BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Thursday, March 6, 1823

Beethoven today writes to his attorney, Johann Baptist Bach, having firmed up his ideas for his estate planning. “Because death may come without warning, without time to make plans, I am declaring to you by my own hand that I declare my beloved nephew Karl van Beethoven to be my sole heir, and that everything without exception that I may have in my name should be conveyed to him.” Beethoven adds that he may join in to whomever should act as Karl’s guardian, except not brother Johann. Beethoven asks that this be treated as his will until such time as he can have a formal will written up. In a postscript, he notes that there are seven bank shares amongst his property; like everything else, they are to go to Karl.

[We see here the effects of Schindler’s constant working to drive a wedge between Ludwig and Johann.]