Das Liebeskonzil (The Council of Love)

Date: 1895

Region: Europe

Subject: Religion

Medium: Theater


Artist: Oscar Panizza

Confronting Bodies: a Munich Court In 1993, the European Court of Human Rights upheld a decision made seven years earlier (1986) by an Austrian court to stop a film based on the play.

Dates of Action: 1895 and 1986

Location: Munich in 1895 and Innsbruck in 1986

Description of Artwork: Oscar Panizza, a turn-of-the-century modernist, made religious and political hypocrisy his main target. In Kaiser Wilhelm's Germany, he found no lack of inspiration. Das Liebeskonzil is a satire on the hypocrisy of religion.

The Incident: The Liebeskonzil was banned by a Munich court in 1895, and Panizza was sentenced to a year in prison for blasphemy.

Results of Incident: Director Werner Schroeter made Das Liebeskonzil (film) in 1986 which also stirred controversy

Source: NCAC, Arne Ruth