racial prejudice 206, 207
relationship with Siegfried 193, 195, 196, 272
returns to Bayreuth (1953) 267, 279
reveres her father and grandfather 331
rows with Winifred 207
sees herself as ‘crown princess’ of Bayreuth 193–4, 195, 197
sent to Argentina 216, 219–20
on Siegfried as a producer 158
threat to ambitions of the family’s ‘non-emigrants’ 255
and Tietjen 168, 195, 197, 271
and Toscanini 195, 208, 212, 218, 219, 220, 267, 273, 274
tours Britain with her mother 336
trust fund for promising young singers 338
unbreakable links with her mother 336–7
Verena’s letter to Winifred 265
and the von Einem jewellery 215, 218, 220, 279–80
Wagner family’s first cosmopolitan since RW 275
Wieland’s contact with her 254, 255, 290
Winifred accuses her of disgracing the Wagner name 272
Heritage of Fire (later translated as Nacht über Bayreuth (Night over Bayreuth)) 143, 195, 202, 206–7, 209, 213, 214, 219, 220, 249, 267, 269–73
Wagner, Gertrud (née Reissinger) 196, 248, 302, 332
adviser and choreographer at Bayreuth 244, 279, 296
and Anja Silja 298, 301
appearance 224
her children’s onstage involvement 287
a dancer 224, 225, 231
death (1998) 344
and Friedelind 206, 297
marriage to Wieland 196, 226–7
in Munich 203, 225, 296
at Nussdorf 241, 253, 296
on Sylt 305
vulnerable position after Wieland’s death 304, 306
and Wieland’s infidelities 297, 298
and Wolfgang 297
Wagner, Gottfried (Wolfgang’s son)
ashamed of being German and a Wagner 331
autobiography (Wer nicht mit dem Wolf heult (He Who Does Not Cry with the Wolf)) 332
birth of (1947) 254, 286
and the close Wagners-Hitler link 285–6
and a dialogue between a new generation of Germans and Jews 331
and Ellen’s diaries 351
explores the Festspielhaus (1956) 285
forbidden to play with his cousins 289
and his mother’s fate 333
lacks a real role until quite late in life 286
and publications about Bayreuth 330
relationship with Wolfgang 286–7, 332, 350
relentless campaign of 340
settles near Milan with wife and adopted son 331
and Syberberg film 323
Wolfgang hopes that he will take over the festival 308
Wagner, Gudrun (née Armann; Wolf-gang’s second wife)
marriage to Dietrich Mack 332
marriage to Wolfgang 332
personality 340–41
struggle for the directorship 341–2
Wolfgang’s aide 332
Wagner, Iris (Wieland’s daughter) birth (1942) 287
and funds from the sale of the archive 318
photographer and writer in Berlin 314, 340
Wagner, Isolde see Beidler, Isolde
Wagner, Johanna Rosine (née Pätz; RW’s mother) 25
Wagner, Katharina Friderike (Wolf-gang’s daughter)
appearance 344
and the Bayreuth directorship 333
birth (1978) 333
and Christian Thielemann 346
personality 341
as a producer 344–5
studies theatre in Berlin 344
Wagner, ‘Minna’ see Wagner, Christine Wilhelmine ‘Minna’
Wagner, Nike (Wieland’s daughter) xixii, 287, 295, 348
in America 314
appearance 342
her daughter, Louise 340
education 314
and funds from sale of the archive 318
and loss of Wahnfried 305
marriage to Jürg Stenzl 340
personality 313–14, 335
proposals for the festival 346, 347
strongly resembles Cosima xi struggle for the directorship 341–2
and Wolf Rosenberg 314
writer and critic in Vienna 314
Wagner, Richard
affair with Mathilde Wesendonck 7, 18, 23, 24, 31, 32
and antisemitism xiii, 6, 12, 39, 65, 66, 70–87, 147, 188, 286, 326, 331, 348
appearance 5, 17, 82
attacks on Meyerbeer 12
backs the 1848 revolution 9–10, 181
birth of Siegfried 5, 7–8
born in Leipzig (22 May 1813) xii, 25, 82
centenary of his birth 129
chased by his creditors 26
copyright protection runs out (1913) 64, 129
