Scharfrichterhaus 2.39

The Scharfrichterhaus in Passau, Germany, is designated as a national historical treasure and was built circa 1200. Located on "Milk Street", it was the official residence for the Scharfrichter of the city of Passau. It is now a jazz and cabaret stage on which political cabaret is performed.HistoryEarly historical documents, from the 13th century until 1443, mention the building as the feared "Prislig" prison. Around 1620, during the 30 years war, then-executioner Kaspar would distribute small slips of paper that would make the owner invulnerable. This went into the history books as "Passauerkunst" or Art of Passau.In the 1970s, the city of Passau was under the very strong influence of the conservatives of the Christian Social Union of Bavaria, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Passau, and the Passauer press (Passauer Neue Presse, PNP). Consequently, a counter cultural movement developed and a political cabaret was formed in Passau. The main cabaret performers in this movement were Bruno Jonas and Siegfried Zimmerschied.In opposition to this counter culture movement, the chief editor of the PNP established a news embargo on the cabaret organization. The "Generalvikar" (high Catholic Church functionary) of the diocese took the movement to the court charging blasphemy. As a result, the city of Passau imposed a ban on the cabaret’s performances.The Scharfrichterhaus of today was founded in March 1977 by Walter Landshuter and Edgar Liegl. It has developed quickly to be an important jazz and cabaret stage on which political cabaret is performed. In 1979, the Passauer Cabaret Days was celebrated for the first time. This is a festival for art, theatre, music and cabaret. Since 1983 the Scharfrichterhaus, in collaboration with the Bavarian TV channel and a Munich newspaper, awarded the "Executioner’s Hatchet". German comedian Hape Kerkeling received this award in 1983.