The Munich Volksbote, in the disagreeable affair regarding the allegedly unhappy circumstances in which the wife of Richard Wagner, in Dresden, is supposed to have been, has not given simple credence to the declaration made by this lady — although it could not doubt the genuineness of the same — but has found it well to turn to "a more highly situated (?) person in Dresden who would have no interest of any kind, either for or against (?) Wagner, simply to discover the real truth." Now one would surely suppose that everyone must best know his own circumstances, but if the Volksbote is of another opinion, then it should at least name its source of authority, just as the undersigned herewith comes forward with his name to vouch for the truth of his communication. The undersigned, for years the physician and friend of Frau Kapellmeister Wagner, who has meanwhile died, now testifies, on her behalf, that the information from Dresden, in No. 29 of the Munich Volksbote, is untrue from beginning to end. First of all, he most emphatically repudiates the malicious supposition that the declaration of Frau Wagner published in the newspapers is an extorted one, called forth in turn by a temporary allowance of her husband's. It was certainly from Munich that the attention of Frau Wagner was called to the Volksbote article in question, which naturally no one read here in Dresden, and she was persuaded to make a reply, which, however, she drew up herself, as I know from her own lips. And as regards the allowance from her husband, the last instalment had already reached her hands at Christmas. — Furthermore, the fact that she was never in the position of being obliged to lay claim to, or to have received, assistance from municipal funds, will be proved by the plain testimony adduced here of the Dresden authorities who are involved. Finally, the following faithful statement may give particulars regarding whether Frau Wagner lived here in Dresden in truly bitter want, as the informant declares. For more than seven years Frau Wagner lived separated from her husband, by preference in Dresden, her native place. During this time she spent only one winter jointly with him, in Paris. At first she lived in furnished lodgings, but after Wagner had relinquished to her his entire household goods, she rented a larger apartment, situated one flight up, in the best part of the city. She sub-let two rooms which she did not need for her own use, or held them ready for the visits of her husband, who then lived there also during his stay in Dresden three years ago. She often saw her local friends at her home, or she visited friends outside and the Hoftheater, to which his Majesty our most gracious King had granted her free entrance. In the summer-time she went to bath-resorts (Reichenhall, Soden, Schandau) at my orders, for the sake of improving her health. During the last two summers, however, she lived in delightful Tharandt, which pleased her so much and did her so much good that she was just about to engage accommodations there again for next summer when the fatal stroke seized her. In addition to this, she had with her as a companion her younger sister and for the housework, a servant girl. This is the true state of the case. Then can the talk of bitter distress be true? Surely not! On the contrary, Frau Wagner enjoyed a very comfortable and carefree existence through the alimony granted her by her husband. — The solemn burial of the deceased took place on 28 January in the most proper fashion, amid much sympathy and attendance. Wagner bore the not inconsiderable costs and had already, during her lifetime, magnanimously made over all his furnishings to his wife, who in turn has bequeathed them to her sister. Wagner has already assured the latter a considerable annual allowance. This is the way the man behaved whom the Munich Volksbote will not tire of persecuting.
Dr. Anton Pusinelli, Stiftsarzt
Knight of the Royal Saxon Order of Merit
Dresden, 16 February 1866
Source: The Letters of Richard Wagner to Anton Pusinelli, trans. and ed. Elbert Lenrow (Alfred A. Knopf, 1932), No. 91