death in Venice (13 February 1883) xii, 1, 51, 54, 155
diary 7, 32, 101
exile in Switzerland 16–20, 23, 31, 32, 59, 86
film epic about him 314
first marriage to Minna Planer 7, 10–11, 17, 26
and Friedelind’s broadcast from America 220–21
grave at Wahnfried 46, 141, 146, 188, 192, 193, 250, 319, 338
health 24
Hitler’s admiration for his music 141, 176–7
Hofkapellmeister at Dresden 9, 12, 13
insecure childhood 25, 82
and Klindworth 135
Mann scorns his theoretical writings 179–80
his manuscripts 239–42, 250, 254, 280, 315–16
marries Cosima (1870) 4, 94
meets Cosima 30
music director at Riga 11
pardoned 24
political stance 1, 13–20, 38–9, 98
possibility of his being Jewish 82–3, 83
proposes a publicly funded foundation 317
royalty income 64
Schopenhauer’s influence 20–22, 48, 49, 50, 77, 78
setbacks for his plans in Dresden 13–14
suicidal 26–7, 50
at Tribschen (1866-72) 1, 2, 4–8, 41, 42, 48, 49
– personality
ambivalence 150–51
coarse joker 50
courage 328
diabolical attraction 55
eating habits 98
hyperactivity 82
ill-temper 24, 54, 98, 328
liar 26, 43
mood swings 11, 50
need to be centre of attention 8
pacifism 77
pettiness 328
philanderer 24–5, 48–9
self-hatred 12, 88
sycophancy 11–12
ruthless egocentricity 2
self-publicist 78
sensuality 26, 100
spitefulness 26
thanklessness 328
unprincipled 54
vegetarianism 73, 77–8
vindictiveness 328
vitality 328
wit 54
– works
Centennial March 50
Die Feen (The Fairies) 10, 40, 60, 239, 346
Der fliegende Holländer (The Flying Dutchman) 12, 13, 57, 171, 178, 227, 228, 293, 298, 299, 345
Huldigungsmarsch (March of Homage) 5
Kaisermarsch 77
Das Liebesverbot (The Ban on Love) 10, 13, 40, 60, 239, 343
Lohengrin 10, 23, 27, 57, 84, 116, 141, 156, 159, 166, 171, 176, 178, 248, 263, 286, 290, 291, 293, 294, 345
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg (The Mastersingers of Nuremberg) 4, 7, 22–3, 34, 53, 57, 58, 81, 85, 145, 148, 149, 159, 164, 170, 175–8, 182, 184, 186, 228, 232, 233, 246, 247, 248, 250, 293, 294, 300, 324, 344, 345
Parsifal 7, 18, 24, 36, 46–9, 53, 54, 57–8, 59, 61, 62, 63, 74, 78, 79, 80, 94, 123, 126, 129, 130, 141, 145, 149, 157, 159–62, 164, 169, 177, 182, 188, 191, 194, 198, 228, 240, 241, 244, 246, 247, 248, 287, 291, 292, 302, 322, 327, 331, 346
Rienzi, der letzte der Tribunen (Rienzi, the Last of the Tribunes) 10, 12
, 60, 84, 176, 177, 239, 307
Ring des Nibelungen (The Ring of the Nibelung) 2, 4, 7, 17, 19–20, 26, 29, 36, 40–44, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 55, 57, 59, 61, 62, 63, 74, 80–81, 94, 99, 116, 123, 124, 145, 148, 149, 158, 162, 166, 170, 171, 181, 183, 193, 213, 221, 226, 227, 228, 231, 235, 241, 247, 254, 291, 301, 327, 336, 347
Götterdammerung (Twilight of the Gods) 30, 41, 81, 115, 156, 157, 158, 177, 233, 241
Das Rheingold (The Rhine Gold) 22, 40–45, 53, 194, 223, 226
Siegfried 22, 41, 43, 44, 81
Die Walküre (The Valkyrie) 22, 40, 41, 43, 44, 241, 317
Rule Britannia overture 11
Siegfried Idyll 4–5, 6, 61, 116, 137, 158, 208, 212, 316
Tannhäuser 12, 13, 22, 24, 48, 57, 58, 59, 62, 63, 85, 112, 115, 156–9, 169, 178, 195, 220, 232, 287, 294, 297, 298, 313, 327
Tristan und Isolde 7, 22–3, 24, 31, 32, 34, 36, 40, 41, 49, 51, 57, 58, 123, 156, 157, 159, 162, 170, 171, 181–2, 184, 186, 228, 239, 253, 268, 291, 292, 300, 315–16, 336
Walkürenritt (Ride of the Valkyries) 177
– writings
Aufklärungen über das Judentum in der Musik (Some Explanations about Jewishness in Music) 73
Erkenne dich selbst (Know Thyself) 73, 74, 76
Heldentum und Christentum (Heroism and Christianity) 73
