The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1901-01-30
THE GREAT PASSION PLAY.
Origin and History of the Bavarian
Drama of World Wide Fame.

The origin t the Passion Play dates
back to 1888. When the long Thirty
Years war was devourng Germany, a
severe attack Of plague broke out, de-
vastatlng the cities and villages of the
Bavarian Tyrol, Paltenk;rchcn and
Mittcwald.
When cighty-four of the inhabitants
of the vi lagc Of Oberammergau had
been swept away III a single month,
the heart stricken survivors met i'm as
sembly, praying Almighty God for the
preservation of their hcarths and
homes. In their agony, the terror
stricken peasants resolved to perform
then and every ten years afterward,
with The deepest reverence and sol
emnity, play which would ct forth
the life, death aud mcdl ton of the
Red cmer. History and tradition say
That their vow was heard, and that
tr IN that moment there was not one
victim, and the plagu1 wa stayed.
For decade after decade the simple
villagers have continued to perform
the play, except once or twice when
war rendered it impossible.
ODcrammergau is a village of per-
haps $4,000 people, men, women and
children, situated in the Bavari an
Tyrol. The spurs of the Alps form
natural amphithcatre, while the Am
mer river, small stream of the clear
est, brightest water, winds lazily around
the converging hills. There are three
main approaches To the village the
hrst and most obvious by Munich AMI
the north the second from the south.
east and Partenkirchen which gives a
beautiful wooded ascent to Eltal, with
entrance by the mo OIntain gateway of
kofel; the third and most picturesque
route from Rcutlc by the Plan See,
passing through the fair pastures of
Ammerthal, and entering Obcrammcr-
gau before the great gray throne of
rock which springs out of the Kofel-
berg woods, and is marked by cross
at the summit.
Not far distant from The village is
thc celebrated Bcncdicline monastery,
which was built by the king of Bavaria
in 1870 to be a temple of the Holy
Grail, with an crdcr of knlghtly monks
and priests TO guard the little sacred
statute of the Madonna and Holy Child
Near the village the hills are covered
with the evergreen pine, the bluffs are
dense with oak, ash and hickory, the
| fields abound in richest grasses, while
the Ammcr, its banks studded with
wild sycamore, tlCws ever through
green pastures.
The Passion Play at Obcram1 cragl
was meant for its citizens and th,
peasants of adjoining districts. No
until thirty years ago had ii obtained
worldwide fame. The method of en-
tertaining the visitors IS marvellous
when every hotel in Munich, u cit, o
$50 900 people, is crowded beyond ca
pacity from May until September, ant
20 trains daily run to Obcrammerga,
and return. Although the latter plac
contains little over 1000 inhabitants
G2O people take part in the play. Thi
} is the only honor known 70 a village
"a part in the cast of the great Pas
sion Play. The only surety to thi
honor is by living a pure and uprigh
light. Ones whole life must be pass
cd in Christian humility and gentle
8 ness.
nv "S''io iSouit IhClllSciNcS uS taf
3 ing part in an act of devotion, the
sobs and their tears show the depth
c their sincerity. Many of them kne,
Q down to pray OH entering the theatr,
: as they do when they go to worship
n church. Modern methods of fac
l. makeup, stage lighting and stage maj
i" agement are lacking; bit criticism
deiied. The effect of sincerity i'm ac
r ing is more powerful on the audien,
II than any finished actor could give.
n does not seem to be the tragedy of Il
'f crucilixion in mimicry, hut the histol
y cal incident in actuality.
,e Formerly the play was gwen in Il
n open air within the grave yard. Thir
1T years ago rude theatre was co
in structed, having seating capacity
N 5000 people, and this will double
be used for mnny years. In arIane
I'd ment, the theatre is not unlike
al American playhouse, except there q