Deix Archive

Manfred Deix (1949–2016) remains unforgettable! The enfant terrible of the cartoon scene provoked, shocked, and challenged social taboos like few other Austrian artists before him. The annually curated selection of works presented in the Deix-Archive features both beloved favorites as well as rarely seen cartoons from the State Collections of Lower Austria.

The museum’s Deix-Archive offers visitors the unique opportunity to view selected works by this exceptional artist in detail. Located on the ground floor at the rear of the main exhibition space, the archive houses valuable caricatures, drawings, and illustrations in special cabinets. Opening the archive drawers reveals the treasures inside.

Building on the current exhibitions at the Karikaturmuseum Krems, visitors can explore Austrian domestic politics, prominent trials, and criminal cases. They can wander the forests of caricature and take a satirical detour to Gerhard Haderer. Works created for the museum’s twenty-fifth anniversary complement the presentation.

Wolfgang Schüssel in a dress (titled „Ich liebe nicht nur Politik! Ich kleide mich auch gerne schick“) and Alfred Gusenbauer’s handbag trends provoke devilishly ironic smiles. Deix takes aim at hunting in “Jägerparadies in Kroatien” and at bloody hunting accidents. His “Methoden gegen Gefängnisausbruch” are meant to be taken with a wink. “Gerhard Haderer legt ein Ei”—specifically on top of a church official in Deix’s work—alludes to Haderer’s controversial cartoon book “Das Leben des Jesus”. Variations on the well-known “Katzenkönig” are sure to delight Deix fans.

Visitors who want to discover even more can explore the wheelchair-accessible digital Deix-Archive in the museum foyer. This growing selection of works has been continuously expanded since 2024.

Curators: Gottfried Gusenbauer and Anna Steinmair