he was proud, for a time, to advance.(Bentley, p.89) The second major influence in Nietzsche's development was the Wagners, Richard and Cosima. Nietzsche was captivated by Richard Wagner. Nietzsche personally thought the reason behind this was Wagner's musical art and talent. Nietzsche's sister Elizabeth was closer to the truth in her belief that what held Nietzsche was Wagner's tremendous will power and instinct of command. Wagner, Nietzsche thought for a time, was the highest of higher men and he held the key to a new epoch of art and new epoch of life.(Bentley, p. 91) Wagner was the only man Nietzsche knew that personified his will-to-power theory. In essence, Wager was Nietzsche's superman.Nietzsche is given credit for the National Socialism movement in Germany that began in the 1930's. Far more damaging to his reputation has been the course of German history from his death(1900) to 1945. To claim him, a National Socialism did, as a prophet of the superiority of the Germanic race and an advocate of German world domination is only possible by ignoring the greater part of what he wrote.(Brett-Evans, p.81) Matter-of-factly, Nietzsche sternly despised anti-Semites. At certain times, there was not a harsher critic of racist German nationalism. But some questions arise out of these statements. What of the comments Nietzsche made concerning the will-to-power theory, the constant reference to the superman, and his sometimes vigorous patriotism? One of the most significant contributions Nietzsche made was in the area of psychology not philosophy. One of the most significant conclusions he came to in this field was that traditional morality consists of different expressions for the same thing, that "good" actions and "bad" actions can ultimately derive from the same motive.(Brett-Evans, p.80) In truth I believe that Friedrich Nietzsche was a visionary who was never able to replace his earthly Father or his h...
