Gerhard von Breuning, Brief an Hermann Schaaffhausen in Bonn, Wien, 16. Juli 1875, Autograph

Gerhard von Breuning, physician in Vienna and son of Beethoven's friend Stefan von Breuning, replies to a letter from April 24, 1875. The recipient is the Bonn physician and anthropologist Hermann Schaaffhausen, addressed as "Professor". Schaaffhausen examined Beethoven's skull and had contacted Gerhard von Breuning in this matter. Breuning states that after the disinterment in 1863 Beethoven's skull had been in his possession for nine days. He certainly would have had the opportunity for measuring it, but was not aware of Schaaffhausen's interest. Instead, he had sculptor Alois Wittmann make a gypsum cast and had Rottmayer take pictures. Gypsum casts were also made from the front base of the skull. These were now in the possession of medical historian Romeo Seligmann. He promises to send Schaffhausen copies. Wittmann will directly send him a cast of the skull. Breuning encloses photographs of Beethoven's and Schubert's skull. He doubts that the dimensions of Beethoven's skull measured in 1863 are correct: In his opinion, the right side of the skull had changed significantly due to the moisture in the grave, because the hearing-related sections had been removed and because the skull had been separated horizontally. (FG)