Beethoven was black?

Africa within ^

[mainestategop]

---

Beethoven: Revealing His True Identity

 

 In the 15^th and 16^th century, written history underwent a massive campaign of misinformation and deception. With the European slave trade in full swing, Afrikans were transported to various parts of the world and were stripped of every aspect of their humanity, and in most of western civilization, were no longer considered human. This triggered a wholesale interpretation of history that methodically excluded Afrikans from any respectful mention, other than a legacy of slavery. This can result in being taught, or socialized, from one perspective. In this instance, historical information tends to flow strictly from a European perspective. No judgment of right or wrong is being made here, only that the breadth was very narrow in scope.

In an age where history is seriously being rewritten, new information is coming forth that is shocking intellectual sensitivities. What was once considered written in stone is now melting away with the discovery of facts that heretofore have been hidden or omitted; things so different that they are generally classified as controversial or unusual.

What specifically is being referenced, is the true identity of Ludwig van Beethoven, considered Europe’s greatest classical music composer. Directly, Beethoven was a black man. Specifically, his mother was a Moor, that group of Muslim Africans who conquered parts of Europe--making Spain their capital--for some 800 years.

In order to make such a substantial statement, presentation of verifiable evidence is compulsory. Let's start with what some of Beethoven's contemporaries and biographers say about his appearance. Frau Fisher, a close friend of Beethoven, described him with “blackish-brown complexion.” Frederick Hertz, German anthropologist, used these terms to describe him: “Negroid traits, dark skin, flat, thick nose.”

Emil Ludwig, in his book “Beethoven,” says: “His face reveals no trace of the German. He was so dark that people dubbed him Spagnol [dark-skinned].” Fanny Giannatasio del Rio, in her book “An Unrequited Love: An Episode in the Life of Beethoven,” wrote “His somewhat flat broad nose and rather wide mouth, his small piercing eyes and swarthy [dark] complexion, pockmarked into the bargain, gave him a strong resemblance to a mulatto.” C. Czerny stated, “His beard--he had not shaved for several days--made the lower part of his already brown face still darker.”

 Following are one word descriptions of Beethoven from various writers: Grillparzer, “dark”; Bettina von Armin, “brown”; Schindler, “red and brown”; Rellstab, “brownish”; Gelinek, “short, dark.”

Newsweek, in its Sept. 23, 1991 issue stated, “Afrocentrism ranges over the whole panorama of human history, coloring in the faces: from Australopithecus to the inventors of mathematics to the great Negro composer Beethoven.”

Of course, in the world of scholarship there are those who take an opposite view. In the book The Changing Image of Beethoven by Alessandra Comini, an array of arguments are presented. Donald W. MacArdle, in a 1949 Musical Quarterly article came to the conclusion that there was “no Spanish, no Belgian, no Dutch, no African” in Beethoven's genealogy. Dominque-Rene de Lerma, the great musical bibliologist, came to the same conclusion.

Included in this amazing discussion is a reference made of Beethoven’s teacher, Andre de Hevesy, in his book, Beethoven The Man. “Everyone knows the incident at Kismarton, or Eisenstadt, the residence of Prince Esterhazy, on his birthday. In the middle of the first allegro of Haydn’s symphony, His Highness asked the name of the author. He was brought forward.

“‘What!’ exclaimed the Prince, ‘the music is by the blackamoor (a black Moor). Well, my fine blackamoor, henceforth thou art in my service.’

“‘What is thy name?’

“‘Joseph Haydn.’”

We have all been fed false information for reasons previously mentioned. It is no secret that scholars, writers, critics, advertisers and Hollywood have changed history for their own specific reasons. What is uniquely different in the intellectual landscape, people of color now have an army of sophisticated scholars to combat the continuation and dissemination of false information that has been accepted as standard, as well as the canon in academia.

It is hoped that the revealing of this information will motivate others to critically look at all data flowing in their brains for authenticity. Hollywood is notorious for changing facts. I am not saying to hate Hollywood, but we do have to hold it accountable for disseminating inaccurate depictions, especially when it changes the course of history, by which our children are influenced.

Graphic credits:

1.) Louis Letronne, Beethoven, 1814, pencil drawing.

