Gustav Mahler aged almost 51.

The last official portraits of Mahler in America. In january he led a performance of his own music, Symphony No. 4, for the last time. Then, on 21-02-1911, he conducted his final concert, which featured Italian music. With his health rapidly failing, he was forced to cancel the remaining 10 concerts in the season.

138. 1911. New York. 

139. 1911. New York. 

140. 1911. New York. 

141. 1911. S.S. Amerika. 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika. Gustav and Alma Mahler (1879-1964) with seamen and fellow passengers.

142. 1911. S.S. Amerika. 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika. Last photograph of Gustav Mahler (1860-1911).

142. 1911. S.S. Amerika. 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika. Last photograph of Gustav Mahler (1860-1911).

• 01-01-1911 Brooklyn: 1911 Concert Brooklyn 01-01-1911.
• 02-01-1911 New York:
• 03-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 03-01-1911.
• 04-01-1911 New York:
• 05-01-1911 New York:
• 06-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 06-01-1911.
• 07-01-1911 New York:
• 08-01-1911 Brooklyn: 1911 Concert Brooklyn 08-01-1911.
• 09-01-1911 New York:
• 10-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 10-01-1911.
• 11-01-1911 New York:
• 12-01-1911 New York:
• 13-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 13-01-1911.
• 14-01-1911 New York:
• 15-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 15-01-1911.
• 16-01-1911 New York:
• 17-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 17-01-1911 - Symphony No. 4. Conducts Philharmonic concert (Pfitzner’s Overture to Das Käthchen von Heilbronn, first performance of revised version of Symphony No. 4 and Strauss’s Ein Heldenleben).
• 18-01-1911 New York: 
• 19-01-1911 New York: Gustav Mahler completes the overhaul of Symphony No. 4.
• 20-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 20-01-1911 - Symphony No. 4.
• 21-01-1911 New York: 
• 22-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 22-01-1911. Paris: Camille Chevillard conducts Symphony No. 5. Also on 29-01-1911.
• 23-01-1911 Philadelphia: 1911 Concert Philadelphia 23-01-1911. Gustav Mahler conducts all-Wagner programme. Berlin: Last performance of Symphony No. 7 during Mahlers lifetime. Conducted by Oskar Fried (1871-1941).
• 24-01-1911 Washington DC: 1911 Concert Washington DC 24-01-1911. Gustav Mahler conducts all-Wagner programme.
• 25-01-1911 New York: 
• 26-01-1911 New York: Paris: Joseph Lassalle conducts French première of Symphony No. 4 with Munich Tonkünstler-Orchester.
• 27-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 27-01-1911.
• 28-01-1911 New York: Publication of the score of Symphony No. 8 by Universal Edition (UE) music publishers in Vienna. Dresden: Ernst von Schuch (1846-1914) conducts world première of Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier.
• 29-01-1911 Brooklyn: 1911 Concert Brooklyn 29-01-1911.
• 30-01-1911 New York:
• 31-01-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 31-01-1911.
• 01-02-1911 New York:
• 02-02-1911 New York:
• 03-02-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 03-02-1911.
• 04-02-1911 New York:
• 05-02-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 05-02-1911. Amsterdam: Symphony No. 1 conducted by Willem Mengelberg (1871-1951).
• 06-02-1911 New York:
• 07-02-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 07-02-1911.
• 08-02-1911 New York:
• 09-02-1911 New York:
• 10-02-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 10-02-1911. Frankfurt: Symphony No. 1 conducted by Willem Mengelberg (1871-1951).
• 11-02-1911 New York:
• 12-02-1911 Brooklyn: 1911 Concert Brooklyn 12-02-1911.
• 13-02-1911 New York:
• 14-02-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 14-02-1911.
• 15-02-1911 Springfield: 1911 Concert Springfield 15-02-1911.
• 16-02-1911 Hartford: 1911 Concert Hartford 16-02-1911.
• 17-02-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 17-02-1911.
• 18-02-1911 New York:
• 19-02-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 19-02-1911.
• 20-02-1911 New York: Mahler wakes up with a sore throat and fever. Dr. Joseph Fraenkel (1867-1920). The next few days are better, but the fever stayed.
• 21-02-1911 New York: 1911 Concert New York 21-02-1911 (Final concert). Against his doctor’s orders, he conducts this concert while he is suffering from a fever (40 C/104 F) because of his recurring throat ailment. He is later forced to abandon the last 10 remaining concerts of the season.
