Switzerland Theater “The Deputy” Demonstration, 1963 (b/w photo)

In the crowd in front of the Stadttheater in Basel on 24 September 1963 banners with the inscription “Intolerance = Catholicism” and “Are you up because of high hath?” were held up in favour of the theatre performance of Rolf Hochhuth's “The Deputy”. At this premiere of the play in Switzerland, in which the playwright Hochhuth critically examines Pope Pius Xii's attitude towards the Holocaust, thousands of Catholics demonstrated against the performance of the controversial play with a silent march. In front of the municipal theatre, there were violent clashes with counter-demonstrators who stood up for the freedom of art.