West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1901-04-18
THE PASSION PLAY,
As Witnessed Last August by a Young
Man from kingwood.
Written Specially for The Argus.

'"N N"P'''i Vi tue NlnGuom ot bavaria.
has population OF about 900.
The scenery in aud around this it'll
place is beautiful and picturesque. 1t
Sc, in between the hills at the head of
mountain gorge opening into valley. O
one side arc lofty mountains rising rugcedl
up to the skies on the other side the plai
skir,ed by green hills stretched off into III
distance.
Every sound aud motion seems to speal
out a simplicity, peculiar only to that sec
lion of the country. Oher Ammergau I
no, like Swiss, Dutch or an Inliai
village less prim than Swiss village
much more refined than Dutch village
aud much cleaner and nea,er than In,
Italian village with its snail roomed house,
and narrow streets.
The people around this little town oceup,
their time in many ways. Most of then
arc wood-carvers, eNeelled Only by those o.
central Switzerland, aud in manufsc,urinl
lace.
Again las, year thousands Of people from
all over the Christian world, principally
from America and England, weuded theil
way TO thus queer little Bavarian TyroI
village to see the Passion Play.
In 1893, when the Thirty Years War was
devastating Germany, taking every man
that could be spared to hll up the ranks of the
army, deadly plague broke out throughou,
the villages and valleys of Bavarian Tyrol.
What war had no, already accomplished,
this dread disease promised to finish. An
larger town had been deyasted. The Sc.
eluded village of Ober Ammergau so far
escaped the horrors of the plague, projected
by nature by its circle of mountains. To
assist, the authorities drew Gordon about
the hamlet, and forbade any of the villagers
10 pass out INTO the inflicted world
Strange as it may seem, Il never occurred
TO the modest, simple-lived people of this
liule place, that anyone from without might
care To come in.
a native of this village, working at
Eschenlohe, village at The foot of the
Etialberg, where the plague was raging
with SO much fury. was seized with a power
ful desire 10 go home. Unknown to any
other person, he set out, iindlng his way by
night over the mountains to his native
heath Three days aftcrward he took sick
and died Following him were about fifty
more Of the villagers
In this terrible time, il occurred to the
people that perhaps a pious vow might pro-
piliate Heaven and save them from the fell
disease. They called an assembly of the
townspeoplc and consulted as to what
might be the most pleasing thing TO the
Almighty. |, was resolved then and every
ten years aiterward to perform with due
reverence and solemnity, play that should
represent the life, death aud mediation Of
the Passion week of Christ's life, or the
trial and cruciixion of Christ.
II Is said that from that time the plague
was stayed in the village, and the vow has
been kept strictly. Only once has the
decennial rendering been broken. This
was in order that the play might be given at
the beginning Of the decade This was in
1880.
There have been two or three extra repre-
senlions-oue in 1915, to celebrate the
Peace another in 1871 to conclude series
which were interrupted Ivy the Franco.
German war.
The play consists Of prologue and
eighteen acts or scenes. It is divided into
two parts the FIRST beginning about Si5o
a. M, continuing till II NJ; the other be.
ginning about 1890 p. m, continuing i'll
$50 p. m
Beginning, and between each representa-.
ton arc one or more tableaux representing
some Old Testament scene. The prologue
and Introductory work are sang. For ex.
ample will give the first scene
TABLEAU1.
Adam and Eve expelled from the Garden,
Gen. iii:2z-74
TABLEAU II.
Abraham Sacrifice. Gen. xzx:z, z,IoI4.
TABLEAU III
This Symbolical Cross
REPRESENTION.
Christ entering Jerusalem. Dives the
money changers from The Temple, Matt.
xxI.I6.
This year the representations began May 20
and we're given every Sunday and nearly
every Thursday. and when there we're too
many for all 10 get in the "Spiel lIause"
on the regularly advertised day, they would
glvo an extra one The next day to accommo.
datc ihe crowd. One time. July 10Th, when
two Of my friends vent over they didn't get
to Obcr Ammefgau till Sunday morning,
all lhe seats for lhat day we're taken, and
even standing room all taken. They pro.
cured tickets for Monday This tine, as
one OF two other times, they couldn't ac.
commodaie 'ho crowd, SO they gave another
rendering ihe uevt day, Tuesday
The oid wooden building vas torn down
lasl year and new steel framed ono pot up.
The building is in the shape Of paralello.
gram and val hold about 5000 persons.
1he hout end 6. oat and ihc stage is 100 mc
own a.r vith ceoery and Stage buildings io
the fear The noor Of 'hs "spiel Hause"
rises gradually hon the front The seats
vay ia price from marks Is ccnisl. TO
70 Marks tof 81 4o)
The a,qn0fb pss0oe is very long 10
the whole play there are about 500 persons.
Oi course ihe great portion Of the play falls
on just a few.
The players 70 represent Che principal
ports for the next dccennial represenuon are
selected just after the season. Each person
lives 50 that he can best represen, his part
in ten years from now.
The life q these people the other nine