• 22-02-1911 New York: Health. First visit of Emanuel Libman (1872-1946) to Gustav Mahler at the request of Joseph Fraenkel (1867-1920).
• 23-02-1911 New York: Health. Drinks Metschnikoff Bulgarian milk (yoghurt).
• 24-02-1911 New York: Health. Falls ill with slow endocarditis, initially diagnosed as influenza. Health.
• 25-02-1911 New York: Health. Emanuel Libman (1872-1946) and Dr George Baehr (1887-1978) meets with Gustav Mahler in his rooms at the Hotel Savoy for a blood culture.
• 26-02-1911 New York:
• 27-02-1911 New York:
• 28-02-1911 New York:
• 01-03-1911 New York:
• 02-03-1911 New York:
• 03-03-1911 New York: Mahler did not give up hope. He talked of resuming the concert season, and took a keen interest when one of Alma's compositions was sung at a public recital by the soprano Frances Alda.
• 04-03-1911 New York:
• 05-03-1911 New York:
• 06-03-1911 New York: The Guarantors’ Committee of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra (NYPO/NPO) votes to end negotiations with its present conductor Gustav Mahler under conditions he set forth, and to approach Felix von Weingartner (1863-1942) to conduct the orchestra next season.
• 07-03-1911 New York:
• 08-03-1911 New York:
• 09-03-1911 New York: Wedding anniversary (9) Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) and Alma Mahler (1879-1964).
• 10-03-1911 New York:
• 11-03-1911 New York: Alma Mahler writes for the first time from New York to Walter Gropius (1883-1969) about the serious nature of Gustav Mahler’s condition the last three weeks.
• 12-03-1911 New York:
• 13-03-1911 New York:
• 14-03-1911 New York:
• 15-03-1911 New York:
• 16-03-1911 New York:
• 17-03-1911 New York: Performance Symphony No. 4 in Prague. Soloist: Lucie Boennecken. Conductor: Johannes Reichert.
• 18-03-1911 New York:
• 19-03-1911 New York: Still not better. High temperature. It is decided to stay in America.
• 20-03-1911 New York:
• 21-03-1911 New York:
• 22-03-1911 New York:
• 23-03-1911 New York:
• 24-03-1911 New York:
• 25-03-1911 New York: Alma finally writes the name of the fatal illness.
• 26-03-1911 New York: Amsterdam: Symphony No. 1 conducted by Willem Mengelberg (1871-1951).
• 27-03-1911 New York:
• 28-03-1911 New York:
• 29-03-1911 New York: Alma writes to Walter Gropius (1883-1969) that her return to Europe had to be postponed for a second time in connection with the weak state of Gustav Mahler. S.S. George Washington. 
• 30-03-1911 New York: Alma looks forward to meet Walter Gropius (1883-1969) again, "I want you .."
• 31-03-1911 New York: Anna Sofie Moll-Schindler-Bergen (1857-1938) comes from Europe with the S.S. Mauretania to help her daughter Alma Mahler (1879-1964) with the patient Gustav Mahler (1860-1911).
• 01-04-1911 New York:
• 02-04-1911 New York:
• 03-04-1911 New York:
• 04-04-1911 New York:
• 05-04-1911 New York:
• 06-04-1911 New York: Meeting with Maurice Baumfeld (1868-1913).
• 07-04-1911 New York: 
• 08-04-1911 Atlantic: Leaving Hotel Savoy for Paris and Vienna. Mahler could walk to the elevator himself. Aboard Alma Mahler (1879-1964), Anna Justine Mahler (Gucki) (1904-1988), his friend Ferruccio Busoni (1866-1924), Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) and a nurse. 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika.
• 09-04-1911 Atlantic: 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika. Busoni takes care of Gustav Mahler.
• 10-04-1911 Atlantic: 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika. Last picture taken of Gustav Mahler. See on this page number 142.
• 11-04-1911 Atlantic: 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika. During the crossing, his condition will gradually go further backwards.
• 12-04-1911 Atlantic: 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika.
• 13-04-1911 Atlantic: 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika.
• 14-04-1911 Atlantic: 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika.
• 15-04-1911 Atlantic: 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika.
• 16-04-1911 Atlantic: 1911 Eastbound 08-04-1911 until 16-04-1911 S.S. Amerika, Cherbourg. Arrival on Palm Sunday. While they go from board Stefan Zweig (1881-1942) takes care of Anna Justine Mahler (Gucki) (1904-1988). Journalists of Vienna newspapers urge to see something of Gustav Mahler. In the evening by steamtrain from Cherbourg to Paris.
