Maria St. Goar

Maria St. Goar (1928–2018) was born in Matsue, Japan, a daughter of Dr. Fritz and Emmela Karsch, who were German citizens. The family lived in Japan throughout World War II. Maria had a limited formal education and was primarily home-schooled in Japan by her mother. Maria had a voracious appetite for reading. At age 12 she began studying Anthroposophy, beginning with books on the Old and New Testament by Emil Bock. Eventually she became fluent in three languages (German, English, Japanese), leading to her future translation work. After the American occupation of Japan began, Maria accepted a position as an interpreter at the International War Crimes Tribunal in the Prosecution Section and arrived in the United States in 1949. Her first marriage ended shortly thereafter, but she married again in 1954, this time to Herbert St. Goar a former German refugee who arrived in the United States just before the War in 1938. Maria worked and volunteered her time as a translator of numerous anthroposophic works by Rudolf Steiner and related authors from German into English for publication in the United States and Great Britain. In 1989, Maria began serving as a Class holder for Tennessee, Georgia and Alabama,was a member of The Christian Community.