Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1899-02-22
The Passion PIaY at Oberammergaw

following.
Ammo 1881, on account of the long
Swedish war is there much fever and
hot headache among the Bavarlans
and dwellers in Swabia and daily do
men die"
ammo 1888, the pest increases so
fearfully that in the parish of Holh-
grub (three hours from here) were
there only two couples left and a man
named Casper Schurchler, coming here
to visit his wife and child fell by the
roadside and was buried"
This man carried the plague into
the little village Of Oberammergau and
from then until the following evening
eighty-four people died.
Then eighteen of the leading men
from Oberammergau gathered together
and a solemn vow was made that, II
God would deliver them, every ten
years they would represent in living
pictures the Passion of Jesus Christ.
From that instant the plague ceased
and these German people, with burt one
or two exceptions, have faithfully
kept their vow.
Oberammergau is situated just in
side the Bavarlan Tyrol and its in
| itants, about twelve hundred in num-
ber, are, with but few exceptions, car
vers in wood. For some uneXplain-
able reason this occupation rises them
above the common German or farmer
The dwelling houses are low cot
tages built of STONE and covered with
plaster, and the low broad Swiss roofs
are loaded down with stones.
Two years previous to the perform
ance' the principal characters were
| chosen. This is done because the hair
and boards of the person representing
the Christ, st. John and the disciples
must have that time to, attain the
proper length.
In January before the event, rehear-
sails are held four times a week; and
after every Sunday vespers, in the
church, costumes and stage appoint
ments are arranged. Wonderful abil-
| ity is shown in the selection of colors
for the different costumes. st. John
| Is arrayed in me colors red and
green; st. Peter in blue and yellow
the colors that symbolic doubt; Ju-
das, orange and yellow, the traitors
colors; the Maria, crimson and blue;
the Christ, crimson and purple.
The robes of the Jewish priests are
so exactly in accordance with the old
pictures that one Immediately regards
chem as old friends.
The theatre is capable of comfortab-
ly seating six thousand people and
with the exception of the first and Sec
ond rows of boxes is entirely exposed
to wind, rain or sun, as the case may
| be.
The stage is also uncovered and rep
resents the streets of Jerusalem. In
its center is small rooted theatre, or
one slde of which is seen the house OF
Annas, and on the other that of PLATE
When the curtain rises on the scene
of the "Crusafiction, the three crosses
Christ being nailed, but the thieves
are raised and placed in grooves a foo
or more deep.
The arms of The thieves are hanging
over the cross, tied in that position
while their feet, bound together, are
resting on long nail. t'or fifteen
minutes they hang thus, and then, af-
ter being beaten with larg5 leather
clubs filled with straw, they are taken
down
The Christ hangs by strong band
passing around the body to a nail in
the center of the GROSS over which, oi
course, the flesh cofored tights are
drawn. The extended arms are tieG
from the wrists by concealed cords
and between the fingers one sees the
nail-hsads. The foot rests on a false
sole, making the position somewhat
endurable for "a reasonable length oi
time; but forty-five minutes of such
suspension produces exceeding pain
| in the ends of the fingers; in fact, the
poor man suffers agony almost
amountig to paralysis. The crown OF
thorns and the cloth about the loins
complete the picture.
Everything is made in that village
by the people, who seem to take espec-
ial pride in disdaining every offer OF
help from the outside world.
| The entire cost of performing every
| Sunday, from the last of May to the
last of September, Is about eighteen
thousand dollars. AT each perform
ance about five thousand dollars are
received; and after all the expenses
have been paid and each actor, accord
ing to his role, the remainder is divld
ed among objects of charity, schools
roads and church embellishments.
From eight until eleven O'Clock In
the morning the various incidents ol
Chrlst's life are represented, ending
with the scene of Judas betrayal
Then until twelve there is a recess fol
bodily refreshment, after which the
drama proceeds with Ohrist's trial be.
| fore Annas and the Jewish priests anC
before PLATE, who literally washes his
hands of the whole affair. In this
scene Christ and Barabbas are seer
standing on balcony while the popu
lace are in the street below, making
their accusations.
Then follows the release of Barab
bas and the Gross bearing" Far II
the background is seen the throng o
men and boys approaching with Chris
in their midst, bearing his cross, ant
the two thieves with theirsa theI
comes Mary, John. the Magdalen, ant
Joseph of Arfmathea, bewaillng thu
fate of their Lord and Master.
] Simon takes the cross when TIM
CHRIST sinks beneath it, and the pro
oeSsion slowly follows him through
the Streets as the curtain falls. Tht
effect of this upon the quaint villagers
is very powerful; and the sobs of tn
women and groans of the men height
en- the impresslveness of the scene.
In the Ascension scene the Christ
made to ascend by some theatrlca
contrivance, bears the marks of th