornach and Basel).

2017 - Further performances of the above eurythmy programme were made in Schafisheim and Bern. We also took our researches further, deepening our understanding of Rudolf Steiner's challenging spiritual and scientific indications. This has enabled David to feel he might be capable of writing a book about the nature of substance.

2018 - A study was made of the researches of the Swiss scientist Amé Pictet on 'The Presence of Argon in Living Cells', in 1925. This was in relation to his observation that this noble gas was found in much higher than expected quantities in living cells. We also studied this in relation to a developing understanding of radioactivity; from Marie Curie at the end of the 19th century, via Rutherford and Soddy in the early 20th century, and the later discovery that the naturally occuring radioactive isotope of potassium undergoes a nuclear transmutation into argon. We also attended part of the Biodynamic Research Conference held at the Goetheanum, where we were able to have a very fruitful meeting with Dr. Jürgen Hess. In November Jannie and Sophia visited the oldest biodynamic farm in Germany: Hof Marienhöhe where we met Fridtjof Albert who could tell us about his experience with biological transmutation in his fields. The first lecture of Rudolf Steiner's Astronomy Course was studied in our December gathering.

2019 - At our June gathering, a new leaflet was produced, connecting Steiner's Biodynamic Agriculture course with a short overview of the historical development of the scientific understanding of the atom and the phenomenon of biological transmutations. We also studied the nature of the four ethers in Ernst Lehrs 'Man or Matter'. This gave us some new insights into the importance of the so-called chemical ether, in relation to the harmony of the spheres and the transmutaion of chemical elements in living organisms.

In our November gathering, we made a presentation or workshop on the subject of transformations in nature. This centred around new insights into the formation of young matter, based on Ernst Lehrs 'Man or Matter' by Jannie; Sophia spoke about the air plant Tillandsia usneoides, and considerations of its anatomy and physiology in relation to its nutrition. The glandular nature of its dome cells were considered in relation to Steiner's indication that glandular cells in the human being may be associated with transformations. David spoke about the contents of the leaflet he had produced at the last gathering. We also studied Ernst Marti's excellent book 'The Etheric', where we made a start with an understanding of the relationships between Rudolf Steiner's four ethers, elements and the physical forces.

2021 - At our second bi-annual general meeting on the 28th and 30th of December we unanimously agreed to dissolve our organisation as a Stichting and become a more modest study group.