There is a remarkable marble slab in the Ohlsdorf cemetery in Hamburg: "Gravesite of the parents of the Hamburg composer Johannes Brahms and his brother" is written on it - the balance of power between Brahms and his relatives could hardly be more clearly depicted. He was the star of the family, even from the moment he began to supplement his meagre finances as a child prodigy by performing in inns.
The two years younger Friedrich Brahms, known as Fritz, always stood in his shadow. He was initially supposed to become a violinist, but then earned his living as a piano teacher in Hamburg and Caracas. In his later years, his famous brother contributed to this; otherwise, the relationship between the two is said to have been distant.
Johannes and his older sister Elise seem to have been closer. She was more interested in birds and flowers than music, but she was proud of her brother; their bond is documented in over 200 letters. At the age of 40, she married a widowed watchmaker who brought six children into the marriage. It may seem strange that she is not even mentioned on the plaque. However, a separate stone indicates that she is also buried in this family grave - in which only Johannes Brahms himself, who is buried in Vienna, is missing.
