The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-08-17
THE GREAT PASSION PLAY,
Its History, rabieaux, scenes, &C., &c

In along letter to the Pittsburgh Chronicle,
written from Munich, Bavaria, by E. M.
JENKINS, ESD. one of the Knights Templar
from Allegheny county now on an extended
tour in Europe, we find the following full
and interesting account of the great "PaS-
sion Play" as it is performed every.tenth
year, and as it was witnessed by him on
July 18th, at Oberammergau, Bavaria. We
feel sure that we could have devoted our
space tc nothing that would be perused with
more avidity or with greater interest by our
readers:
It is now Sunday morning. Cannon COM
menced firing at five O'Clock, l don't know
what for, and bells have bsen ringing since
the same hour. Our house is very near the
theatre, and people from the neighboriug
village have been coming in since day break.
The space around tie theatre is already
crowded with peasants, principally from
Tyrol.
DESCRIPTION OF THE THEATRE.
The theatre deserves a description, and as
paid it visit Saturday evening, / had.
perhaps, better give it here. 1t is built of
rough pIanks, is very large and SO arranged
as TO seat about 6 600 people. They have
regular prices OF admission and have seven
different grades of accommodations accord
ing to the locality. Part of the theatre has
a covering and a part is without any
Some of the benches are covered, but most of
them are without some portions have cane
seat chairs, while in others you must stand
some places in the sun and some places in
the shade. The following are the prices
lst place-three forms; 2ud-two forms,
thirty kreutzers; 5d--two forms. These
comprise what might be styled the dress
circle. In the Parterre-lst place-one
form. forty-fve kreutzers 2nd-one f1orn :;
3d-forty eight kreutzers; 4th-thirty kreut-
zers. This part is without any cover, and
you stand.
THE STAGE.
is so built as to represent two theatres, that
is one inside of another, In tie centre of
the proscenium. farther back, is a small
stage on which the scenery is painted,
while at the sides are the streets of Jerus a
lem reaching back great distance, and hav-
ing representations of the palaces Of Herod
and Annas. When the curtain of the small
er theatre is raised, giving views of the Gar
den of Gethsemane, the Temple, the Hall OF
Justice, Mount CalVefy, or any of the nu-
merous scenes, a panorama is shown which is
very suggestive. and one highly calculated
to excite the mind.
HISTORY OF THE PASSION PLAY.
I have been able to get a book Of the
Passion Play but it is printed in German and
| can pick but very little from it, but Zip
lett has been reading it, and | have gotten
some information that will give you before
l attempt to give my impressions.
1t seems that fifty or sixty years ago such
plays as the Passion Play" were very com.
mon all through the villages of Southern
Bavaria. 1t may be also necessary for me
20 say here that there are no farms or farm
houses in this country. People lire in viii
lagos and farm the neighboriug hills and
valleys in regular and allotted portions, so
that the country is one continuous chain of
fields or vineyards. and villages. not over a
mile or two apart. Fifty years ago there
was hardly one of these villages but what
had its representation of the Passion Play.
1t became so common and so ridiculous, and
so much that was calculated to shock people
was performed that a royal edict was issued
fOrbldding the further performance of these
plays-daring Passion Week, the time at
which they always had been played. This
edict closed up every place, except this one
place, which was excepted, at the urgent ill.,
tercess;on of The monks Of the neigh boring
monastery at Ettal, under whose supervision
it had been performed for nearly two hun
dred years-in expiation of vow-with
propriety, decorum and piety. l learr that
in 1853 the village of Oberammergau-
which means literally ''high town ON the
Ammergau," had been terribly drained of
men for soldiers, in the wars of Gustavus
Adolphtls, and that the regular attendants of
such a train followed: First, famine, next
pestilence. While the plague was at its
hight the good and pious men and the monks
vowed to God that if He wodld stay the pes
thence they would perform a Holy Pas
sion play during Passion Week. The effect
of this VOW was to arrest the plague, and no
more died, and all who were afflicted got
we'll, and from that time till 1879 yearly the
play was performed. When the plays were
abolished. and the special exception was
made in this case, even these people were
restricted to every tenth year, so that now it
is performed but once in decade, though
the performance is repeated five or six Sun>
days during the season. Last year was the
regular year. and it commenced, but after
one or two representations war was declared
between France and Germany, and this VIII
lsge furnished seventy men, many of them
performers, and among them Joseph Mair.
who took the part of Jesus Christ. All re-
turned but seven, two of whom were killed
at Oeuau lue OtHeT HFo uleu III HOSpIGalS
from wounds, but as they filled minor parts,
their places were easily filled.
THE CHARACTERS IN THE PLAY
number about five hundred, and from the
smallest child to the oldest man, all belong
to this town. The parts are given by
committee who select those most competent,
from their pious and exemplary lives, TO fill
the various parts. In most. OF them 1t re-
uuires wears of anxious study to fill them
creditably. am tod. and l believe it, that
the lives of purity and strict observance to
their vows which these players lead, is res
fected upon their countenances, and some
particularly that of Joseph Mair-seems
almost divine.
CHORUS AND TABLEAUX.
The performance begins at eight o'clock in
the morning, and the signal is a gun fred
from neighboring hight. AS the sound
dies away, from each side of the stage come
filing slowly nineteen men and women.