Past exhibition

In the history of the Beethoven-Haus Association, founded more than 125 years ago, the period from 1933 to 1945 was nearly unknown but the public interest in this area is growing. The Beethoven-Haus is now presenting its status as a cultural institution during the "Third Reich" based on a study published in 2016 by Patrick Bormann. This was the first time the sources of the Beethoven-Haus were evaluated in this context. The exhibition focuses on the aspiration and reality of the Beethoven-Haus' role within the cultural policy of the Nazis. How did the Beethoven-Haus dispose itself to anti-Semitism, persecution of the Jews, and within the German musicology? How did the Beethoven-Haus and the Beethoven-Archive react to Beethoven's appropriation as a "German" composer? How did they follow the tradition of the chamber music festivals during the annual Beethoven festival and how was the relationship with the well-known festival venues Bayreuth and Salzburg? What impact did World War II have and how did the reconstruction and restructuring succeed? The exhibition reveals compelling results and provides perspectives.

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