There is much to be found in the general writings of Richard Wagner (1813-83) which would have had appeal to the Nazi’s, and indeed references were made to Wagner in some of Hitler’s speeches, although these were more illustrations of Wagner’s German patriotism than specifically anti-Semitic or racist views.
Adolph Hitler (front row on isle), Dr C. Muck conducts Wagner with the Leipzig Orchestra (anon., photograph, n.k.)
Hitler was himself a big fan of the music of Wagner and carried a copy of the score from Tristian and Isolde in his knapsack and several autograph scores, including Parsifal are believed to have perished in the bunker with the dictator. As well as the appeal of Wagner as an anti-Semitic Socialist, another strong influence on Hitler were the writings of the composers son-in-law, Houston Stewart Chamberlain, who was a race theorist and a leading voice in the conservative racist movement that developed in Germany from the 1870’s and culminated in the rise of Hitler and the Nazi party in the 1930’s.
The influence of Wagner over the rise of the Nazi party can be demonstrated by the announcement in 1933, soon after Hitler came to power by the Richard Wagner Society for Germanic Art and Culture of the Bayreuth celebrations with the following statement:
just as Richard Wagner created Der Ring des Nibelungen out of faith in the German spirit, it is the mission of the German people … to reflect upon themselves and to complete the organisation of the German people, through which, in addition, all the ideal aspirations of the German-Nordic Richard Wagner Society will maintain a real political impact on the state, the nation, and the world around us in the national Germanic spirit of Richard Wagner.
Anon. (2013). This society had the full backing of the new government and the army in the promotion of Wagner’s music in the interests of the German people to counter the threats of Bolshevism and Judaism. The music of Wagner was sometimes played at Hitler’s rallies.
As well as a composer Wagner was a man of letters during his lifetime and wrote several essays on various subject matter. It is some of these essays that most establish his anti-Semitic views that would have influenced the Nazis later on. Wagner throughout his life had strong socialist and nationalist views and a lot of his early live was governed by official opposition to his political views, and his Republican beliefs. Part of his early career was spent in Paris at the Théâtre de la Renaisanace, which would go bankrupt before the composer could fully establish himself. It was during this time that he received the support of the Jewish composer and entrepreneur, Giacomo Mayerbeer (1791-1864), who he was financially indebted to, which would add to his hostility to Jewish people and who he would deride at times later in life. He believed Mayerbeer knew of the demise of the Théâtre de la Renaisanace, although there is no evidence to support this, which also may have contributed to his feelings about the composer.
After returning to Dresden, Wagner became more involved with politics and Republicanism in particular. Whilst in Dresden Wagner made a speech to the leading Republican group, Vaterlandsverin, where he criticised aristocracy and wealth and spoke of democratically elected government being the natural progression of mankind (Millington, 2013). Whilst in Dresden, Wagner’s understudy as Kapellmeister, August Röckel, was editor of the Republican journal Volksblätter and Wagner wrote several pro-republican articles for this publication, and through Röckel met the Russian anarchist, Mikhail Bakunin, who knew Engel and Marx (Millington, 2013). In May 1849, the authorities had a crackdown on opponents to the regime and Wagner was forced to flee Dresden, and with the help of Franz Liszt fled to Switzerland via Wiemar.
Whilst in exile in Switzerland, Wagner wrote a series of essays that would form the blueprint for his later operas, including, Oper und Drama, which outlined his vision of ‘Total Theatre’ productions which would form the basis of The Ring. During this time, the composer would also write the most anti-Semitic of his essays, Das Judebthum in die Musik. In this essay, originally published in 1850, Waqner criticised Jewish art and culture, stating that the Jewish artist was only capable of copying the artistry of other Europeans, and also criticised there desire to make money from business and their use of Hebrew as a primary language. The artist who came in for the most derision in this essay was Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), who although having the respect of Wagner, says this:
Mendelssohn, on the contrary, reduces these achievements to vague, fantastic shadow-forms, midst whose indefinite shimmer our freakish fancy is indeed aroused, but our inner, purely-human yearning for distinct artistic sight is hardly touched with even the merest hope of fulfilment
(Wagner, 1850)
Further political writings would follow by Wagner, that would have appealed to the Nazis, especially a series of essays written when the composer was well established at Bayreuth, the Regeneration Writings (1878-81), which would once again express anti-Semitic views. Here Wagner talks about miscegenation being necessary for the development of mankind, but speaking of Jews being able to seek redemption through the blood of Christ (Millington, 2013). By this time racist and anti-Semitic views were much more commonplace and hard line in Germany and Wagner’s views were a popular theme of the times, although more liberal than some, who favoured forms of ethnic cleansing. Wagner’s wife, Cosima (1837-1930) kept a diary during these years and a regular feature of her entries were repeated anti-Semitic views.
