The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume IIIThayer, Alexander Wheelock
History
The Life of Ludwig van Beethoven, Volume III
Thayer, Alexander Wheelock
Beethoven, Ludwig van, 1770-1827
Bach seems to have advised Beethoven to visit two of the judges, Winter
and Schmerling, and himself had an interview with the boy, who told his
uncle what the advocate had questioned him about. For the nonce Karl
was on his good behavior. Blöchlinger reported favorably on his studies
to Bernard, and in a Conversation Book the boy apologized to his
uncle for some statements derogatory to him which he had made to the
Magistrates. “She promised me so many things,” he said, “that I could
not resist her; I am sorry that I was so weak at the time and beg your
forgiveness; I will not again permit myself to be led astray. I did not
know what results might follow when I told the Magistrates what I did;
but if there is another examination I will retract all the falsehoods
I uttered.” The magisterial commission which followed on March 29, had
plainly been held at the instance of the Appellate Court. Beethoven
was solemnly admonished, and in answer to questions declared: (1) that
he still demanded the guardianship of his nephew under the will and
would not relinquish his claim; (2) that he requested the appointment
of Councillor Peters as associate guardian; (3) that he demanded that
Madame van Beethoven be excluded from the guardianship as she had been
by the _Landrecht_, and (4) he reiterated his readiness to provide
financially for the care of his ward; he would accept an associate
guardian, but not a sole guardian, as he was convinced that no guardian
would care for his nephew as well as he. In insisting on a renewed
declaration on these points it is likely that the Court of Appeals
had some hope that Beethoven might voluntarily renounce or modify
his claims or the Magistrates recede from their attitude. Neither
contingency occurred, however, and on April 8 the reviewing court
issued its decree in Beethoven’s favor, he and Peters being appointed
joint guardians (_gemeinschaftliche Vormünde_), the mother and Nussböck
being deposed. The widow now played her last card:--she appealed to
the Emperor, who upheld the Court of Appeals. There was nothing for
the Magistracy to do except to notify the result of the appeals to
Beethoven, Madame van Beethoven, Peters and Nussböck. This was done on
July 24.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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