Biedermann and the Arsonists - Schauspielhaus Salzburg

The arsonists are in the city! The fire department is on the move, and you can hear the sirens. Every night there is fear: When will they strike next? Biedermann has, of course, heard about the arson attacks, and he is well aware of the perpetrators' tactics: They disguise themselves as simple peddlers, settle in attics, and when no one suspects anything, they set the houses on fire. It is not for nothing that the play carries the subtitle "A Teaching Play Without a Lesson." For Biedermann is warned, and yet he allows the former wrestler Schmitz to spend the night in his attic. Schmitz complains that he—an unfortunate homeless man looking for shelter—is no longer taken in by anyone because everyone thinks he is an arsonist. This suits Biedermann just fine; he wants to prove to himself and the world that he is a good person. Nevertheless, an uncomfortable feeling spreads within Biedermann. Especially since his "guests" keep increasing. All night he hears noises from the attic, and the next day there are suddenly barrels there. "Gasoline, definitely gasoline," his guests hide nothing, and Biedermann continues to look the other way. Meanwhile, the arsonists openly discuss their plans, for "the best and safest disguise is still the bare and naked truth. No one believes it." Biedermann is trapped between self-deception, do-goodism, and the growing certainty of the impending catastrophe. In the end, he can do nothing but hand his new friends the matches. And once again, the sirens can be heard, the fire department is on the move...

MAX FRISCH is one of the most significant Swiss writers. He was born on May 15, 1911, in Zurich. He studied German philology and architecture, and he worked as an architect and journalist for the Neue Zürcher Zeitung. He wrote numerous plays, novels, and essays. Titles such as "Stiller," "Andorra," and "Homo Faber" became international successes and remain part of the literary canon to this day.