Liszt was noted for his unusual obsession with death, which included visits to hospitals, asylums, and jails to see prisoners sentenced to death. This interest is shown in several of his works, including La lugubre gondola and Totentanz. Liszt's father died when he was 11 years old, and his mother soon after. He never knew his father, but his mother's second husband took care of him until she died when he was 16. After this loss, no one else would have him so he went out into the world to find a job and support himself. He first worked as an organist and then became a teacher. In addition to teaching music, he also got involved in politics and fought for better working conditions for musicians. This last involvement caused him many problems with the law because they did not want a musician to be able to influence people by playing his music. So he left Hungary and went to Germany where he could play without being punished by the government. In Germany, he met Beethoven who influenced him greatly and they became good friends. They invented some strange instruments together such as the synthesizer which was not done before it was created by them. Liszt spent most of his time in Germany making many new inventions.