Beethoven-Haus, Bonn, Bonngasse, Gartenansicht vor der Restaurierung 1889. - Bleistiftzeichnung von Reiner Beißel, Bonn, 1889

In 1889 the house in which Ludwig Beethoven was born on 16. or 17.12.1770 was acquired by the newly-founded Beethoven-Haus Society. As the Society intended to install a museum dedicated to the composer in the building, both the front and rear houses were altered and renovated.

The Bonn artist Reiner Beißel, who was obviously a friend of the Society, made a drawing of the house before the alterations were begun. The drawing clearly shows how cramped living conditions must have been in the rear house, where Beethoven's family lived. For instance the rooms to the right of the staircase only had one window, so were much smaller than today and in the narrow side of the building towards the garden there were no windows at all.(S.B.)