reception was polite. Lassalle captivated the Weißheimer family for hours describing his plans and goals and he spoke with Johann Weißheimer on his studies about Franz von Sickingen. Lassalle made friends there and when they parted, he ordered a barrel of the "Riesling" which he had been served. Wendelin Weißheimer spent several days in the Palatinate with Lassalle, the Countess von Hatzfeld and other friends. Wendelin was invited to accompany Lassalle on a trip to the east of Switzerland but, because of an urgent message received from his wife, who had fallen seriously ill in Leipzig, he had to decline the invitation. Lassalle traveled alone to Lake Lucerne in mid-July, while the Countess von Hatzfeld went to Wildbad for a cure. Lassalle met Helena von Dönniges, daughter of historian Wilhelm von Dönniges, known to him from Berlin. This occasion turned disastrous as Lassalle was challenged to a duel and was fatally shot. Lassalle's death was a severe blow that took Wendelin a long time to overcome, convinced that Lassalle's death could have been averted if he had stayed with him. Throughout his life Wendelin remained faithful to the Social Democratic Party, although this commitment brought disadvantages for his professional career. Weißheimer as conductor and composer Wendelin Weißheimer became music director in Augsburg. Despite his official duties and numerous other engagements he continued to compose. After scoring songs and ballads of the German Minnesang, as well as from Goethe and other poets, he dealt with his first opera Theodor Körner. Franz Liszt and Wagner spoke appreciatively of this work. Lassalle, who had particularly liked the libretto and was equally enthusiastic about the music, had offered to write Weißheimer a textbook on Florian Geyer, Thomas Munzer or the Bohemian Jan Žižka, but his death put an end to this idea. Wagner had written for Weißheimer a draft for the opera, Wieland the Blacksmith, but gave it back before scoring it. For the premiere of Theodor Körner at the Berlin Court Opera, Liszt began with the former artistic director Count von Redern. However, Count von Redern recommended Liszt to run the premiere on a different stage because Prince Louis Ferdinand was to play a role which would affect the Prussian royal family too strongly. For the premiere to be accommodated elsewhere it would be important to gain Wagner's support, for whom Wendelin had fought for many years. But Wagner was too immersed in