This description of the reception accorded to Oscar Wilde's comedies in Germany from 1902 to 1992 is based on 90 translations and/or adaptations and 200 stage productions. Central aspects discussed are the initial failure of the comedies (in conjunction with the identification of the first translator of the "Importance of Being Earnest", F.P. Greve), André Gide's and Carl Hagemann's enormous influence on their reception, the triumphs of actress Adele Sandrock with these comedies in the 20s and 30s, the ideological exploitation of Wilde by the National Socialists, and the ironical criticism of the Nazis to be found in Ernst Sander's version of "The Importance of Being Earnest". The study demonstrates the significance of implicit scenic realizations in the minds of the translators and the effect these have had on reception in the theatre.