Scharfrichterhaus

Scharfrichterhaus is a cultural institution and entertainment venue in Passau, Bavaria, whose identity combines a medieval historic building with a modern program of political cabaret, jazz, film, theatre, readings and chanson. The name refers to the building’s former role as the official residence of Passau’s executioner. The house stands on Milchgasse, or “Milk Street,” and is regarded as a protected national historical site. Although the surviving cultural organization dates from the late 1970s, the building itself is traditionally dated to around 1200. Historical references describe the site as the feared “Prislig” prison in documents from the thirteenth century through 1443. The building is also associated with the legend of “Passauerkunst,” or the Art of Passau. During the Thirty Years’ War, around 1620, the executioner Kaspar was said to have distributed small pieces of paper that supposedly made their owners invulnerable. This legend contributed to the building’s unusual historical aura and later helped distinguish it from conventional theatres and restaurants. The modern Scharfrichterhaus emerged from Passau’s countercultural movement in the 1970s. At that time, local public life was strongly influenced by conservative political forces, the Roman Catholic Diocese of Passau and the regional Passauer Neue Presse. A political-cabaret movement developed in response, with Bruno Jonas and Siegfried Zimmerschied among its prominent performers. The movement encountered institutional opposition: the cabaret organization faced a blasphemy-related legal action brought by a senior diocesan official, while the city imposed a ban on its performances. Against this background, Walter Landshuter and Edgar Liegl founded the present Scharfrichterhaus in March 1977. The venue quickly became an important platform for political satire and jazz. Its program subsequently expanded to include theatre, chanson, readings and other forms of live cultural communication. The Passauer Cabaret Days began in 1979 as a festival covering art, theatre, music and cabaret. From 1983, the Scharfrichterhaus worked with Bavarian television and a Munich newspaper to present the “Executioner’s Hatchet,” an award for cabaret performers. Hape Kerkeling received the prize in 1983. The institution became known beyond Passau because of its distinctive combination of historic setting, political commentary and curated cultural programming. The venue’s visitor offer also includes a café designed in the style of a nineteenth- and twentieth-century Viennese coffeehouse, a restaurant serving selected food and wine, and a wine cellar. These hospitality activities complement rather than replace the cultural program, creating a destination in which performances, film screenings, dining and informal social exchange are linked. A separate but closely related component is the Scharfrichter-Cinema. Film operator Manfred Vesper began renting the cinema rooms on 5 February 1987, following an initiative by Landshuter. The cinema developed around a repertory model, presenting carefully selected non-mainstream films and publishing its program in advance through the “Trailer” guide. Its programming was intended to fit the broader artistic orientation of the Scharfrichterhaus. A program advisory board involving Landshuter, Vesper, two University of Passau professors and two employees helped develop film series and applications for public support. The cinema was reported to have received an annual 5,000-euro prize from the relevant German film-support competition, with the money earmarked for reinvestment. Scharfrichterhaus is therefore best understood not as a conventional consumer brand but as a place-based cultural brand. Its positioning rests on historical distinctiveness, political and artistic independence, intimate presentation spaces, curated film and performance programming, and a hospitality offer that encourages longer visits. The available reference material does not establish a separate legal owner, corporate parent, current management team or official website, so those fields remain unspecified.

The Scharfrichterhaus occupies a historic building in Passau traditionally dated to approximately 1200. Its name means “executioner’s house,” reflecting the building’s former use as the official residence of Passau’s executioner. Located on Milchgasse, the site is associated with early records describing a feared prison known as the “Prislig.” These references extend from the thirteenth century to 1443. A later legend connects the building with the “Passauerkunst,” or Art of Passau. Around 1620, during the Thirty Years’ War, the executioner Kaspar was said to have handed out small slips of paper that would protect their holders from harm. Whether treated as folklore or historical belief, the story became part of the building’s cultural identity. The modern institution developed out of Passau’s countercultural and political-cabaret scene in the 1970s. The city’s public environment was strongly shaped by conservative political influence, the Catholic Diocese of Passau and the regional press. In opposition, artists and organizers formed a political-cabaret movement. Bruno Jonas and Siegfried Zimmerschied were among the movement’s best-known performers. The scene experienced substantial resistance: the regional newspaper’s chief editor established an information embargo, a senior diocesan official pursued a blasphemy-related legal case, and the city imposed a ban on performances. This conflict provided the political and cultural setting in which the Scharfrichterhaus took shape. Walter Landshuter and Edgar Liegl founded the present Scharfrichterhaus in March 1977. It quickly became a venue for political cabaret and jazz, later adding theatre, chanson, readings and other cultural events. The organization presented itself as a place of cultural communication, using the atmosphere of the historic building as part of its appeal. In 1979, it established the Passauer Cabaret Days, a festival encompassing art, theatre, music and cabaret. From 1983 onward, the venue collaborated with Bavarian television and a Munich newspaper on the Executioner’s Hatchet, a cabaret award. Hape Kerkeling received the award in 1983. The Scharfrichterhaus also developed a hospitality dimension. Its café was designed with the character of a nineteenth- and twentieth-century Viennese coffeehouse. The site additionally contained a restaurant offering selected food and wine and a wine cellar. Because the main building had limited space, some events were held at the nearby Redoute Passau. Cinema became a major part of the institution’s identity during the 1980s. The rooms had already hosted weekly ambitious film presentations, but the initiative gained a more defined form when film operator Manfred Vesper rented them from 5 February 1987. The resulting Scharfrichter-Cinema followed a repertory model. Its program emphasized non-mainstream films and was planned in detail weeks ahead. A publication called “Trailer” served as the principal cinema guide and was distributed through local shops and by post or email. Programming was primarily selected by Vesper, while an advisory board involving Vesper, Landshuter, University of Passau professors and staff worked on film series and applications for public support. The cinema was reported to have won a 5,000-euro annual prize in the relevant German film-support competition, with the awards required to be reinvested in the cinema. Together, the stage, cinema, festival, award, restaurant and café made Scharfrichterhaus a recognized cultural destination beyond Passau. The available sources do not provide reliable information about its current legal structure, ownership, executive leadership or present operating schedule.

