A documentary on the life of Ludwig van Beethoven, one of the best-known German composers of all time. Original documents, letters and drawings are combined with highlights of Beethoven’s musical oeuvre played by world-renowned orchestras. With its featured concert excerpts, this film is an important document of music history.

One of East Germany’s first full-length documentaries, it is an interesting example of how the GDR sought to present its national cultural heritage. It was screened at many international film festivals in the 1950s, including in Edinburgh, Karlovy Vary, Locarno and Melbourne. 

This film is available for streaming.
It can also be purchase as part of the DVD set Beethoven Duet.