Richard Wagner: Adolf Hitler's Favorite Composer

Born in Germany on May 22, 1813, Richard Wagner went on to become one of the world's most influential and controversial composers. He is famous for both his epic operas, including the four-part, 18-hour Ring Cycle, as well as for his anti-semitic writings, which, posthumously, made him a favorite of Adolf Hitler. He's also featured in films including the Star Wars, Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter movies. There is evidence that Wagner's music was played at the Dachau concentration camp to "re-educate" the prisoners. Wagner had a tumultuous love life, which involved several scandalous affairs. He died of a heart attack in Venice on February 13, 1883.
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Richard Wagner: Adolf HItler's Favorite Composer

[Maximilian]

yes true, Wagner's music is majestic, full of power and harmony, one can only admire his genius work

[jamesmorgan]

One of Lenin's favorites too; Siegfried's funeral music was played at his funeral

[Operafreak]

They cannot even pronounce Leipzig. No wonder they are totally wrong calling Wagner a racist. Wagner made it perfectly clear he hated racism, but he was anti-Semitic, true. The fact Hitler liked Wagner is totally irrelevant. Wagner was anti-militaristic and considered emigrating to America because of Bismarck.

[donfelipemoraga]

Anton Bruckner was the favorite Hitler's Composer during at the end of his life. Wagner only was his adolescent hero

[MrProfGenius]

Stephen Hawking's favourite composer as well

[petercollins]

Americans, because they spell and pronounce words as they are written or look to their eyes should not be dismissed out of hand. How many people could pronounce correctly the names of historic towns and villages in Lancashire or Yorkshire in England? Wagner was utterly anti-semitic and deeply jealous of the accomplishments of Jews and Jewish composers. He wrote against them and wanted them ‘annihilated’, to use his own exact word! What he exactly meant by that we shall never know. But his ideas and hatred of the Jews was certainly taken up by Hitler and Wagner became an inspiring figure to the National Socialists.
Wagner had grandiose ideas about the ‘German’ race (ring any bells?) that he inserted into his operas and music. Personally I do not believe that Wagners music should be played by Jews or in any Jewish context - it would be to dishonour the dead and also the millions who suffered in other ways. (I am not Jewish).

[ashleyderevnin]

0:08 Do not argue with this statement!

[godehardbrysch]

Bruckner was Hitler's favourite composer. Greetings to Don Felipe Moraga.

[ambitious]

Also Probably King Ludwig the 2nd of Bavaria, liked his music and plays.

[AugustusYoung]

I wonder who this "Reekard" who was born in some imaginary place called "Leepsick" is, and how is he related to Richard Wagner? I wish people put more effort into their videos. This feels like a parody and not a serious video.

[Marryatau]

What were Zhukov’s favorite composers?

[jefftube]

Emphasizing that Wagner was ant-semitic is unnecessary. Germany and much of Europe already had a disliking of Jews going back centuries.

[felixbergman-composer]

There is nothing quite like a good developed leitmotivic piece of music.

[noisepollution]

As God as my witness I am not a little boy anymore. I am not tired until I hit the hay.

[soysony]

Traduz para português, por favor. Não conseguimos entender.

[marcobagut]

Why does she call him "Rikard" rather than Richard?

[JWP]

Kind of a pathetic biography. Maybe people interested in Wagner will seek out more intelligent material.

[JohnHawkins-hemg]

It's pronounced "Lye-pzig" not "Lee-pzig."

[buzzcutbiene]

how can a racist such beautiful pieces of art? I do not get it how the two can go together.

[canman]

Wagner is also many welknown Jewish music conductors' favourite composer !