The Spiritual Foundations of Beekeeping

Iwer Thor Lorenzen (1895-1976) was born in Harrislee Flensburg, Germany, and began his career as a teacher in 1914. While serving in World War I, he became acquainted with Anthroposophy (founded by Rudolf Steiner) through a fellow soldier. Following the war, Lorenzen returned to teaching, later moving into special education. He established a school in 1949 near Hamburg, where he remained until his retirement. Having worked as a volunteer in the Zoological State Institute in Hamburg from 1935 onward, Lorenzen was also a biologist revered, especially among biodynamic farmers, for his love and knowledge of beekeeping. He published his key work on beekeeping in 1938, followed by another nine books, as well as numerous articles on the insect and animal worlds, metamorphosis, and evolution.