Where does Klaus Schulzes pseudonym Richard Wahnfried come from?
“Richard” is the name of one of Klaus Schulze’s sons, and the first name of the German composer Wagner (1813-1883). “Wahnfried” is the name of Richard Wagner’s house, and Wagner died in 1883 (in Venice). The German word “Wahn” means today mainly: illusion or craziness (but Wagner used another -older- meaning of “whnen” = Erwartung, Hoffnung, Suche; which is: hope, expectation, search). The ‘fried” means etymologically: shelter, refuge, protection, but also “Frieden” (peace). Wagner invented the word “Wahnfried”. In his own words: he hoped that his “whnen Frieden fand” (= that his search and hopes will find peace). KS used the name “Richard Wahnfried” the first time in 1979 (the year his son Richard was born) for the album Time Actor.