• 17-04-1911 Paris: Hotel Elysee Palace. Arrival at 5:00. Gustav Mahler seems to recover from the terrible fever that made him so restless during the crossing. But this was a bad imagination caused by the disease itself.
• 18-01-1911 Paris: Hotel Elysee Palace. On his first morning at the Elysee Palace, Mahler is dressed, shaved and ready for a ride by car. In the evening he is about to collapse again. When Alma Mahler (1879-1964) brings Anna to bed in the evening, Mahler gives final instructions to Anna Sofie Moll-Schindler-Bergen (1857-1938): He wants to be buried in Vienna next to his daughter Maria in Grinzing cemetery. No fuss and just "Mahler" on the tombstone. "Any who come to look for me will know who I was and the rest do not need to know.
• 19-04-1911 Paris: Hotel Elysee Palace.
• 20-04-1911 Paris: Hotel Elysee Palace. Examination by Dr. Andre Chantemesse (1851-1919). Prescription of serum treatment. Health.
• 21-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. By car to the Defaut sanatorium. First serum injection. Health. Stays until 11-05-1911. 
• 22-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. 
• 23-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium.
• 24-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. New communique about the first serum injection.
• 25-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Alma writes Walter Gropius (1883-1969) to ask him to come to Paris. The situation is still very serious. Alma feels guilt. A letter from Hermann Bahr (1863-1934) and friends in Vienna with 26 signatures.
• 26-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Justine (Ernestine) Rose-Mahler (1868-1938) arrived from Vienna to take care of her brother. Alma is furious. Justine (Ernestine) Rose-Mahler (1868-1938) was on the same train as Bruno Walter (1876-1962). Justine (Ernestine) Rose-Mahler (1868-1938) was recovering from a painful operation herself. Justine (Ernestine) Rose-Mahler (1868-1938) spent two nights beside Mahlers bed.
• 27-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. The situation appeared to improve since the first injection and Andre Chantemesse (1851-1919) gave a second serum injection. Less powerful.
• 28-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. The situation even more improved, both physical and mentally. Third serum injection given. Temperature rose again, but then it suddenly dropped. Pulse remained normal.
• 29-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Regained some appetite.
• 30-04-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Blood culture taken by Andre Chantemesse (1851-1919). Condition is very serious.
• 01-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. 
• 02-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium.
• 03-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium.
• 04-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium.
• 05-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Particularly bad day. Deteriation of the situation. Andre Chantemesse (1851-1919) was obliged to reduce the doses of vaccine because of the violence of Mahler's reaction.
• 06-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Particularly bad day.
• 07-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Particularly bad day. After a relatively quiet night Gustav Mahler came in the morning in a critical condition. Alma wrote Walter Gropius (1883-1969)
• 08-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. In the night given first injection of morphine.
• 09-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. First attack of suffocation. Symptoms of Angina. Pain in the heart region and complained of breathlessness. Streptococcal infection was affecting various parts of the body. Alma cabled Carl Julius Rudolf Moll (1861-1945) in Vienna to ask for a first-rate beaceriologist in Vienna. Carl Julius Rudolf Moll (1861-1945) contacted Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944) (who was in Triest). Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944) went to Paris. Mahler was cheered by the news and the prospect of finally being able to talk to a member of the medical profession in his own language.
• 10-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Second attack of suffocation. Given oxygen. Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944) is leaving Vienna for Paris.
