Beethoven's Nephew Karl van Beethoven (1806-1858)

This photograph is part of a tragic story. The man depicted is Beethoven's nephew Karl. When Beethoven's brother died, Ludwig was appointed Karl's guardian. This was followed by a court battle over custody, during which Beethoven harassed Karl's mother, his sister-in-law, whom he hated, long and bitterly. From 1818 onwards, Karl lived temporarily with his uncle, who tried to realize his ideal of a good person in him. At the same time, Karl could not satisfy his uncle's need for love. After a failed suicide attempt, Karl summed up his relationship with Ludwig as follows: "I got worse because my uncle wanted me to be better."