Although The Secret of the Runes was originally
intended as an introduction to List's basic ideas, and contains examples of
virtually all of his major themes, a general overview of the life, work, and
reception of this remarkable man are necessary to a more thorough understanding
of his ultimate historical importance. The purpose of this introduction is to
present List's ideas as clearly and completely as possible, and with a minimum
of the sensationalism of subtle condemnation in which treatments of him are
usually couched. It is assumed that the intelligent reader will be able to
decide for himself whether there is any mystical validity to List's work. In
some instances factual errors or linguistic fallacies in List's text have been
noted.
Besides the particulars of List's life, literary works, and ideology,
it is essential to explore the possible origins of his concepts and the
reception of those ideas during and after his own lifetime. It is rather
astonishing that so little is actually known about this man who is virtually a
"legend in his own time." The reasons for this seem clear enough,
however. Like most cult leaders-and true magicians-List had a vested interest
in controlling and manipulating information concerning his person. After his
death, his followers continued to have similar motives. Only one book-length
biography of List exists, that of the Theosophist and Armanist Johannes Balzli
(1917) 2. Balzli's book was actually issued as an introduction to List's
published series of "investigative findings" (Forschungsergebnisse),
and so it can hardly be considered objective. By far the most reliable
treatment of at least some of List's ideas is that of Nicholas Goodrich-Clarke.
3. But the limitations placed upon this study by the thesis of his original
dissertation-that is, "reactionary political fantasy in relation to social
anxiety"-renders a less-than-well-rounded picture.
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