Beethoven | Freedom
Theme Path in the Permanent Exhibition
On 17 December 2020 Beethoven will turn 250 years old. He is considered a revolutionary who not only struggled for freedom in the art of music, but also supported the ideals of the French Revolution. In the anniversary year 2020 the Deutsches Historisches Museum will bring the composer back to the circumstances of his time: through stages of the Beethoven reception in the SED regime, the Nazi dictatorship and the German Empire the Theme Path focuses on key topics in the life and work of the composer – Enlightenment and revolution, liberation and restoration, love and affliction.
Due to his hearing impairment Beethoven had to end his career as a pianist at around the age of thirty. From then on he devoted himself entirely to composing and, until his death in 1827, created timeless works that are still among the most frequently played compositions of classical music. The “Theme Path” is based on objects in the Permanent Exhibition and in the museum’s collections that have not yet been displayed. Participative and inclusive stations invite the visitor to encounter Beethoven with various senses.