Das Judentum in der Musik (Jewishness in Music) [1850, reissued version 1869] 6, 65, 70–73, 75, 78, 83–6, 187, 188
Eine Kapitulation (A Capitulation) 6
Die Kunst und die Revolution (Art and Revolution) 3, 181
Das Kunstwerk der Zukunft (The Artwork of The Future) 17
Mein Leben (My Life) 3, 11, 14, 22, 25, 31, 34, 53, 100, 125–6, 143
Modern 73
Eine Pilgerfahrt zu Beethoven (A Pilgrimage to Beethoven) 3
Religion und Kunst (Religion and Art) 73, 76
Über das Dirigieren (On Conducting) 3
Was ist deutsch? (‘What is German?’) xiii, 86
Wagner, Siegfried Helferich Richard (Fidi; RW’s son) 51
abandons dream of becoming an architect 118
appearance 114
Beidler and Isolde’s letter to Cosima 125
birth (6 June 1869) 1–2, 5, 7–8, 52
bisexuality 2, 116–17, 121–2, 124, 126, 136, 147, 158, 227
as Chamberlain’s benefactor 126
change of attitude towards Hitler 145, 146
and Clement Harris 118–21, 144
conductor 2, 55, 62, 118
Cosima enjoys his attention 154
death (4 August 1930) xii, 158, 159, 193, 195, 207
defence of Jews 147–9
education 63, 96, 117–18
festival debut 116
Friedelind promotes his music 337–8
funeral 159, 160
and Gilberto 111–12
Goebbels’ opinion of him 146–7, 151
Hitler’s opinion of him 147
humour 114
love of Italy 52–3, 111, 150, 156
made an honorary citizen of Bayreuth 129
marriage 130, 136, 322
meets Hitler at Wahnfried 141
meets Winifred 136, 322
memoirs 114
mother’s death and funeral 155–6
new production of Tannhäuser 156–9
his operas 158
personality 2, 101, 115, 150–51, 192, 196
plan for a national foundation 128–9, 317
popularity 113
and Preetorius 277–8
as a producer 158–9
qualities 115
ready to help Hitler (1924) 144, 145
records the Siegfried Idyll 208
relationship with Friedelind 193, 196, 272
relationship with Wieland 196, 304
rivalry with Beidler 124, 195
runs Bayreuth 2, 64, 110, 111, 113, 114–15, 147–50, 158–9, 189
sixtieth birthday (1929) 151
and Strauss 116, 150, 169
and the visual arts 53, 55, 194, 196, 223–4
his will with Winifred 152, 159, 189, 193, 195, 196, 197, 256, 265, 267, 318, 319
– works
Der Bärenhäuter (The Man in a Bear’s Skin) 62, 113, 149, 198
Bruder Lustig (Brother Merry) [renamed Andreasnacht] 117, 150, 231, 291
Das Flüchlein das Jeder Mitbekam (The Little Curse that Everybody Bears) [unfinished] 151, 152
Der Friedensengel (The Angel of Peace) 338
Glück (Happiness) 121, 142, 143–4
Der Heidenkönig (The Heathen King) 150
Die heilige Linde (The Sacred Linden Tree) 151
Das Märchen vom dicken fetten Pfannekuchen (The Fable of the Thick, Fat Pancake) 150
Schwarzschwanenreich (The Realm of the Black Swan) 150, 198
Sehnsucht (Yearning) 121, 122
Sonnenflammen (Flames of the Sun) 150, 198
Wagner, Teresina (Gottfried’s wife) 331
Wagner, Verena see Lafferentz, Verena
Wagner, Wieland (RW’s grandson) and Appia 109
birth (5 January 1917) 137
builds a high wall between Winifred’s domain and his 288
childhood 192
confirmed as a church member 189
his ‘dark, creative years’ 253–4
death (17 October 1966) 303
denazification 264
efforts to distance himself from his past 251, 288–9, 293
exempted from war service 222–3, 251, 290, 325
extra-marital affairs 297–8
fails in bid for Städtische Oper directorship 295–6
favoured by Hitler 195–6, 251, 290, 324–5, 349
Friedelind tries to split up Wieland and Gertrud 206
and Friedelind’s articles in the Daily Sketch 215
funeral and burial 303–4
and Gertrud’s role at Bayreuth 296
hatred of Tietjen 198
as heir to the festival 195–6, 226, 230, 232, 235, 238, 240, 252, 289, 294
illness and death 302–3
joins the Nazi Party 203, 204, 252, 255
and Kristallnacht 203
and Liszt 194
makes contact with Friedelind in America 254, 255, 290
