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After fleeing to Zurich in 1849, Wagner wrote a series of essays, most of them about the "Artwork of the Future" (''Die Kunst der Zukunft'') and what form it would take. He also wrote an essay, published in 1850 under a pseudonym, which quickly would become infamous. The essay in question was "Jewishness in Music" (''Das Judenthum in der Musik''), and in it he railed against Jews as representing a cancerous influence on German culture, incapable of creating any real art. About Jewish religious music, he wrote "Who has not had feeings of repulsion, horror, and amusement on hearing that nonsensical gurgling, yodelling and cackling which no attempt at caricature can render more absurd than it is?" Specifically, his harshest condemnations were for the most prominent living Jewish composer, Giacomo Meyerbeer.

After fleeing to Zurich in 1849, Wagner wrote a series of essays, most of them about the "Artwork of the Future" (''Die Kunst der Zukunft'') and what form it would take. He also wrote an essay, published in 1850 under a pseudonym, which quickly would become infamous. The essay in question was "Jewishness in Music" (''Das Judenthum in der Musik''), and in it he railed against Jews as representing a cancerous influence on German culture, incapable of creating any real art. About Jewish religious music, he wrote "Who has not had feeings of repulsion, horror, and amusement on hearing that nonsensical gurgling, yodelling and cackling which no attempt at caricature can render more absurd than it is?" Specifically, his harshest condemnations were for the most prominent living Jewish composer, Giacomo Meyerbeer.

The article's vitriol shocked many, at a time when anti-semitism was prevalent. His friends were dismayed, including the composer [[Franz Liszt]], who apparently quipped, "If only Richard had written a novel instead!" While this is the strongest statement of Wagner's anti-semititic rage, it is also clear that much of the hatred expressed was personal in origin. Wagner still bore a grudge against Meyerbeer from his days of poverty in Paris. When the young unknown composer wanted to break into the Paris opera scene, he took every opportunity to flatter the older composer, often in the most humiliatingly obsequious terms, and received little help in return. His other anti-semitic rants specifically complained about Meyerbeer and what he believed to be a cabal of other Jews who controlled the opera world internationally, and worked to keep non-Jews out. In short, all evidence paints Wagner as a German nationalist and a conspiracy theorist, and as with many conspiracy theorists he still counted members of his hated group among his best friends. <ref>Paraphrased from (Magee 2001), pp. 343-380.</ref>

The article's vitriol shocked many, at a time when anti-semitism was prevalent. His friends were dismayed, including the composer [[Franz Liszt]], who apparently quipped, "If only Richard had written a novel instead!" While this is the strongest statement of Wagner's anti-semitic rage, it is also clear that much of the hatred expressed was personal in origin. Wagner still bore a grudge against Meyerbeer from his days of poverty in Paris. When the young unknown composer wanted to break into the Paris opera scene, he took every opportunity to flatter the older composer, often in the most humiliatingly obsequious terms, and received little help in return. His other anti-semitic rants specifically complained about Meyerbeer and what he believed to be a cabal of other Jews who controlled the opera world internationally, and worked to keep non-Jews out. In short, all evidence paints Wagner as a German nationalist and a conspiracy theorist, and as with many conspiracy theorists he still counted members of his hated group among his best friends. <ref>Paraphrased from (Magee 2001), pp. 343-380.</ref>

After [[World War II]], the backlash in Germany against anything Nazi created an atmosphere where Wagner's anti-semitism was re-evaluated in the context of the [[Holocaust]]. Since Hitler was a lover of Wagner's operas, anything associated with the composer became harder to stomach. There is however no historical evidence to support the often-heard notion that Wagner's writings influenced Hitler or the Nazis. While many modern attempts have been made to locate proto-Nazi symbolism in the operas themselves, this also cannot be corroborated, either in other Wagner writings about his operas, or in the propaganda of the Third Reich.  

After [[World War II]], the backlash in Germany against anything Nazi created an atmosphere where Wagner's anti-semitism was re-evaluated in the context of the [[Holocaust]]. Since Hitler was a lover of Wagner's operas, anything associated with the composer became harder to stomach. There is however no historical evidence to support the often-heard notion that Wagner's writings influenced Hitler or the Nazis. While many modern attempts have been made to locate proto-Nazi symbolism in the operas themselves, this also cannot be corroborated, either in other Wagner writings about his operas, or in the propaganda of the Third Reich.