BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Saturday, August 5, 1826

The oppressive heat in Vienna continues for the sixth day in a row, with temperatures again at 26 Reaumur, or 90.5 Fahrenheit. Wiener Zeitung of August 5, Nr.179, at 753.

The first part of this critical day is reconstructed in chronology from later entries in the conversation books. Nephew Karl’s landlord Matthias Schlemmer grows more concerned about Karl selling his textbooks last week, especially after he did not come home at all last night. Schlemmer is unsure what to do, and does not yet contact Beethoven or unpaid assistant Karl Holz regarding his suspicions.

When Karl returns to his rooms today, Schlemmer confronts him. A defiant Karl tells Schlemmer that he intends to shoot himself by next Sunday [August 13]. Karl does not explain himself to Schlemmer to any great extent, vaguely referring to debts and “former sins.”

Karl runs off again, but to where Schlemmer does not know. Schlemmer decides the first priority is to search Karl’s rooms to see whether Karl has actually made any preparations for committing suicide, or whether he was just talking. When Schlemmer does so, he finds one of the loaded pistols in Karl’s chest. At this point, Schlemmer, recognizing the emergency but fearing Beethoven’s wrath, finally contacts Holz.

Holz, probably also in terror of Beethoven’s reaction, instead of going to the composer hires a fiacre and begins searching Vienna for any sign of Karl at his usual haunts. He does indeed find Karl before long, possibly near the Polytechnic Institute. Holz tells Karl that the pistol in his chest has been found, and he will not be taking any such rash actions. Holz learns from Karl that he has not been taking his examinations. Holz therefore takes Karl to see Vice-Director Franz Michael Reisser of the Polytechnic to see whether and when Karl can make up the examinations he has missed. While they are talking, Karl says that he would like to get some papers from a friend, and then will meet him at Schlemmer’s. Holz tells him fine, but he can only wait 15 minutes for him; they will need to go talk to Uncle Ludwig. Although he likely gives assurances of a prompt return, Karl does not come back within the allotted time, or at all. Instead, he goes to a pawn shop and pawns his pocket watch to acquire another pair of pistols, powder and bullets.

We resume with Conversation Book 116: Annoyed that Karl has given him the slip, but believing the boy is out of danger since Schlemmer took away his pistol, Holz takes the fiacre to face the music and inform Beethoven. [Holz’s difficult explanation to Beethoven of what has transpired today unfortunately appears to have been written on other now-lost papers rather than in the conversation book, and probably were burned soon afterwards.] Together, they go to Karl’s rooms at Schlemmer’s. They look through his belongings but don’t find much of use about his intentions. Holz says he will fetch the police. Obviously, Karl cannot stay here any longer. Beethoven asks, What about Karl’s oral examination coming up on August 9? Holz tells him that he certainly will not take that examination. Should I bring Schlemmer up to the rooms, Holz asks; Beethoven tells him yes, bring him up to be questioned.

Beethoven tells Holz not to involve the police. [Attempted suicide is a crime in Austria in this period.] The composer asks Schlemmer to tell him exactly what happened. Schlemmer explains, “The story in brief! since you have heard it already from Hr. Holz: I learned today that your nephew intended to shoot himself before next Sunday at the latest.” An appalled Beethoven asks him, why would he do such a thing? “As to the cause, I learned only this much, that it was on account of his debts, but not for certain, for only in part was he admitting that they were the consequences of former sins. I looked to see if there were signs of preparations. I found in his chest a loaded pistol, all right, together with bullets and powder.”

Schlemmer adds, “I tell you this, so that you may act in this case as his father. The pistol is in my keeping. Be lenient with him, or he will despair,” Schlemmer warns. Has Karl been paying his rent and board, Beethoven asks. “I have been paid completely — up to the present month, but not yet for August.”

Holz asks Beethoven, “What do we do now?” Beethoven shows him the receipts for the rent. Holz confirms that this is not Karl’s handwriting, but Schlemmer is telling the truth: “everything is paid for until the end of July.”

Beethoven is at a loss. Holz tells him, “There is still a great deal more to be learned.” Beethoven asks if Holz thinks Karl will come back to his rooms. Since he did not return last night, Holz doesn’t believe so: “He is not staying here.” Beethoven asks Holz to tell him in more detail what happened when he caught Karl earlier. “I could not detain him,” Holz begins. “He said he would come again to Schlemmer’s, but he wanted to get his papers from a friend, while I was talking with Reisser. I said that I could not wait more than a quarter of an hour.” Beethoven accuses Holz of letting Karl get away. “He would have run away from you just the same,” Holz retorts. “I think that if he has made up his mind to injure himself, no one could stop him.” Beethoven asks whether Karl can make up the examinations he has missed. Yes, according to Reisser, he has until September 5 at the latest to make them up. [Karl’s career is Beethoven’s principal concern at this point, indicating that he too believes that without the pistol, Karl’s safety is not in present danger.]

Conversation Book 116, 31r-34r. Beethoven likely instructs Schlemmer to contact him immediately if Karl returns. Beethoven goes back to his apartment, waiting anxiously to hear from Karl, but his nephew does not appear, nor is there any word from Schlemmer.

Later today, Frau Rosalia Schlemmer, searching Karl’s rooms, finds the second pistol that Karl had bought earlier and hidden away. She holds onto it for safekeeping; her husband still has the one that he discovered earlier today.

The reason that Karl cannot be found in Vienna is that he has gone with his new pistols to Baden bei Wien. There, at an inn, Karl writes letters of farewell tonight to Uncle Ludwig and to his friend Joseph Niemitz, intending to kill himself in the morning. He leaves the letters in the inn to be found and mailed tomorrow, after he has committed suicide.

The heat wave finally breaks tonight with tempestuous heat lightning at about 10 PM, followed by rain in the morning and a cooling of temperatures to more normal levels. Wiener Zeitung of August 8, Nr.180, at 757.