Memory of Joseph Joachim (1831-1907) - violinist of the century and ambassador of Beethoven

The Beethoven-Haus Bonn commemorates the violinist of Jewish origin and important Beethoven interpreter Joseph Joachim (1831-1907). As Honorary President of the Beethoven-Haus Association, newly founded in 1889 to disseminate and cultivate the memory of Beethoven, he raised the institution of the Beethoven-Haus to an internationally recognised level from the very beginning by selecting the first honorary members.

Joseph Joachim founded the chamber music festivals in Bonn, revived Beethoven's chamber music through them and made the Beethoven-Haus a centre of chamber music with an international reputation.

Ostracised by the then management of the Beethoven-Haus during the years 1933-1945, his memory is alive again today, among others through Daniel Hope, the current president of the Beethoven-Haus and artistic director of the chamber music festival BTHVN WOCHE. 

A www.tsurikrufn.de there is a detailed portrait of Joseph Joachim drawn by Dr. Maria Rößner-Richarz, historian at the Beethoven House. The website also presents other impressive Jewish personalities. Together, the member institutes of AskI e.V. are thus setting an example against anti-Semitism. 

"Tsurikrufn" is Yiddish and means "to remember". On the occasion of the festival year "1700 years of Jewish life in Germany", a joint project of the Arbeitskreis selbstständiger Kultur-Institute (AsKI) e.V. commemorates Jewish citizens who have enriched cultural life in Germany.