Fastnachtsspiele

Fastnachtspiele (Carnival Plays), rustic, farcical plays during carnival originating in Nuremberg in the late 15^th and 16^th century and spreading throughout the German-speaking world. Early carnival dramas were characterised by especially coarse and sarcastic humour and depicted scenes from daily life (marriage, court proceedings); later the themes became more general and included political, religious and literary subjects.

Literature: A. Dörrer, Tiroler Fasnacht, 1949.