These Strokes of Fate Could Not Stop Beethoven from Composing

Beethoven had to suffer under his father Johann. This one wanted to make a wunderkind out of Beethoven. When his wife Mary Magdalene and their only daughter died one after the other, the father died of alcohol. Beethoven had to look after the family alone.

But already in 1801, at the age of 30, Beethoven wrote to his good friend Wegeler: "the whirring and buzzing is a little weaker than usual, especially in the left ear, which is where my hearing disease actually started, but my hearing is certainly not improved by anything"

He had these ear trumpets made in his early 40s. Ten years later, he could only communicate with the help of a conversation booklet.

The third movement of the string quartet Opus 132 is entitled "Holy thanksgiving song of a convalescent to the Godhead". Beethoven composed the piece after surviving an inflammation of the liver. No wonder: Beethoven drank alcohol at every meal and even as a child he had sat in the inn.

In one of his letters to his friend Wegeler, Beethoven also tells of a mysterious lover: "A dear magical girl (...) who loves me, and whom I love, it's been two years since some blessed moments, and it's the first time I feel that getting married could make me happy. "Unfortunately, she is not of my stature...

Beethoven's brother had died early and left behind a son. Beethoven took over the guardianship. But he had too high expectations of himself and his nephew, abandoned him even at important moments. Karl Beethoven was broken by this relationship.

The music carried Beethoven through all strokes of fate. Even when he could hardly get up, he continued to work - he put this travel writing desk in bed with him.

After nearly four months in sickbed, Beethoven died on March 26, 1827 at the age of 56. Only a few hours later, the artist Josef Danhauser removes this death mask from him. It is on display today in the Beethoven-Haus in Bonn.