A theater in the southern German city of Konstanz has come under fire for handing out free tickets to anyone who is willing to wear a swastika when they go to see a play about Hitler. According to the theater house, the offer was part of an artistic experiment on morality, but others believe it is insensitive and wrong.
The play, which shares the name of Hitler's famous book Mein Kampf, was set to start showing on April 20th, the birthday of the former Nazi dictator.
"For a free ticket, you will have to agree to wear a swastika," the theater said on its website. Those who prefer instead to buy tickets will be asked to wear a Star of David "in sign of solidarity with the victims of National Socialist tyranny." Both symbols are handed out at the ticket counter.
Despite a probe being launched by local authorities, the theater's spokesman Dr. Daniel Morgenrot said that that the controversial move was not a violation of Germany's strict anti-incitement laws, which prohibit the display of Nazi symbols. He insisted that the play was satirical and by no means aimed at belittling Nazi atrocities. "Our production is directed by one of Germany's foremost political satirists and controversial public figure, Turkish-born artist Serdar Somuncu. Mr. Somuncu has chosen to have his production start at the point of purchasing the tickets," he told Newsweek.
According to German news site Deutsche Welle, the offer for free tickets in exchange for the provocative display was aimed to show how easily people can become morally corrupted. The production said the number of people who agreed to wear a swastika, based on the online sales, was "frightening."
