From Adolph to Richard with admiration--the power of music

From Adolph to Richard with admiration-the power of music

fiction
edward w pritchard

Vienna was not kind to Adolph Hitler[1889-1945]. His solace while there was the opera and in particular the works of Richard Wagner[1813-1883]. Hitler lived in Vienna 1905 to 1913 being rejected for Art school twice there, living an existence on the margins of poverty; spending several years as a near homeless vagrant.

During that time his joy was to see the opera's of German nationalist Wagner. Standing in the back in the "penny seats" Hitler and his one artistic friend, August Kubizek saw many of Wagner's works performed; and much later when he came to power Hitler surprised others by being able to recite Wagner's lyrics and music verbatim.

Late in life Hitler called Wagner his only forerunner. Historians and music lovers argue over Wagner's anti Semiticm. Should Wagner be judged by the universal genius of his music, or by the totality of his complete art [ gesamtkunstwerke]. Two of Wagner's opera's in particular influenced Hitler in a profound, life changing way. "Prelude to Reizi" is an opera by Wagner about an ancient Roman Tribute's rise and fall. After seeing the opera, a moved and stunned Hitler told his friend Kubizek he heard the mandate to lead the Germanic peoples from servitude to freedom. Later Hitler often had Prelude to Reinzi played at the intensely choreographed and orchestrated Nazi campaign rally's. The second Opera by Wagner to profoundly move Hitler was "Parsifal" an opera with themes of the need for racial purity.

While writing Mien Kampf in prison between the world wars in 1923 Hitler listened to Wagner's music extensively. Also 1923, Hitler visited Bayreuth to Wagner's home, met his widow and became close to his son's and their children. Many historians call Hitler the messiah of Wagner's Germanic nationalism and anti semiticm. Wagner's home was later a "pilgrimage" for many Nazi leaders.

Hitler as an eight year old boy sang in the church choir and it's said he then wanted to be a priest. Before that however Hitler as a child was obsessed with and fixated on war. Later he passionately wanted to be an artist and painter. Discouraged he wanted to be an architect. While in Vienna working as a free lance post card painter, Hitler convinced his musically trained friend Kubizek to help him write an opera, that was never finished.

Vienna had a large middle class and esteemed the values of it's strong Jewish community of merchants, landlords and bankers. Hitler was at the bottom of that food chain in Vienna and in Mien Kampf he says his anti-Semiticm started in Vienna. He said before he only saw Jews as a religious group and did not realize what he described as their real nature.

On March 19, 1938 Hitler returned to Vienna as head of the mighty German army to reunite Austria and Germany in the Anschluss. Despite one's feelings toward Hitler we can image his smugness at returning to the city to cheering crowds where he had failed so miserably as a young man. Doubtless many of the City leaders and merchants were there to greet him that day. Hitler would no doubt be humming a piece from a Wagner opera.

Wagner was a genius, musical innovator, famous for his leitmotifs, and stirring music. Was the man who composed the Bridal Chorus from Lohengrin, known to us as the wedding march "Here Comes the Bride" the originators of Hitler's atrocities? Can the Artist be responsible for the ends his inspiration and works causes? Wagner was controversial in his lifetime and remains so today for his anti semiticm and links to Hitler. His music however is celebrated at the Bayreuth festival to large crowds and his opera's are still popular.

What's the responsibility the creative artist bears for the deeds his works inspire or arouse?