World premiere of „The Play of St Blasius and the Admont Library Devil“
A saint, a devil, centuries-old legends and one of the world’s most famous monastery libraries: On 20 November 2026, from 6 pm, the Stiftskellerhof at Admont Benedictine Abbey will the setting for an extraordinary world premiere. The Aigner Erzteufel are staging „The Play of St Blasius and the Admont Library Devil“ for the first time, written by the renowned historian Dr Josef Hasitschka.
When bells ring out, torches and candles pierce the darkness, and the Aigner Erzteufel enter the Stiftskellerhof, two worlds collide: light and darkness, good and evil, history and the present.
In this play, written especially for this unique location, Dr Josef Hasitschka delves deep into the legends of the Gesäuse and the history of Admont Benedictine Abbey.
The photo in the header and on the right is AI-generated!
The focus is on St Blasius, patron saint of the monastery and church in Admont. Opposite him stands an extraordinary figure who can actually be found in the world-famous Admont Abbey Library: the „Library Devil“ created by Josef Stammel. With his heavy ‘Book of Sins’ on his back, he searches for people’s faults – until St Blasius steps in his way:
„You haven’t recorded the effort,
to be good in the days of this earth,
You have forgotten your love for people,
“you have fallen prey to envy, hatred and resentment."
This is precisely where one of the play’s key messages lies: evil is not simply banished. Even the library devil is given the chance to change. The antagonist becomes a servant of good; darkness turns to light.
Legends from the Gesäuse come to life
Josef Hasitschka weaves the play together with ancient traditions from Admont and the Gesäuse region. The Devil’s Church, the legends of Johnsbach, the petrified tailor and the legendary Amtmann’s gallows all form part of the production.
And there’s no shortage of humour either. In the story of the bailiff, even the Devil is made to suffer so much that he finally exclaims, exasperated: „I want nothing more to do with you … You’re too bad even for hell!“
The performance will be staged by the Aigner Erzteufeln. This gives the traditional Krampus customs a special new setting: the focus is not on a traditional Krampus procession, but on a specially devised story with strong regional and historical links.
An evening of fire, bells and light
Fanfares, the deep Blasius bell, light, music, fire and the historic walls of the Stiftskellerhof create a striking backdrop against which old stories come to life once more for one evening.
And ultimately, there is a message that extends far beyond the game: unity rather than division, love rather than resentment, light rather than darkness – and the opportunity to change for the better.
To round off the event, traditional Krampus bags are handed out. What began as a play about evil ultimately becomes a celebration of good – filled with a sense of community, light, joy and a centuries-old Admont tradition.
