Short answers, pulled from the story.
Ludwig van Beethoven composed the symphony between 1804 and 1808, with the final preparation occurring in 1807 and 1808. The work premiered on the 22nd of December 1808 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna.
Ludwig van Beethoven conducted the premiere of his own Symphony No. 5 on the 22nd of December 1808. This was a rare decision given his increasing deafness and the difficult conditions of the concert.
The idea that the motif represents fate knocking at the door originated from Anton Schindler, Beethoven's secretary, who wrote about it years after the composer's death. Many experts believe this story is a fabrication or forgery by Schindler to create a romanticized view of the composer.
The symphony marked the first use of the piccolo and contrabassoon in a symphony. It also expanded the use of trombones, which were previously reserved for sacred music, to add weight and grandeur to the final chords.
The title Victory Symphony emerged after the Second World War because the rhythm of the opening phrase matched the Morse code for the letter V. This rhythm was used by the BBC to inspire and unify Special Operations Executives during the war.