Hochhuth, Rolf (Vol. 18) - Introduction

Hochhuth, Rolf 1931–

Hochhuth is a German dramatist and essayist now residing in Switzerland. His first play, The Deputy, was an immediate and controversial success. In this drama Hochhuth posits the complicity of Pope Pius XII in the deaths of European Jews during World War II. This play set the tone for Hochhuth's subsequent dramatic output. Although he has been criticized for the strongly polemical character of his plays, he is generally credited as being the founder of the documentary theater. (See also CLC, Vols. 4, 11, and Contemporary Authors, Vols. 5-8, rev. ed.)