Wagner, Minna (c. 1800–1866)

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Wagner, Minna (c. 1800–1866)

German actress. Born Minna Planer around 1800; died in Dresden, Germany, in Feb 1866; m. Richard Wagner (the composer), Nov 22, 1836; children: an illeg. daughter;(with Wagner) no children.

Met Richard Wagner while he was assistant conductor with the Bethmann Company in Magdeburg and she was a young and sought-after actress in the company (1834); was almost 4 years older than Wagner and at 16 had had an illegitimate daughter whom she passed off as her sister; had a tumultuous relationship with husband as they fled borders and creditors; while he was in debtors' prison in France (1840), wrote desperate letters to friends who eventually bailed him out; but 15 years later, as she lay dying in Dresden, her now affluent husband did not visit while he was in the city.

See also Women in World History.

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