Higher spin fields with mixed symmetry

Gauge invariant and gauge fixed BRS invariant actions are constructed in arbitrary dimensions for free massless integer spin fields carrying mixed representations of the Lorentz group described by Young tableaux (2, 1, 1, ..., 1)sub(n). The complete ghost spectrum is deduced by demanding nilpotency of the BRS transformations and leads to a correct count of the on-shell degrees of freedom. Dimensional reduction is used to study the corresponding gauge invariant massive theory. On-shell consistency is then ensured by the fact that the masses arise via a ''telescopic Higgs effect''. (orig.)