• 1987

  Scharfrichter-Cinema opens in independent form

  [1]Scharfrichterhausen.wikipedia.org

  Manfred Vesper took over the cinema rooms on 5 February and developed a curated repertory cinema.

• 1983

  Executioner’s Hatchet award begins

  [1]Scharfrichterhausen.wikipedia.org

  Scharfrichterhaus began awarding the Executioner’s Hatchet with media partners; Hape Kerkeling received the 1983 award.

• 1979

  Passauer Cabaret Days inaugurated

  [1]Scharfrichterhausen.wikipedia.org

  The venue began a recurring festival covering cabaret, theatre, music and art.

• 1977

  Modern Scharfrichterhaus founded

  [1]Scharfrichterhausen.wikipedia.org

  Walter Landshuter and Edgar Liegl founded the modern cultural venue in March.

• 1620

  Passauerkunst legend associated with the site

  [1]Scharfrichterhausen.wikipedia.org

  The building became associated with a story that executioner Kaspar distributed protective slips during the Thirty Years’ War.

• 1443

  End of surviving Prislig references

  [1]Scharfrichterhausen.wikipedia.org

  Historical documents mentioning the site as the Prislig prison extend through 1443.

• Historic building constructed

  [1]Scharfrichterhausen.wikipedia.org

  The building now known as Scharfrichterhaus is traditionally dated to around 1200.

A historically distinctive, culturally independent Passau venue for political cabaret, jazz, repertory cinema and related hospitality.

• Live performance · 1977

  Political cabaret

  The core performance format of the modern Scharfrichterhaus is political cabaret: topical satire and commentary presented in an intimate historic setting. The format developed from Passau’s 1970s countercultural movement and remains central to the venue’s public identity.

• Live music · 1977

  Jazz program

  Jazz is one of the venue’s established music offerings. It forms part of a broader program that places live music alongside cabaret, theatre, chanson and readings rather than operating as a single-genre concert club.

• Repertory cinema · 1987

  Scharfrichter-Cinema

  The independent cinema presents curated repertory programming, with an emphasis on ambitious and non-mainstream films. Its advance program guide and advisory-board process were designed to integrate film selection with the wider artistic profile of Scharfrichterhaus.

• Cultural festival · 1979

  Passauer Cabaret Days

  Founded in 1979, the Passauer Cabaret Days broaden the venue’s activities into a festival format involving art, theatre, music and cabaret.

• Hospitality

  Café, restaurant and wine cellar

  The venue includes a café styled after a Viennese coffeehouse, together with a restaurant offering selected food and wine and an additional wine cellar. These facilities extend the Scharfrichterhaus experience beyond performances and screenings.

• Legal and institutional opposition to Passau political cabaret

  The countercultural cabaret movement that preceded the modern Scharfrichterhaus faced a press information embargo, a blasphemy-related court action initiated by a senior Catholic diocesan official and a municipal ban on performances. The episode illustrates the politically contentious environment from which the venue emerged.

  Source

Read more

• 1983Executioner’s Hatchet

  Germany

  Scharfrichterhaus partnered with Bavarian television and a Munich newspaper to create a cabaret award.

  Outcome. The award increased the venue’s visibility within German cabaret; Hape Kerkeling was a 1983 recipient.

  Source
• 1979Passauer Cabaret Days

  Passau · Germany

  A recurring cultural festival was created to bring together cabaret, theatre, music and art under the Scharfrichterhaus banner.

  Outcome. It established the venue as more than a performance room and helped broaden its regional and national cultural profile.

  Source

• 1987

  Add an independent repertory cinemaProduct launch

  Background

  Ambitious film screenings had already been held in the rooms, but the cinema needed a more structured operating model and clearer relationship with the venue’s cultural program.

  Action taken

  Manfred Vesper rented the rooms from 5 February 1987 and developed a curated repertory cinema focused on non-mainstream films.

  Aftermath

  The Scharfrichter-Cinema became a durable component of the institution, supported by advance program guides, an advisory board and public film-promotion applications.

  Source

• 1977

  Create a permanent venue for political and cultural counter-programmingStrategy

  Background

  Passau’s 1970s cabaret movement lacked an uncontested institutional platform and faced opposition from local political, media and religious forces.

  Action taken

  Walter Landshuter and Edgar Liegl founded the modern Scharfrichterhaus as a dedicated stage for political cabaret, jazz and related cultural work.

  Aftermath

  The venue became a recognized cultural institution and expanded into festivals, cinema, hospitality and additional performing-arts formats.

  Source

1. 1Scharfrichterhausen.wikipedia.org