Johanna van Beethoven
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| Johanna van Beethoven | |
| Born | Johanna Reiss 1786 |
|---|---|
| Died | 1869 |
| Spouse | Kaspar Anton Karl van Beethoven |
| Children | Karl van Beethoven |
Johanna van Beethoven (1786 – 1896) was the daughter of Anton Van Reiss, a prosperous Viennese upholsterer. Her mother was the daughter of a wine merchant and local mayor. [1]
On 25 May 1806 she married Kaspar Anton Karl van Beethoven, younger brother of Ludwig van Beethoven.[2] Their only child, Karl van Beethoven, was born September 4 of the same year.
After the death of her husband on November 15, 1815, she became embroiled in a lengthy court battle with her brother-in-law over custody of her son. During the proceedings, Beethoven argued that Johanna was a corrupt and immoral individual, doing everything possible to disparage her, and ruin her reputation. The custody battle persisted on and off until, in 1820, Johanna became pregnant by a finance councilor named Johann Hofbauer. The same year, Beethoven petitioned the Court of Appeal, citing the illegitimate pregnancy as evidence of Johanna's immorality, and was awarded full custody of his nephew.
In latter years, the relationship between Johanna and her brother-in-law is said to have become somewhat more amicable, and Johanna is suggested as one of several possible candidates for the woman Ludwig van Beethoven described in an 1812 letter as "Immortal Beloved".