marriage to Gertrud 196, 226–7
music lessons with Overhoff 223, 224, 225
overspending 295
personality 194, 196, 204, 226, 290, 296
photography 196
Preetorius’s comments 278
as a producer 116, 223–6, 231, 244, 287–8, 290–97, 314, 331, 346
refuses Tietjen’s training offer 198, 222
relationship with Siegfried 196, 304
relationship with Winifred 196
rows with Wolfgang in Garmisch 255
sees Hitler regularly in Berlin 229–30
set design 198
sole co-operation with Tietjen and
Wolfgang 232
studies in Munich 198, 203, 222, 225
and the visual arts 194, 196, 198, 203, 223–4, 253, 254
and the Wagner manuscripts 239–42, 315–16
works at Bayreuth institute (Flossenbürg offshoot) 235, 238, 240, 252, 264, 288
written declaration with Wolfgang (1962) 248, 306
Wagner, Winifred Marjorie (née Williams-Klindworth; Siegfried’s wife)
accuses Friedelind of disgracing the Wagner name 272
appeal court chaired by Glück 262–5
aware that Wagner dynasty at Bayreuth may come to an end 308
banned from the Green Hill 323–4, 324, 331, 332, 337
bears four children by Siegfried 130, 137
and the ‘beer hall putsch’ 142
birth (23 June 1897) 133
childhood 134–5
continued near-veneration for her 350–51
and Cosima’s funeral 155–6
criticised by the Wieland children 313
death and burial (5 March 1980) 337
and denazification 142, 233,
255, 257–9, 262
dismisses Buchenwald pictures as
American ‘propaganda’ 285
dismisses the Lucerne festival 212
education 135
fervent love of Vaterland 347–8
fostered, then adopted by the Klind-worths 135, 269–70
foundation proposal 129, 317–18
Friedelind intervenes on her behalf 269–70, 271, 273
and Friedelind’s Daily Sketch articles 215
and Friedelind’s master classes 307
and Friedelind’s warning 212
and Furtwängler 162–3
a German nationalist xiii, 134
and Goebbels 146
health 318
and Heritage of Fire 213
intervenes on behalf of Nazi victims 234, 258, 259, 264
keeps some Hitler letters 251
and Kristallnacht 202–3
letters found in Friedelind’s suitcase 219
makes her peace with Wolfgang 336
marriage 130, 136, 322
meeting with Friedelind in Zurich 212–14
meets Hitler at Wahnfried 141
meets Siegfried 136, 322
and Mein Kampf 142–3, 145
Nazi sympathiser 201
in Oberwarmensteinach, near Bayreuth 241
opposition to her 160
and Overhoff 223
pins hopes on radical, nationalist right 312–13
pledges to hand over Bayreuth festival administration to her sons 265
regains British nationality 262
relationship with Hitler xii, 130, 133, 142, 144, 145, 146, 171, 184, 189–91, 234, 250–51, 259, 263, 321–2, 348
relationship with Tietjen 167, 168, 171, 196–7
relationship with Wieland 196
and the Röhm purge 202
rows with Friedelind 207
runs the Bayreuth festival 159–60, 190, 226, 249
special Tannhäuser appeal 156, 159
and the Syberberg film 321–5, 328, 331, 336, 349
and Toscanini 271–2
tours Britain with Friedelind 336–7
unbreakable links with Friedelind 336–7
unrepentant 243, 250, 288, 349, 350
Wieland aims to dislodge her 229
worried about disappearance of heir-looms 316
yearns for grandchildren 227
Wagner, Wolf Siegfried (‘Wummi’; Wieland’s son)
birth (1943) 287
brief marriage 334
director and stage designer 334
finds an Ingres portrait 315, 334
and funds from the sale of the archive 318
retreats to Mallorca with Eleonore 334
stinging public remarks about Wolfgang 334
thriving business in Mallorca 334, 340
Wagner, Wolfgang (RW’s grandson) 226
angry with Frau Strobel over Wahn-fried archive 330
autobiography (Lebens-Akte (Action Man)) 204, 242–3
bans Friedlind from Festspielhaus 317, 323
The Wagner Clan Page 54