2.) Blasius Hofel, Beethoven, 1814, monochrome facsimile of engraving after a pencil drawing by Louis Letronne.

3.) Engraving by Blasius Hofel, Beethoven, 1814, color facsimile of engraving after a pencil drawing by Louis Letronne. This engraving was regarded in Beethoven's circle as particularly lifelike. Beethoven himself thought highly of it, and gave several copies to his friends.

©2003Kwaku Person-Lynn

---

[ Home ] [ Up ] [ Beethoven: Revealing His True Identity ] [ Examining The Virgin Birth / Resurrection Story ] [ Getting A's on Exams ] [ Globalizing Afrikan American History ] [ The 'Educated' Slave ] [ The Origin of Rap ] [ I'm Not Afrikan, I'm Negro ] [ Afrikan Involvement In Atlantic Slave Trade ] [ Have We Come To This? ] [ Setting the Record Straight on the African Influence of Europe ]

[monkeycard]

Africa trying to rewrite history.

[Salamander]

Judging by his eyes, I'd hazard that his predominate color was *crazy*......;-D

[FredZarguna]

Ach, Himmel! Nicht diese scheisse noch einmal!

[OneWingedShark]

>For years, the gays have been claiming every other famous man in history was gay - now we’re going to find out the other half were black.

Ah, now we only have to wait until all the historical figures are black AND gay! [/sarc][/cynic]

[techworker]

I don't know if we can say that for sure.

[prismsinc]

dude, that’s just WRONG! LOL!

[bigheadfred]

Ah, now we only have to wait until all the historical figures are black AND gay!

Who are you really? Nostradamus?

[OneWingedShark]

>>Ah, now we only have to wait until all the historical figures are black AND gay!
>
>Who are you really? Nostradamus?

Well, I _DID_ score high on the “prophecy” portion of a spiritual-gifts inventory at my church... ;)

[FredZarguna]

It's not worth anything. It's complete rubbish.

[rawcatslyentist]

>"Next thing we will hear is that he is the Father of RAP noise."

Read a Book an actual BET PSA video.

*********** Warning vulgar street rap lyrics ***************

[LifeComesFirst]

The great French writer Dumas (The Man in the Iron Mask, The Three Musketeers, The Count of Monte Cristo, etc.) was one-quarter black African, and you can really tell, from his photograph.

I don’t know enough about Beethoven to say, but I don’t see it from that picture. It doesn’t *really* matter, except to people whose identity is all wrapped up in their ethnicity. Me, I could be black or East Asian and it wouldn’t change how I view myself all that much.

[erman]

I thought everybody that was famous and creative was gay.

I'm going to have to rethink everything...lol.

[LifeComesFirst]

You mean Lincoln.....*wasn’t* gay? But what about his past as a hair-dresser?

[dfwgator]

"Tell your ma...tell your pa...gonna send you back to Arkinsaw...."

[PzLdr]

I didn’t realize those black Pharonic gliders reached all the way to Germany.

[nmh]

LOL!

Is it February already?

Looking for a new black role model?

Isn’t February Black History month?

Can’t they wait till then to come out with this nonsense?

[hellbender]

Looking at your picture of his bust and several of the portraits posted earlier, one can see that old Ludwig had thin tight lips--hardly a Negroid trait. His hair is not frizzy or wooly. Actually, he could have received his dark complexion from Spanish ancestry, inasmuch as the Spanish ruled the Low Countries for many years.

Some of his friends called him "the Sicilian" because of his dark complexion. Many Sicilians have Arab genes, but are we supposed to believe they are "black" too?

[nmh]

Lincoln wasn’t black and he had NO black in him.

GEESH!

[dfwgator]

There was a Peanuts cartoon where Schroeder was playing Beethoven, and Lucy mentioned that some scholars said that Beethoven was black.

To which Schroeder replied, “You mean all this time I’ve been playing ‘soul music’?”

[hellbender]

It's black history revisionism. Complete nonsense. Look at this portrait: NO frizzy hair. NO thick protruding lips. Nose pretty normal for a European.

I would bet there are lockets of Beethoven's hair extant in several places. DNA testing could probably be run on it.