Unlocking Beethoven's Family Secrets Through DNA Analysis of His Hair
Researchers have genetically analyzed the DNA in authenticated samples of Beethoven's hair to shed light on his health problems, including progressive hearing loss and gastrointestinal issues. The primary cause of his hearing loss has never been known, but the study reveals that his death was probably the result of a hepatitis B infection, exacerbated by his drinking and numerous risk factors for liver disease. The study also suggests an extrapair paternity event in Beethoven's paternal line between the conception of Hendrik van Beethoven in Kampenhout, Belgium in c.1572 and the conception of Ludwig van Beethoven seven generations later in 1770, in Bonn, Germany.