Carnuntum was published in 1888 and became a huge
success, especially among the Pan-German nationalists of Austria and Germany .
Its publication brought its author more to the attention of important political
and economic leaders of German nationalist movements. In connection with the
appearance of Carnuntum, List made the acquaintance of the industrialist
Friedrich Wannieck. This association was to prove essential to List's future
development.
Throughout this period, List devoted himself to the
production of further neo-romanticism prose, such as Jung Diethers Heimkehr
(Young Diether's Homecoming) and Pipara, in 1894 and 1895 respectively. The
anthology of earlier journalism Deutsch-mythologische Landschaftbilder was
published in 1891, and List developed his writing skills in poetic and dramatic
genres as well.
List became involved with two important literary
associations during these years. In May 1891, the Iduna, bearing the
descriptive subtitle "Free German Society for Literature," was
founded by a circle of writers around Fritz Lemmermayer. Lemmermayer acted as a
sort of "middle man" between an older generation of authors (which
included Fercher von Steinwand, Joseph Tandler, Auguste Hyrtl, Ludwig von
Mertens, and Josephone von Knorr) and a group of younger writers and thinkers
(which included Rudolf Steiner, Marie Eugenie delle Grazie, and Karl Maria
Heidt). The name Iduna, which was provided by List himself, is that of a North
Germanic goddess of eternal youth and renewal. Within the society were two
other authors with specifically neo-Germanic leanings: Richard von Kralik and
Joseph Kalasanz Poestion. This literary circle was loosely held together by
neo-romantic ideas of German nationalism, a sense of "turning within one's
self" ( innerliche Wanderung ), antirealism, and anti-decadence. The
society was only able to last until 1893, when the dilettantism of the various
interests seems to have become too acute. However, in many ways this does seem
to have been the springtime of the neo-Germanic movement. *14 Another
neo-romantic literary association, the Literarische Donaugesellschaft (Danubian
Literary Society), was founded by List and Fanny Wschiansky the year the Iduna
was dissolved. *15
It is almost certain that List and Rudolf Steiner
knew each other in the early 1890's, since both were being influenced by the
first wave of Theosophy and occult revivalism in German-speaking countries at
that time. However, there is little chance that either one had too much direct
influence on the other. Each of them would become more "Theosophical"
in the next decade. List also met the young Jorg Lanz von Liebenfels (Adolf
Joseph) at this time as well but it would not be until after Lanz had left the
Heiligenkreuz monastery in 1899 that any extensive interaction between the two
was possible.
By far the most important influence on List's
development at this time were those provided by the nationalist and Pan-German
cultural and political groups whose attention had been drawn to him by the publication
of Carnuntum. These were largely associations of people of German ancestry and
language in the multiethnic Austrian Empire, whose aims included the promotion
of Germanic culture and language (over that of non-German subjects) and the
eventual political union of Austrian Germans with the greater German Empire to
the west, that is, Germany proper. *16
Of course such notions were common enough at the
time, and List was certainly already firmly in this camp before 1891. Even the
"sporting2 associations in which he had earlier begun to be active had
Pan-German political aims. However, this period began a more activist phase for
List, who had, up until this time, been fairly exclusively "mystical"
in his approach. The new phase brought List into close contact with such
leading political figures as Georg von Schonerer, an anti-Semitic Pan-German
member of the Imperial Parliament, *17 and the powerful publicist and
parliamentary deputy Karl Wolf. Both of these men also published newspapers,
and List's work appeared in Wolf's Ostdeutsche Rundschau (East German Review)
on a regular basis. *18 It might also be speculated that List had as much a
"mystifying" effect on the political world as it had a
"politicising" effect on his views. This trend would continue with
the later advent of the New Templar Jorg Lanz von Liebenfels. But it was List's
association with the Wannieck family and their organisation and publishing
house, Verein "Deutsche Haus" ("German House" Association),
which was to prove most important to List. They published many of his books in
this decade and give him a wider outlet for his ideas. In 1892 he delivered a
lecture on the ancient Germanic cult of Wuotan to the Verein Deutsche
Geschichte (German History Association). Numerous other associations allied
with this one proliferated in Austria at this time. Another groupBund der
Germanen (Germanic League), sponsored the performance of List's mythological
dramatic poem, Der Wala Erweckung (The Wala's Awakening), in 1894. In another
performance of this drama in 1895, which was attended by over three thousand
people, the part of Wala was read by Anna Wittek, a young actress who later
became List's second wife.
Through these years, List became a well-known and
respected artist and mystagogue among Austrian German nationalists, and he was
to remain a part of the conservative cultural establishment throughout his
life.
