BEETHOVEN 200 YEARS AGO TODAY: Tuesday, August 8, 1826

Beethoven makes some notes in the conversation book, starting with an errand list:

• mirror + Schmerling’s apartment
  +razor

[Jacob Ritter von Schmerling (1777-1828) was a member of the appellate court and the faculty of Law at the University of Vienna. He had advised Beethoven during his litigation over Karl’s guardianship.]

Beethoven then makes a list of possible causes for Karl’s suicide attempt:

• mental aberration and insanity
  the heat too
  suffering from headaches since childhood
  also coming to eat with me which he wanted
• that Holz consults the doctors —

By Kreuzer and Baillot 2nd edition at Peters in the Bureau de musique + [Beethoven again is interested in this violin method published by the Paris Conservatory in 1803, with a second edition in 1806, published first by Ambrosius Kühnel’s Bureau de Musique in Leipzig, and now by C.F. Peters since 1814 when he took over Kühnel’s business.]

Frau Rosalia Schlemmer stops by Beethoven’s apartment to inquire after Karl’s condition. She writes that “the father” had made an appointment with her husband to come for a visit the other day at 9 o’clock, and Nephew Karl kept thinking about suicide; it had stuck in his head that he would be arrested. [Is this related to the girlfriend and apparent abortion?] “Please come and visit us often.”

This afternoon around dinner time, unpaid assistant Karl Holz checks in with Beethoven. “There is a rumor going around that you are the one who —” [presumably, the unstated remainder of the sentence is “shot yourself.” This accusation must have greatly disturbed Beethoven.]

[Violinist Ignaz] “Schuppanzigh is very ill, therefore he sends his regards to you.”

Beethoven asks for an update regarding Karl, and when he will be released from custody. “He will not be released until he has passed a complete examination in religious instruction and has been completely converted, so that there is no longer any fear of a relapse.” In these cases, the police tend to treat the misguided one with the greatest possible forbearance, in order not to provoke stubbornness. “But he has to go into custody, not as a punishment, but as a means of security for himself.”

Beethoven asks whether this incident is the subject of popular gossip. Unfortunately, yes. “It was all over the City yesterday, unfortunately not with the best references for him, but with universal recognition of your kindness and your caring efforts for his best upbringing. But many assert that it was not the nephew [but Beethoven who had shot himself].”

Beethoven reluctantly agrees that he needs to turn over the guardianship of Karl to someone else. Holz asks for the guardianship decree. He will prepare a draft petition for change of guardianship and let Beethoven review it. But isn’t the magistrate already involved? Why does a new proceeding need to be started? Holz clarifies that the magistrate is not presently concerned with Beethoven’s guardianship rights, which in any case should remain dealt with separately. Rather, it is concerned with the details about the circumstances that occurred before “this accident of his, and with the identification of the courses which misled him to take this step, so that they can attack the problem at its roots.”

Beethoven still does not understand why the two things are considered separate. Holz tries again: The magistrate has two branches, political and criminal. [There is actually a third, for civil matters.] The guardianship concerns the former, and that does not affect Beethoven either. But the criminal branch deals solely with crimes that are reported to it by the police, and in which the police won’t interfere any further, once they have moved out of the need for serious police action. [Under the Austrian civil code, an attempt at suicide was considered an offense against the church, and as a result, guilty persons were remanded to the care of priests, who gave religious instruction. Thayer-Forbes at 998.]

“Even Steiner and Tobias said: We are deeply sorry for the uncle! This ingratitude for so many…” [One or more leaves have been torn out of the conversation book here. However, the next page remaining in the book appears to be part of the same conversation.]

“…which consequences it will have for you; above all, you are in his way everywhere. He has no love for you, but perhaps he does at least fear someone else. Although, through this step of yours [renouncing the guardianship], he will finally see that you won’t tolerate everything that he does.”

The housekeeper, Marie Stiegel, bought eggs yesterday for 15 kreutzers. As she needed 7 eggs in the evening, she did not dare note down any for today again.

Beethoven asks Holz whether Stephan von Breuning would be a good choice to act as the successor guardian. Holz suggests that Beethoven should ask him first whether it will not take up too much of his time. In that case, a co-guardian would be necessary. That way he will not be insulted. In the petition, no mention should be made of the suicide attempt. Only: “As my conditions as a composer no longer allow me to spend my time on the custody as guardian, then —” Will the magistrate not take it amiss that Beethoven swore to discharge his duties as guardian faithfully? No, Holz tells him. He swore only to the Landrecht, not before the magistrate.

Uncle Ludwig fears what punishment Karl may receive. Holz tries to reassure him, “He will not be physically punished, only martyred with a priest.”

Conversation Book 117, 3r-8v.