Der Teufelsschlosser : Dramatisches Gedicht in 3 Aufzügen mit Anlehnung an die Wiener Stock-im-Eisen-Sage

In a moon‑lit Vienna of the late medieval era, the journeyman smith Martin Mux finds himself locked out of the city gates, his purse missing and his future hanging by a thread. While searching the shadowed streets, a mysterious figure in a scarlet mantle appears, offering aid that feels as unsettling as it is tempting. Their terse exchange sets a tone of uneasy humor and looming danger, hinting at the age‑old legend that intertwines ordinary labor with infernal intrigue.

The piece unfolds in three dramatic acts, each spaced years apart, tracing Mux’s attempts to balance honest work, family obligations, and the seductive pull of otherworldly forces. As the devil‑like Rothmantel weaves his cryptic counsel through the bustling market and quiet alleys, listeners are drawn into a world where superstition and daily toil collide, promising both laughter and a shiver of foreboding.