It was against this background that Wagner would write the opera that would have the most appeal to the Nazis, Parisfal. This opera premièred in Bayreuth in 1882 and due to an agreement with King Ludwig II to pay for the original Bayreuth festival, Wagner was forced to use the orchestra of the Munich Hoftheater, including its Jewish conductor, Hermann Levi. The philosophical writings of Arthur Schopenhauer (1788-1860) had an influence on Wagner and his belief in Buddhist theory. The meaning of the final act has has been a subject of debate in the twentieth century, as Wagner uses subtle tone changes to express the pacification of the will, the main theme of Schopenhauerism, as well as elements of racial cleansing. The subject of this opera would clearly have appeal to the Nazis of the 1930’s and 40’s and their ideology.
Although there is much evidence of racial thinking behind Wagner, it should be put into some context of the times he lived in. Anti-Semitic views had been strong in Germany since the middle ages and the times of Luther and by the end of Wagner’s life were a very common thread among German thinkers. The liberal revolutionary thinking had by this time become very conservative and racist. It is easy to see how the essays and music of Wagner would have appealed to Hitler and the Nazi’s in the 1930’s and were used in some quarters to promote patriotic events such as the Nuremberg rallies. As discussed above Hitler did not quote specific words of Wagner but dwelt on his German patriotism and sometimes played his music at these events. It is sad that some of Wagner’s original scores were probably lost with the dictator in the bunker where he committed suicide but scholars do still hold out hopes that they may one day turn up.
Wagner and the racist elements of his writings and music are still a subject for controversy today, and Wagner’s music is still rarely performed in Israel, as Samuel Lewis explains:
The question of staging a Wagner opera or performing his music in Israel arises time and time again. The public is able to purchase CDs, DVDs and can subscribe to the French Culture TV Channel “Mezzo” that regularly relays Wagner’s music. The Israeli Opera does not plan to stage any Wagner works at the present moment in time. One must understand that there are still people living today in Israel who managed to survive the Nazi Holocaust but who have vivid memories of having to listen to his music whilst their kith and kin were being murdered.
(Lewis, 2013)
A recent staging of Tannhauser in Dusseldorf also lead to controversy. In this production a gas chamber formed part of the set and members of the audience were shocked and some had to receive medical help. Further performances were suspended, although they are now going to be performed with the controversial scenes removed. So Wagner and his influence on the Nazi’s and German history continues to be a matter of some debate.
REFERENCES
Anon. (2013). Richard Wagner. [online]. World ORT. Available from: http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/politics-and-propaganda/third-reich/wagner-richard/ [Accessed on March 10 2013].
Lewis, S. (2013). “Musical Life in Israel”. Musical Opinion. Jan-Feb 2013, Number 1492, Volume 136, p. 24.
Millington, B. (2013). Wagner, Richard. [online]. Oxford University Press. Available from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/29769 [Accessed on March 12 & April 20 2013 & May 8th].
Wagner, R. , Tr. By William Ashton Ellis (2013). Das Judenthum in Der Musik. [online]. Available from: http://www.jrbooksonline.com/PDF_Books/JudaismInMusic.pdf [Accessed on May 9th 2013].
ILLUSTRATIONS
Anon., (n.k.). Adolph Hitler watches Wagner performed by the Leipzig Orchestra. [Black and White photograph][online image]. World ORT. Available from: http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/politics-and-propaganda/third-reich/wagner-richard/ [Accessed on March 10 2013].
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Anon. (2013). Nazi Approved Music. [online]. University of South Florida. Available from: http://fcit.usf.edu/holocaust/arts/musreich.htm [Accessed on March 10 2013].
Anon. (2013). Richard Wagner. [online]. World ORT. Available from: http://holocaustmusic.ort.org/politics-and-propaganda/third-reich/wagner-richard/ [Accessed on March 10 2013].
Anon. (2013). Wagner Controversy: Opera Cancels Holocaust Staging of “Tannhäser”. [online]. Spiegel Online International. Available from: http://www.spiegel.de/international/zeitgeist/wagner-opera-cancelled-due-to-holocaust-staging-of-tannhaeuser-a-898937.html [Accessed May 17 2013].
Lewis, S. (2013). “Musical Life in Israel”. Musical Opinion. Jan-Feb 2013, Number 1492, Volume 136
Millington, B. (1992). “Parsifal”, The New Grove Book of Operas. Edited by Stanley Sadie. London. MacMillan Press.
Millington, B. (2013). Wagner, Richard. [online]. Oxford University Press. Available from: http://www.oxfordmusiconline.com/subscriber/article/grove/music/29769 [Accessed on March 12 & April 20 2013 & May 8th].
Wagner, R. , Tr. By William Ashton Ellis (2013). Das Judenthum in Der Musik. [online]. Available from: http://www.jrbooksonline.com/PDF_Books/JudaismInMusic.pdf [Accessed on May 9th 2013].