Ludwig Van Beethoven Siblings

Ludwig Van Beethoven Siblings: Who are Ludwig Van Beethoven siblings? How many siblings did Ludwig Van Beethoven have? Read on as we take a look at the siblings of the legendary German composer and pianist.

Ludwig Van Beethoven was a well known German composer and Pianist baptised on December 17, 1770. He was born into a family of music people hence it was only normal that he had music running through his veins.

His father, Johann was a tenor who was actually the one who started giving him music lessons when he was just a boy. His grandfather, Ludwig Van Beethoven was also a Flemish professional singer and music director who moved to Bonn when he was 21 years old.

Ludwig Van Beethoven’s parents got married in 1767 and together had seven children although only three, (Ludwig included) survived to become adults. Unfortunately, four of his siblings died in their infancy.

Ludwig Van Beethoven Siblings 

The legendary German composer and pianist had six siblings. However four died in their infancy, leaving Ludwig, Kasper Anton Karl Van Beethoven and Nikolaus Johann Van Beethoven. His other four siblings were Maria Margarete Josepha Van Beethoven, Ludwig Maria Van Beethoven, Anna Maria Francisca Van Beethoven and Franz Georg Van Beethoven.

Due to the fact that four of his siblings died at a very young age, there is no further information about them except their names and dates of birth.

1. Ludwig Maria Van Beethoven born on April 2, 1769 and died on April 6, 1769.

2. Anna Maria Francisca Van Beethoven born on February 23, 1779 and died on February 27, 1779.

3. Franz Georg Van Beethoven born on January 17, 1781 and died on August 16, 1783.

4. Maria Margarete Josepha Van Beethoven born on May 5, 1786 and died on November 26, 1787.

Below is a brief information about his two brothers who were able to survive infancy.

1. Nikolaus Johann Van Beethoven

Nikolaus Johann Van Beethoven was the younger brother of Ludwig Van Beethoven born to Johann Van Beethoven and Maria Magdalena Kaverich. He was born on October 2, 1776 in Bonn and grew preferring to be called Johann in honor of his father.

He was a licensed pharmacist in Bonn where he started practicing until he moved to Vienna in 1795. On his arrival, Johann worked as a pharmacist’s assistant from 1795 through to 1808 where he opened his own pharmacy in Linz.

His pharmacy business boomed a year later after Napoleon invaded Austria in 1809 and set up a base camp in Linz for soldiers who get injured in the war. Johann then became the French Army’s go to person for their medical needs which helped his pharmacy a lot.

His finances improved tremendously as a result of his association with the French army which made it easier for him to purchase an estate (Schloss Wasserhof)  in Gneixendorf in 1819. But that was even seven years after marrying Thérèse Obermeyer on November 8, 1812 against the wishes of his elder brother, Ludwig Van Beethoven.

He died on January 12, 1848 at the age of 71.

Kasper Anton Karl Van Beethoven 

Kasper Van Beethoven was a younger brother of Ludwig Van Beethoven. He was born in Bonn to Johann Van Beethoven and his wife Maria Magdalena Kaverich on April 7/8, 1774.

Kasper also moved to Vienna in 1794, a year before Nikolaus but after Ludwig. He worked as a clerk in the Department of Finance from 1800 and also as a manager and secretary of his brother, Ludwig. By 1809, Kasper rose to the rank of a Deputy Liquidator in the Department of Finance which earned him an increase in salary to 1000 florins and an additional 160 as allowance for rent.

He married Johanna ReiB on May 25, 1806 with whom he had a son, Karl Van Beethoven. Six years after their marriage, Kasper contracted tuberculosis which affected his health and ability to take care of the family.

He later died on November 15, 1815 at the age of 41.