Hermann Nitsch was born in Vienna on 29 August 1938. 
From 1957 to 1957, he studied at the Graphische Lehr- und Versuchsanstalt in Vienna. At the age of almost twenty, he developed the comprehensive concept for his Gesamtkunstwerk of the Orgien Mysterien Theatre, which was to define his life’s work. He wanted to address all aspects of life, including the painful, painful and violent ones, in order to bring them into an artistic form.

In 1960, his first painting actions took place in front of an audience at the Technical Museum in Vienna. 
In 1962, real animal blood was used as artistic material for the first time. From 1960 to 1979, Nitsch exclusively used the colour red for his paintings. At the end of the 1960s, he developed the colour theory of the Orgien Mysterien Theater.

In 1971, Prinzendorf Castle became the central venue for the Orgies Mysteries Theatre.
From 1975, the first 24-hour play takes place in Prinzendorf. In 1984 a three-day play and in 1998 the six-day play. Nitsch realises a total of 160 actions and 96 painting actions. In 2005, Nitsch realised his 122nd action at the Burgtheater in Vienna.


In his late work, Nitsch concentrates more on painting again, in addition to further developing his music and action theatre. In 2021, he staged a large-scale painting action for the Bayreuth Festival’s “Walküre”.

On April 18, 2022, Nitsch dies in Mistelbach after a serious illness.