Zurich Central Library takes over Wagner archive
On the occasion of Gottfried Wagner's 70th birthday, the Zentralbibliothek Zürich is taking over his archive. The great-grandson of Richard Wagner had fallen out with his father Wolfgang Wagner's family and came to public attention by criticizing the Wagner family's involvement with the Nazi regime.
The archive is so important because it provides a balance to the otherwise pro-Bayreuth collections, the library continues. According to the Central Library's press release, an essential part of the archive is the extensive post-Holocaust discourse, which contains a collection of Gottfried Wagner's publications and correspondence with the Jewish world and the associated international media reactions.
The archive also contains materials on the topics of Judaism in the context of Richard Wagner's life, operas and worldview as well as an extensive Wagner reception with a focus on anti-Semitism and Holocaust research, Wagner in Israel, the USA, Europe, Australia, Asia and South Africa.
Gottfried Wagner, great-grandson of Richard Wagner, works internationally as a freelance lecturer, author and multimedia director specializing in 19th and 20th century European culture and politics, Kurt Weill, Aldo Finzi, Richard Wagner and Franz Liszt.
