some links for thought

http://www.faqs.org/faqs/music/wagner/general-faq/section-18.html


this site gives a nice look at Wagner and anti-semitism. It also contains several links and references to books and articles that are worth reading if you are interested in finding out the truth about Wagner and his antisemitic ties. I may look them up myself.

* 'Wagner: Race and Revolution' by Paul Lawrence Rose, who presented a
view in which racial and anti-Semitic ideas were the driving force behind
Wagner's creativity, even in 'Der fliegende Holländer'. Many Wagner
scholars vehemently oppose this view, in particular harshly criticising
Rose's scholarship; see for example Stewart Spencer's review ('Wagner',
January 1995, pages 46-48).

the above is taken from the webpage that i have linked. i like that the author of the page explains how the scholarly community has reacted to the publications. remember, anything that goes against the establishment is bound to be attacked. nonetheless, it is worth finding out what is being attacked and why. is there foundation for either argument? it is interesting that many scholars critisize Rose's scholarship. Rose, as I have just read, teaches at Penn State (located in Pennsylvania) and is a professor of European History, Mitrani Professor of Jewish Studies. on his page there is a listing of recent publications all having to do with Euoprean history and in particular, Anti-Semitism. Here is a list of his publications:

*

Revolutionary Antisemitism in Germany from Kant to Wagner (Princeton University Press, 1990; 2nd ed., German Question/Jewish Question, 1992).
*

Wagner: Race, Revolution and Redemption (Faber & Faber/Yale University Press, 1992; new ed. 1996).
*

Heisenberg and the Nazi Atomic Bomb Project 1939-1945 (University of California Press, 1997).
*

Editor, Antisemitism (Oxford University Press, 1997).

I do not know in what way they critisize his scholarship other than I could guess at it. My guess is that they try to discredit his research and basically call him an ignorant bitter fool. But who knows, that just my guess.

oh, there is another interesting link: http://members.aol.com/wagnerbuch/intro.htm
it actually has the authors book online here is a quote from the webpage introduction:

My basic areas of interest are the violence of Wagner’s antisemitism - I assert that it was very much more violent than has been previously thought - and Wagner’s operas - where I have new research demonstrating violent antisemitic subtexts.

OK, then. How come, if the operas contain antisemitism, it’s proved so hard to nail down? How is that the violence of his antisemitism has been so seriously underrated? Why does the composer still have a clean bill of health? Here’s a quote that goes some way to explaining:

"Such a career as mine must ever cheat the onlooker: he sees in me acts and undertakings he deems to be my own, whereas at bottom they are quite alien to me: who marks the repugnance that often is filling my soul? All will be understood one day, but only when the sum is finished and the balance struck. Then folk must find that this Unusual was really but to be accomplished thus...Still: the day of clearing up will come - things are shaping up that way - and the world will clap its eyes on many a thing it had not allowed itself to dream of."/Letter of Richard Wagner to Mathilde Wesendonck p243 10/8/1860

Fascinating statement - Wagner's career cheats the onlooker - Said not by an enemy, but by the man himself in a letter to his then beloved. Not someone with whom one might expect him to lie - rather someone with whom he might unburden himself. This book is based around that perception.

sounds intesting...lets read another quote from the author's page:

And Hitler's famous comment:

"Whoever wants to understand National Socialist Germany must know Wagner."/Quote in The Rise and Fall of The Third Reich William Shirer

I do believe - and will attempt to prove - that, as far as the Jews are concerned, Wagner was Hitler’s prophet on the most profound level.

wow. i am definately reading this one, it's online and it's free.


Check out the links, I think it is worth the effort.