Perhaps one day another question can be formulated around Illion to the C's to help get closer.
Ok!
And, btw, I'm glad I'm not the only one who thought something was weird even if my idea's are not correct. A thought of Carney somehow linking to Illion's underground world creeped me out.
Your request is strangely timely because your post showed up as I was writing this! I'm addressing an idea that has been simmering in my mind for a while.
I have been re-reading this thread looking for evidence on something without really knowing what. But after re-reading Illion's 'autobiography' in
Darkness Over Illion, in which
he refers to himself in the third-person exclusively and extensively, I think there might be an explanation for it. I mean, it's so weird to read! He's done this in
another case as well in his news article about Canada. My idea is that he is suffering from dissociative identity disorder (DID), and a pretty strong case, too.
For instance, on his origins from Canada, the story only comes from him, and it changes.
Incidentally, the wiki page mentions that "According to Professor Herbert Novak, a longtime friend of Theodore Illion, the latter was born in Canada in a wealthy family descended from a branch of the British royalty, the Plantagenets."
In a footnote from the end of Igor's paper posted
here:
Illion was allegedly born in Canada and came from a poor family.
We learn from the article that Illion was born in Canada, raised in Japan, and studied in Paris, New York, Berlin and Istanbul
From the extended obituary written by Max Kaindl-Hönig posted
here:
Who was he that made it enough for us to recognize him as human? Of Anglo-Saxon-Swedish descent, son of an aristocratic family in French-speaking Canada: he had remarked to someone that he had run away from home at the age of twelve and travelled to Japan. The act of separation was finally accomplished with the gesture of a throw: the noble gift of a silver-tipped walking stick flew out of the boy's hand - he let it splash in a wide arc onto the flowing waters of the St Lawrence River.
In a 1935 interview:
...Mr. T. Illion, born in Canada, but by origin of Scandinavian blood.
In a 1936 interview:
So, Illion was born in Canada, adopted by an American who was at the same time an honorary citizen of Italy, so that in one fell swoop he gained the certain convenience of belonging to three world powers at once.
From his 1951 'autobiography':
Actually a Tibetan (details below), he hoped for the possibility of returning to Tibet, but the Chinese Communist annexation in the summer of 1951 made his return to Tibet impossible.
The complainant was born Roman R.[???] (Province of Quebec) and transported at an early age to Ladakh in Central Asia. As a child he ran away from home and lived roughly like Kipling's "Kim" (by the way, the applicant knew "Kim", whose real name was Hastings Palmer, quite well). The applicant moved constantly from country to country, not staying in any one for more than five years.
The red-highlighted portions are contradictory. The first implies someone else moved him, the second claims he moved himself, all in third-person of course.
Seriously! His origin story is so barking mad that it has to be manufactured, doesn't it? I don't think there's even enough truth there to be able to lie about it. And the rest of his backstory up to 1931 doesn't exist except in broad generalized strokes. What is he covering up? Was it traumatic?
Y'know, it's interesting that he never mentions his parents once. He only vaguely refers to a 'family' of some sort. Never names.
The earliest mention of Illion is when, what is believed to be, his first book is published in 1931.
According to the reviewer, the 104-page book reflects the spiritual quest of a young man who is somewhat disoriented and seeks an outlet in a satirical critique of society, rather naive but sincere.
"Somewhat disoriented" and on a "spiritual quest". Kinda sounds like most young men, really. But is this actually Illion writing about himself? His past?
Now, this is a list of Theosophy references that are connected to Illion.
- In 1933: "He is now in Stockholm where he will lecture at several places a.o. The Theosophical Society." The obsolete term "a.o." is short for "account of" which means to esteem; to regard; to prize; to value (someone or something). Remember, this is in Sweden, three years before the first of his two most famous books come out.
- At the Icelandic Theosophical Society he gives at least two lectures on Dec. 31, 1937 and Jan. 5, 1938.
- The Fifth World Congress of the Theosophical Society was held in Salzburg on July 14, 1966. Illion was living in/around Salzburg at the time but I have no idea if he attended. This might just be a coincidental that has nothing to do with Illion.
- Lastly, from Illion's 'autobiography', he states:
... he stayed at the house of the bank manager Jusupaitis (reproduced by ear) in Klaipeda (Memel), Lithuania; spent an entire winter at the Hotel Iceland, the second largest hotel in Reykjavik, Iceland; stayed several times at the house of Vidunas, the Lithuanian national poet, in Tilsit, ...
I was unsuccessful in finding anything on a
Jusupaitis, but
Vidunas was the
pseudonym of Wilhelm Storost, a Lithuanian teacher and poet. He happened to be one of the leaders of Theosophy in East Prussia. If he was even there, perhaps Illion stayed in his house while he was giving lectures at Theosophical halls there? Did they discuss Theosophy?
These are not the strongest connections to the Theosophical Society but it makes me wonder if he could've been a member or influenced prior to 1931.
Something else in the one red-highlighted section above might point to Theosophy. Illion says he's actually a Tibetan. Ridiculous. Could a part of him
want or
identifies as a Tibetan? Notice the place he says he was
transported to: Ladakh.
Ladakh is not in Tibet. It's just outside it's western borders. But in Theosophy, the "
Masters", Koot Hoomi and Morya, were said to live there. Was Illion taught a meditation technique where he was "transported to" the home of the "Masters" in "Ladakh"? Was this maybe an alien abduction? A portal? Was this (or many other possible scenarios) a moment of his theorized disassociation?
Another possible fracturing environment could be the Russian Revolution. I don't know when Illion was actually born (does he?). The year might be right or close, but that's about it. He would have been young when it started though. If he was from Eastern Russia, it may have been difficult.
These are some idea's behind my theory that Illion might have DID. As already posted above, if you read Max Kaindl-Hönig's question carefully, you'll see that even his friends were puzzled by him.
Who was he that made it enough for us to recognize him as human?
Just thoughts.