• 11-05-1911 Paris: Defaut sanatorium. Arrival of Dr. Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944) at the expected time. Carl Julius Rudolf Moll (1861-1945) present. Mahler asked Carl Julius Rudolf Moll (1861-1945) for poison because he could not longer tolerate the headaches. Once Mahler saw Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944), he was overtaken by the strong desire to be in his homeland. Chvostek greeted Gustav Mahler extremely amicable, but told Alma Mahler later in the evening that there was no hope. Professor Chvostek gave his approval for the trip on the condition that the trip would be undertaken immediately. In the evening Gustav Mahler was taken to the Gare de l'Est to travel by night train to Vienna. With him are Alma Mahler (1879-1964), Carl Julius Rudolf Moll (1861-1945) and Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944). Newspapers report that Mahler lies on a stretcher. Journalists arrived according to Alma on every station in Germany and Austria to the doors of the Orient Express (Paris-Strasbourg-Munich-Vienna) for the latest news. In Salzburg his situation was reported as "unchanged". Anna Sofie Moll-Schindler-Bergen (1857-1938) and Anna Justine Mahler (Gucki) (1904-1988) (and Maud Turner?) left the next day for Vienna (on 12-05-1911). Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944) informed Alma in the train there was no hope.
• 12-05-1911 Munich: Arrival at 10.45. Salzburg: Arrival at 13:00 Vienna: Arrival in the Westbahnhof in Vienna at 17:55. The journey went relatively well. The police put up screens so Mahler can be laid straight and unseen in an ambulance to the Low sanatorium. At the platform Bruno Walter (1876-1962), Albert Spiegler (1856-1940), Justine (Ernestine) Rose-Mahler (1868-1938), Arnold Josef Rose (1863-1946) and a few other members of the family. Carl Julius Rudolf Moll (1861-1945) went quickly of the train to shield Mahler from the publig gaze. The train corridor was to small and Mahler had to sit on the linked hands of two male nurses. With a ambulance to a side entrance of Low sanatorium. Arrival at 18:45. Dr. Armin Czinner (1853-1918) present. Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944) gave morphine and left the clinic for the night. Room on the ground floor, overlooking a large garden. His room, Alma's room and the corridores are filled with flowers. There are also flowers from the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra (VPO). 
• 13-05-1911 Vienna: Low sanatorium. Mahler felt better in a far more comfortable clinque than the French one. Journalists call every two hours to the sanatorium for more information. Alma Mahler reads a letter from Richard Strauss (1864-1949) to Gustav Mahler who promised to conduct Symphony No.3 in Berlin. According to Alma, this letter gave Mahler one of his last moments of happiness. The infection is now in the lungs and a knee is swollen. during the afternoon he felt a little better. T 18:50 Anna Justine Mahler (Gucki) (1904-1988) and Anna Sofie Moll-Schindler-Bergen (1857-1938) arrived. "Be my good girl, my child", he tells Anna Justine Mahler (Gucki) (1904-1988) while he strokes her head. Powerful doses of digitalis and caffeine were given to stimulate the heart. Mahler spoke little, but listened carefully. Each evening a few spoonfuls of caviar.
• 14-05-1911 Vienna: Low sanatorium. New infection found. Pneumonia. In the afternoon with his bed on the veranda, surrounded by the baskets of flowers.
• 15-05-1911 Vienna: Low sanatorium. Last sketch book (today?). Dozing of for much of the time. Increasing morphine. Bad night. 
• 16-05-1911 Vienna: Low sanatorium. Arnold Berliner (1862-1942) arrived from Berlin. Only a short reaction. Alma heared Mahler say "My Almschi" hundred of times in a tone of voice that she had never hearded before. When Anna Justine Mahler (Gucki) (1904-1988) came to his bedsite he put his arm around her. "Be good, my child". During the hours of daylight, Mahler was moved to the second room where the sun shone in and illuminated the baskets of flowers. His heart rate was causing extreme concern. There survives a heart-rending document from the final stage of Mahler's illness. It was probably the last thing he ever wrote and appears on the back of a note  in Alma's hand, itself a sheet of paper folded into four. This note was part of Alma's private collection, but its present whereabouts are unknown. Fortunately a photograph survived. At the top of the paper Alma has written 'Puls sehr gut' (Pulse very good), to which Mahler has added a reply, in a shaking but still characteristc hand: 'Mir was nur kalt'(I was just cold). 