Jeanne de Salzmann

Jeanne Matignon de Salzmann born Jeanne Allemand often addressed as Madame de Salzmann (1889 – 25 May 1990) was a close pupil of G. I. Gurdjieff, recognized as his deputy by many of Gurdjieff's other pupils. She was responsible for transmitting the movements and teachings of Gurdjieff through the Gurdjieff Foundation of New York, the Gurdjieff Institute of Paris and other formal and informal groups throughout the world.

Madame de Salzmann began her career at the Conservatory of Geneva, studying piano, orchestral conduction and musical composition. Later a student of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze in Germany from 1912, she taught dance and rhythmic movements. She met her husband Alexandre de Salzmann in Hellerau at Dalcroze's school. With him she had a daughter, Boussique. The Russian revolution triggered a move for Jeanne and her husband Alexandre to Tiflis, Georgia where she continued to teach.

In 1919, Thomas de Hartmann introduced the de Salzmanns to Gurdjieff, a relationship that would last until Gurdjieff's death in 1949. She had worked with Gurdjieff for nearly 30 years.

In December 1949, together with Henriette H. Lannes, P. D. Ouspensky, Jane Heap and J. G. Bennett she initiated the startup of an organization to continue the Gurdjieff Work. On the 6. October 1955 "The Society for Research into the Development of Man Ltd." was founded. This organization later changed to "The Gurdjieff Society Ltd.", on the 17. june 1957. She lead the organization and continued Gurdjieffs teachings, emphasizing work with the movements, until she died, 101 years old in 1990.

Her son by Gurdjieff [Frank R. Sinclair, former president of The Gurdjieff Foundation in New York, states that Michel de Salzmann was Gurdjieffs son. See Frank R. Sinclair: "Without Benefit of Clergy, p. 17 (Xlibris corporation, 2005) ISBN 1-4134-7514-0] , Michel de Salzmann born 1923, took over the leadership of the organization.

External links

Near the end of his life, Gurdjieff established three primary institutions to carry on his work, known as the Foundations:
* [http://www.gurdjieff-foundation-newyork.org/ The Gurdjieff Foundation of New York]
* [http://www.gurdjieff.com/ The UK Gurdjieff Society]
* [http://www.institut-gurdjieff.com/ The Paris Gurdjieff Foundation]
* [http://www.gurdjieff-legacy.org Gurdjieff Legacy]

References