In 2020 the world will celebrate the 250th birthday of Ludwig van Beethoven, or rather the anniversary of his baptism, which is the recorded date. The most important celebrations will take place in the city of Bonn, his birthplace. The central ceremony will take place in the Beethoven Concert Hall, where, in a precious urn, earth from Beethoven’s grave at Vienna is preserved in the foundation-stone.

The Beethoven Concert Hall was built in deep reverence for Beethoven’s work and life. He is the most important son of Bonn. The hall was planned and constructed by Siegfried Wolske (1925-2005), who studied with the Berlin architect Hans Scharoun. It was inaugurated on 8th of September, 1959 as a unique example of the “Organic Building“ style, which stood in deliberate opposition to the architecture of the „3rd Reich“.   It represented the new democratic spirit of the Federal Republic of Germany, and continues, as a powerful symbol of democracy, architecture and music, to do so today.  It is the main venue for the Bonn Beethoven Festival and is the home of the Beethoven Orchestra, Bonn.  A large number of other musical and cultural events take place in it.  

In view of  the celebrations planned for 2020 the Bonn city council  has passed a resolution to restore the Beethoven Concert Hall  to its original state. At the same time it made an appeal to the citizens of Bonn to support the funding of this project. We, the initiative „Unsere Beethovenhalle“, actively support this appeal.  In this action we are following in the footsteps of our parents and grandparents, who, in their day, contributed substantially to the original construction.

Many of our fellow-citizens have already responded generously to the appeal.  We invite all those who love the music of Beethoven to join us in this important task.

Translation: Samuel J. Patterson, Seeburg

For further informations about Beethoven see links:

http://www.pianosociety.com/cms/index.php?section=102

http://www.beethoven-haus-bonn.de/sixcms/detail.php?template=startseite_shop_en

http://www.english-online.at/music/ludwig-van-beethoven/beethoven.htm

http://www.biography.com/people/ludwig-van-beethoven-9204862#composing-for-audiences