'Riesig!' (Tremendously!). 'Immer Mehr!' (More and more). Beneath this brief dialogue is a drawing traced in a somewhat uncertain hand: From a small circle (a head?) a line emerges and passes through another circle identified as 'Herz' (heart). The line then spirals upon itself. Adjacent, the words 'die lieben Thierchen' (the dear lttle beasts, which was Mahler's nickname for the microbes that were slowly killing him) are written under 'Herz'. From the centre of the spiral the line seems to emerge once again in a series of directional arrows that follow the line all the way to the bottom of the page, where a small recipient is represented by means of a simple rectangle. Written diagonally beside it, in Alma's firm hand, is the question: 'Was bedeutet diese Sphynx-schnecke?' (What is the meaning of this shpinx-snail?). Mahler's reply, beneath it, is: 'Der Nachttopf' (The chamber pot). "Did he know? Or not-?' Alma wondered. (The little animals might also refer to the ants which he kept near his bed. Mahler had been fond of watching their behaviour as a way of passing the time.)
• 17-05-1911 Vienna: Low sanatorium. He was calm in the morning. No interest in his surroundings. Temperature 38, pulse 130-140. Injection oxygen under the skin to help him breathe. Thunderstorms in the afternoon. Pulse lower in the evening. Coma. One newspaper, the Wiener Bilder, published a sketch of Mahler on his deathbed.
• 18-05-1911 Vienna: Low sanatorium. Arthur Schnitzler (1862-1931) (physician and writer) walks through the garden of the sanatorium during lunchtime and meets Hermann Bahr (1863-1934) (writer) who kept an eye on what happened on the street. Alban Berg (1885-1935) continues pacing the corridor. Gustav Mahler (1860-1911) holds a trembling finger over the blanket as if he is conducting. Alma hears him say "Mozartl" (little Mozart). Carl Julius Rudolf Moll (1861-1945), Anna Sofie Moll-Schindler-Bergen (1857-1938) and Bruno Walter (1876-1962) are with him during his last hours. Alma Mahler (1879-1964) collapse and is sent to another room. "I was not allowed into the death chamber. Moll was with him to the last". Early in the evening in the final stage he is staring and could only with difficulty be persuaded to take a spoonful of milk or tea. His mind was troubled, and he did not answer questions. He only reacted to loud noises. He could not move independently. At 16:00 pulse 140. By 18:00 pulse could not be counted anymore. Dr Michalik administered a further injection of caffeine and morphine, to no avail. In the course of the evening he gradually became completely unconscious from 18:30. The breathing became erratic. The lungs did not work, in spite of the extra oxygen. He had no longer the strength to swallow to clear his windpipe. His pulse was very high. Attempts to give him still some liquid food, came to nothing because he kept his jaws firmly together. Medical practice was limited to injections of caffeine and the oxygen supply. Later he was given injections of ether and campfer for the affected and cripple lungs. As last attempt a campfer injection was given at 19:30 and continued oxygen. Despite his unconsciousness it was still possible to give him a spoonful of soup and some caviar. At 20:00 Dr. Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944) came to the bedside. He said there was no hope to keep alive the sick man. "He is very ill. All symptoms of cripple lungs are there (edema (swelling and fluid retention)). The patient is completely unconscious. His pulse is 160. His temperature is too high to measure, and the breathing is very quickly. The disease is in the final stages ". It is a day of storm and rain. Richard Strauss (1864-1949)'s Elektra is played in the opera, the orchestra is led by Arnold Josef Rose (1863-1946) (brother in law of Gustav Mahler) while it thunders. When it is dark, it became a thunderstorm. Arnold Josef Rose (1863-1946) runs to the sanatorium, drenched in the rain. He is just in time. Beside Gustav Mahler are: Alma Mahler (1879-1964), Justine (Ernestine) Rose-Mahler (1868-1938), Arnold Josef Rose (1863-1946), Carl Julius Rudolf Moll (1861-1945) and Anna Sofie Moll-Schindler-Bergen (1857-1938), Bruno Walter (1876-1962) with his wife. Also present: Dr. Franz Chvostek Jr. (1864-1944) and Dr Michalik.

Gustav Mahler died on 18-05-1911 at 23:07 in Vienna. He is only 50 years old.

Continuation: Gustav Mahler funeral.

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