Beethoven and his time - between Enlightenment and Congress of Vienna

When Beethoven was born in 1770, Europe had already been ruled by emperors and kings for centuries. According to their representation they received their power directly from the God of Christianity.

In 1789, the French overthrew their king Louis XVI. From now on, freedom, equality and fraternity should apply to all. An idea that spread over Europe in no time at all.

In Beethoven's liberal birthplace Bonn, the ideas of the Enlightenment fall on fertile ground. Beethoven came into contact with them through his teacher Christian Gottlieb Neefe.

But the young republic develops into a dictatorship. Anyone who does not support the new form of government ends up under the sharp knife of the guillotine. This hits the nobility above all. King and queen and much more are beheaded.

Many nobles from all over Europe have relatives in France. The Elector of Cologne and Beethoven's employer Maximilian Franz is the brother of the French Queen Marie Antoinette. And so several states under Austrian leadership decide to go to war against France.

A commander excels in particular. Napoleon Bonaparte conquered Italy for France practically single-handedly and finally also seized power in Paris. At first, he seems to want to protect the republic and its values of freedom, equality and brotherhood.

Beethoven only wanted to stay in Vienna for a short time to study. But the French invasion of the Rhineland changed everything. The electoral court no longer existed - and with it no court orchestra.

In 1804 Napoleon crowns himself emperor and thus makes himself the sole ruler of France - and large parts of Europe. The republic and its ideal are thus abolished.

After Beethoven, too, had placed so much hope in Napoleon, he is disappointed by the megalomania: "Is he nothing more than an ordinary man! Now he will also trample all human rights underfoot!

After Napoleon had already crushed Prussia and destroyed the Russian army, he conquered Vienna in 1809. This was a great misfortune for Beethoven - the performance of his "Fidelio" was lost in the thunder of the cannons. Napoleon is now at the height of his power.

But Napoleon overestimates himself and attacks Russia. Surprised by the hard winter, the French army is worn down and has to retreat. Thus, the wars of liberation begin and in the "Battle of the Nations near Leipzig" Napoleon is defeated.

Napoleon leaves behind a power vacuum in Europe. People were still burning for the ideas of the French Revolution. But the conservative and aristocratic circles seized the opportunity to divide Europe again at the "Congress of Vienna" so that they could hold on to their power.

For the opening of the congress Beethoven composed the "Glorious Moment". Among the 3,000 listeners were all the princes of Europe. "Such a moment will never return," reported Beethoven's biographer Schindler. And indeed, it was his greatest success so far.