Bone fragments believed to belong to the iconic composer Ludwig van Beethoven have been returned to Vienna after spending the last 30 years locked away in a drawer in Carmichael, California. The fascinating story began in 1990 when Paul Kaufmann discovered a key while going through his late mother’s belongings in the south of France. This key opened a safety deposit box, inside of which was another box labeled “Beethoven,” containing fragments of a skull. Intrigued, Kaufmann embarked on a 30-year journey to uncover the mystery of these fragments.
Transporting the skull back to the United States, Kaufmann began researching with the help of esteemed scholars in San Francisco and San Jose. They soon discovered a connection to his great-great-uncle, Dr. Franz Romeo Seligmann, a Viennese physician and medical historian. Dr. Seligmann had received the bone fragments in 1863 after Beethoven’s body had been exhumed for research regarding his hearing loss.
Limited technology at the time stifled further research, but the fragments were passed down through generations until they reached Kaufmann. Last week, Kaufmann made the trip to the Medical University of Vienna to donate the fragments, now known as the “Seligmann Fragments.” This act brought him immense joy, as he believed the fragments were finally back where they belonged.
Some of the bone fragments will also be sent to a DNA lab for further examination, although researchers at the Medical University of Vienna are already confident in their authenticity. This heartwarming story of historical artifacts being returned to their rightful place has captured the attention of the public and is gaining significant traction.
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