Was Beethoven black?

[luc]

I just read that Beethoven was black.
Is it true? (It wouldn't be a problem for me, I'm just interested!)

Found a website with the following content:

Frederick Hertz, German anthropologist, in "Race and Civilization," refers twice to Beethoven's "Negroid traits" and his "dark" skin, and "flat, thick nose." (pp. 123 and 178).

Frau Fischer, an intimate acquaintance of Beethoven, describes him thus, "Short, stocky, broad shoulders, short neck, round nose, blackish-brown complexion." (From r. H. Schauffler, The Man Who Freed Music, Vol. I, p. 18, 1929).

(You can read more quotes at https://www.mdcbowen.org/p2/sf/faq068.htm )

[pianistimo]

i think, from the various diseases that plagued him, his skin was not the color it would have been toward the end of his life.  all the pics i've seen, he was white.  is this some kind of trick question?

[bernhard]

Actually, modern research has now pretty much established Beethoven was Chinese.

This has been discussed before (back in 2003) .

Have a look here:

https://www.pianostreet.com/smf/index.php/topic,1118.0.html
(Was Beethoven black?)

Best wishes,
Bernhard.

[pianistimo]

who cares?  i think he looks like beethoven.  van beethoven - dutch and something else

[Bouter Boogie]

Yeah.. Who cares anyway

[jeremyjchilds]

Yeah.. Who cares anyway

My level of respect is solely tied up in the shade of melanin of composers.....

[piazzo23]

Hey, he said  he was interested! He´s not a racist.

It would be nice if there was a non-white classical composer.

BTW, Is there some recognized Asian composer that lived before 20th century?

[Waldszenen]

So Beethoven was a German-Black-Chinese, was he?

Har har.


He's actually a tiny bit Spanish, FYI.

[abell88]

It would be nice if there was a non-white classical composer.

The Chevalier-des-Saint-Georges...was known as the Black Mozart, I think. I've heard some of his music on the radio a couple of times --good stuff.

By the way, why are there two of these threads??

[bernhard]

By the way, why are there two of these threads??

Because people don’t bother using the search feature.

[prometheus]

Aren't there arabic composers from the medieval peroid?

[gorbee natcase]

I have never heard such a load of twaddle

[janne p.]

Of course Ludwig was black, haven't you heard the shuffle part in the last mvmnt of his last sonata?!?!?!?!?!?!11

EDIT: I noticed this has already been noted in the simultanous thread. Why there are two is beyond me.

[xvimbi]

EDIT: I noticed this has already been noted in the simultanous thread. Why there are two is beyond me.

Look at when these threads have been started.

[janne p.]

Nowo me understando. Many gracio ja niin edelleen.