This handbook offers the first comprehensive overview of the life and work of Stefan George and his inner circle. It systematically addresses not only the internal network, but also the external effect of the individuals. For this purpose, the contributors critically analyzed the body of research, which has been consistently increasing during the past decades, newly verified bio-bibliographic elements, and compiled numerous references of text reception. The work of George and his inner circle, which was widely received in intellectual-cultural, academic and political life, corresponds with the interdisciplinary and historical, discourse-oriented concept of the handbook, which includes literary studies and sociology as well as political science, history, art history and the history of science.