Rana i neočekivana smrt Wolfganga Amadeusa Mozarta (r. u Salzburgu 1756. – u. u Beču 1791.) obavijena je tajnom od prvoga dana te je postala predmetom nevjerojatnih nagađanja i hrabrih tvrdnji. Medicinska je znanost u posljednjih stotinu godina sa sve više interesa istraživala Mozartove tjelesne tegobe i tajanstvenu smrt. Želja je ovoga članka rekonstruirati Mozartovu patografiju osalanjajući se na njegovu korespondenciju s ocem Leopoldom i sestrom Nannerl te na izjave njegovih liječnika i suvremenika. Ubrzo nakon Mozartove smrti 5. prosinca 1791., u dobi od 35 godina, raširila se glasina da je otrovan, koja je i danas aktualna. Navodni osumnjičenici su njegov osobni liječnik van Swieten, Mozartova slobodnozidarska loža te dvorski skladatelj Antonio Salieri. Ipak, Mozart je umro od uremije uslijed kronične bolesti bubrega. Kada oštećenje bubrega dosegne kritičnu točku, dovoljan je i neznatan stres koji će dovesti do njegova zatajenja. To se obično događa u četrdesetim godinama života. Sljedeći put kada budemo slušali Mozartovu glazbu, sjetit ćemo se da je ova naizgled sretna osoba zapravo bilo prerano sazrijelo dijete kojemu je ukradeno djetinjstvo i čiji je život bio beskonačan niz tegoba, premorenosti, jada, briga i bolesti.

The early and unexpected death of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (Salzburg, 1756 – Vienna, 1791) was a mystery from the very first day and the subject of wildest speculations and adventurous assertions. Over the last 100 years, medical science has investigated the physical sufferings and the mysterious death of Mozart with increasing intensity. The aim of this article was to recreate Mozart’s pathography relying on the his correspondence with father Leopold and sister Nannerl and on reports from his physicians and contemporaries. The rumour that Mozart was poisoned followed shortly after his death on 5 December 1791, at the age of 35, and has survived to this day. The alleged culprits were his physician van Swieten, Mozart’s freemasons lodge, and the Imperial Chapel Master Salieri. Mozart however died of chronic kidney disease and ultimately of uraemia. If kidney damage reaches a critical point, even a minimum additional stress can lead to its failure. This usually occurs in the fourth decade of life. Next time we listen to Mozart, we should remember that this apparently happy person was actually a precocious boy, ripped of his childhood, whose short life was an endless chain of complaints, fatigue, misery, concern, and malady.