Monday is Beethoven's Birthday

Illustration of Schroeder and Snoopy holding signs on a blue background

The “Peanuts” comics by Charles M. Schulz first debuted in 1947 as “Li’l Folks” and was renamed “Peanuts” in 1950. The various panels followed Charlie Brown, his dog Snoopy, friends Schroeder, Lucy, Linus, and others, chronicling their everyday lives and adventures. Schroeder was an avid lover of Beethoven and was often found in each panel playing his piano or listening to various compositions by Beethoven. This button references this as Schroeder is pictured announcing Beethoven’s upcoming birthday (December 16) accompanied by Snoopy.

Schroeder is noted as first celebrating Beethoven’s birthday in a 1953 panel and almost every year in December following that first strip. After that first celebration, a running gag has Schroeder holding up signs to remind everyone that Beethoven’s birthday is coming up. This love of Beethoven and reference to musical themes throughout the comic’s history is reported as mimicking Schulz’s own love of the composer, with Schroeder as his alter ego.