The Controversy of Wagner

[illuminist]

Here are some very fascinating facts about the Wagner's family tree that would be interesting to converse about.

Verena Wagner fourth child and youngest daughter of Winifred and Siegfried Wagner and the granddaughter of German composer Richard Wagner was married to Bodo Lafferentz, a member of the Nazi Party from 1933 and a high ranking officer (SS-Obersturmbannführer) of the SS from 1939. They had five children: Améli (1944-), Manfred (1945-), Winifred (1947-), Wieland (1949-) and Verena (1952-), Bodo Lafferentz organised the Bayreuth "War Festival", as he had married Verena Wagner during the second world war

here is the link from wikipedia if you wish to have a look in detail
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Verena_Wagner

[retrouvailles]

It's not really that shocking, considering that Wagner was a huge anti-Semite who wanted to kill all of the Jews. I think everyone should read Wagner's essay "The Jew in Music".

[ahinton]

It's not really that shocking, considering that Wagner was a huge anti-Semite who wanted to kill all of the Jews. I think everyone should read Wagner's essay "The Jew in Music".

Indeed - and take it with the sack of salt that it deserves, Wagner having largely been almost as naïve politically as he was great compositionally...

Best,

Alistair

[richard black]

Yes, Wagner was a complete prat when it came to politics - not to mention an opportunistic brown-noser.

Winifred Wagner was an interesting case - English by birth and upbringing but a more passionate supporter of the Nazi party it would be hard to find. As far as I can see she bears at least some responsibility for the lasting stink of Nazism that has attached to Wagner.

I find Wagner's music a lot more appealing than the man himself, though it's clear that in the flesh he had considerable magnetism - and I don't just mean sexually.