Ludwig Geyer
Encyclopedia
Ludwig Geyer was a German
actor, playwright and painter.
Born in Eisleben
, he was the stepfather of composer Richard Wagner
, whose biological father had died some six months after his birth. He married Wagner's mother Johanna Rosine (née Pätz) after Wagner's birth; for his first few years Richard went under the surname Geyer.
In his 'Autobiographic Sketch
' Wagner describes him as 'a comedian and a painter; he was also the author of a few stage plays, of which one, [...] The Slaughter of the Innocents, had a certain success'. On his deathbed, according to Wagner, Geyer asked his mother 'has he perchance a talent for music?'.
Geyer grew up in Artern
and attended gymnasium
in Eisleben. He started studying jurisprudence
at the University of Leipzig
but had to quit in 1799 when his father died after an accident. Geyer made his hobby
to his profession and earned the living expenses for his family by selling small portrait paintings.
In 1801 he came back to Leipzig
where he met Friedrich Wagner who cared for him like a father. It was his advice that Geyer went to the stage. He performed in little theaters as in Magdeburg
, Braunschweig
, Stettin and Breslau. In Magdeburg he became a Freemason
. In 1809 Geyer joined the well known Secondasche Gesellschaft in Leipzig, whose members were given the rank of court actors.
Friedrich Wagner died after the Battle of Leipzig
of typhus
and Geyer married the widow. In 1814 his theatre company became part of the royal ensemble in Dresden
where he made friendship with Carl Maria von Weber
. In 1815, Geyer's daughter Augusta Cäcilie was born who later married the publisher Eduard Avenarius and was the mother of Richard Avenarius
and Ferdinand Avenarius
.
In his later years Wagner found some letters that led him to speculate that Geyer might have been his biological father, and that Geyer was Jewish. Geyer's relation to Wagner was one of several controversies
surrounding the composer during his lifetime and afterward.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
actor, playwright and painter.
Born in Eisleben
Eisleben
Eisleben is a town in Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. It is famous as the hometown of Martin Luther, hence its official name is Lutherstadt Eisleben. As of 2005, Eisleben had a population of 24,552...
, he was the stepfather of composer Richard Wagner
Richard Wagner
Wilhelm Richard Wagner was a German composer, conductor, theatre director, philosopher, music theorist, poet, essayist and writer primarily known for his operas...
, whose biological father had died some six months after his birth. He married Wagner's mother Johanna Rosine (née Pätz) after Wagner's birth; for his first few years Richard went under the surname Geyer.
In his 'Autobiographic Sketch
Autobiographic Sketch (Wagner)
Richard Wagner's Autobiographic Sketch was written in 1842. It is the composer's earliest autobiographical account.-Background:...
' Wagner describes him as 'a comedian and a painter; he was also the author of a few stage plays, of which one, [...] The Slaughter of the Innocents, had a certain success'. On his deathbed, according to Wagner, Geyer asked his mother 'has he perchance a talent for music?'.
Geyer grew up in Artern
Artern
Artern is a town in the Kyffhäuserkreis district, Thuringia, Germany. It is located at the confluence of the rivers Unstrut and Helme, 12 km south of Sangerhausen. It has railway connections to Erfurt and Sangerhausen. The railway connection to Naumburg was cancelled in December 2006. The...
and attended gymnasium
Gymnasium (school)
A gymnasium is a type of school providing secondary education in some parts of Europe, comparable to English grammar schools or sixth form colleges and U.S. college preparatory high schools. The word γυμνάσιον was used in Ancient Greece, meaning a locality for both physical and intellectual...
in Eisleben. He started studying jurisprudence
Jurisprudence
Jurisprudence is the theory and philosophy of law. Scholars of jurisprudence, or legal theorists , hope to obtain a deeper understanding of the nature of law, of legal reasoning, legal systems and of legal institutions...
at the University of Leipzig
University of Leipzig
The University of Leipzig , located in Leipzig in the Free State of Saxony, Germany, is one of the oldest universities in the world and the second-oldest university in Germany...
but had to quit in 1799 when his father died after an accident. Geyer made his hobby
Hobby
A hobby is a regular activity or interest that is undertaken for pleasure, typically done during one's leisure time.- Etymology :A hobby horse is a wooden or wickerwork toy made to be ridden just like a real horse...
to his profession and earned the living expenses for his family by selling small portrait paintings.
In 1801 he came back to Leipzig
Leipzig
Leipzig Leipzig has always been a trade city, situated during the time of the Holy Roman Empire at the intersection of the Via Regia and Via Imperii, two important trade routes. At one time, Leipzig was one of the major European centres of learning and culture in fields such as music and publishing...
where he met Friedrich Wagner who cared for him like a father. It was his advice that Geyer went to the stage. He performed in little theaters as in Magdeburg
Magdeburg
Magdeburg , is the largest city and the capital city of the Bundesland of Saxony-Anhalt, Germany. Magdeburg is situated on the Elbe River and was one of the most important medieval cities of Europe....
, Braunschweig
Braunschweig
Braunschweig , is a city of 247,400 people, located in the federal-state of Lower Saxony, Germany. It is located north of the Harz mountains at the farthest navigable point of the Oker river, which connects to the North Sea via the rivers Aller and Weser....
, Stettin and Breslau. In Magdeburg he became a Freemason
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. In 1809 Geyer joined the well known Secondasche Gesellschaft in Leipzig, whose members were given the rank of court actors.
Friedrich Wagner died after the Battle of Leipzig
Battle of Leipzig
The Battle of Leipzig or Battle of the Nations, on 16–19 October 1813, was fought by the coalition armies of Russia, Prussia, Austria and Sweden against the French army of Napoleon. Napoleon's army also contained Polish and Italian troops as well as Germans from the Confederation of the Rhine...
of typhus
Typhus
Epidemic typhus is a form of typhus so named because the disease often causes epidemics following wars and natural disasters...
and Geyer married the widow. In 1814 his theatre company became part of the royal ensemble in Dresden
Dresden
Dresden is the capital city of the Free State of Saxony in Germany. It is situated in a valley on the River Elbe, near the Czech border. The Dresden conurbation is part of the Saxon Triangle metropolitan area....
where he made friendship with Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria von Weber
Carl Maria Friedrich Ernst von Weber was a German composer, conductor, pianist, guitarist and critic, one of the first significant composers of the Romantic school....
. In 1815, Geyer's daughter Augusta Cäcilie was born who later married the publisher Eduard Avenarius and was the mother of Richard Avenarius
Richard Avenarius
Richard Heinrich Ludwig Avenarius was a German-Swiss philosopher. He formulated the radical positivist doctrine of "empirical criticism" or empirio-criticism....
and Ferdinand Avenarius
Ferdinand Avenarius
Ferdinand Avenarius was a lyric poet, a leading representative of the culture reform movement of his time and the first popularizer of Sylt.-Life:...
.
In his later years Wagner found some letters that led him to speculate that Geyer might have been his biological father, and that Geyer was Jewish. Geyer's relation to Wagner was one of several controversies
Wagner controversies
The German composer Richard Wagner was a controversial figure during his lifetime, and has continued to be so after his death. Even today he is associated in the minds of many with Nazism and his operas are often thought to extol the virtues of German nationalism...
surrounding the composer during his lifetime and afterward.