The gold leaf., 1910-09-22
The Passion Play.
A Henderson Young Man Sees Great
Religious Drama Acted.

Nelgl0uS drama Acted.
Interesting Account Of the Play
as Produced at Oberam-
mergau-Actors Selected by
Committee and Trained from
Youth Up for Their Parts
A Quaint Village and Pic
turesque People-Story of
How the Passion Play Was
Revived After the Lapse of
Two Centuries.
A letter received a few DAYS ago
from William Manning, dated Aarau,
Switzerland. September 7th. gives an
interesting account Of the Passion
Pay which he made a special trip to
Oberammer2an to witness. He wrote
hurriedIv for 'privatn circulatiOn"i in
the family only, with no thought If
"getting into print" but at the risk
OF being called down by the young
man with threat not to write
again, we are going to publish that
part of the letter which has to do
with the great religions play and the
people who produce it,
While Mr.. Manning does not say
so we believe it is a fact that the
Passion Play will not be produced
again after this year. The govern
ment has decided to prevent it on
account OF the feeling created against
the Jews leading to persecution and
massacres of people of that race in
certain parts of the country. What
the people of Oherammergau will do
for livelihood when the Passion
Play Is no more remains to b. seen.
Every tenth year it has been pro-
dured from time immPmOrial hun
dreds OF thousands OF people witness
Ing it and from the admission fees
charged, accommodating the visit
Ors with bOar1 and lodging, selling
souvenirs, &c, it is said the villagers
receive enough to virtually support
them for the next ten years.
One peculiar thing in regard to the
Passion Play is the little interest or
sympathy the natives or people who
live in the country remote and have
nothing to do with the enterprise
feel in it. 1t is said that they hold
in contempt almost those who act
the play-live the parts they assume
from their youth up-and declare
that only fools, idiots and Ameri
cans go to see the Passion Play.
But to the letter describing the re-
markable drama depicting the trag-
edy of the Cross:
Just got back last nj CHIT at eleven
left here on the morning of Septem-
ber 2nd at seven O'Clock, had to wait
an hour in Zurich, where | got break
fast and had my Swiss money ex-
changed for German. Left Zurich
about 9:3O for Lindau where ]
changed from the train to a steamer
and crossed Lake Constance to
ROmanshorn. The trip across the
lake was beautiful. At RomanshOrn
| again took the train direct to
Munich, arriving there at six in the
evening. The trip was very pleasant
AS had an Irishman and a Russian
to talk to me in broken English and
broken German. | spent the night
in Munich and left next morning at
| 1O:3O for Oberammergau, arriving
| there at five in the afternoon.
Oberammergau is beautiful little
village in a valley of the Bavarian
Alps. The houses are very picturesque,
with their clean white walls and
green shutters, many OF the houses
being beautifully painted with his
torical or Biblical pictures on all
sides. The church around which the
little houses are irregularly grouped
is the chief center and gathering place
of the inhabitants. The people here
all wear the Tyrolese costume and it
makes very pretty picture to see
the men and women walking in the
streets with the odd little painted
houses as a background They are
q simple, homely people kind and
lcourteOus to all. Most OF the people
are farmers and woOd-carvers. In
the evening at sunset when the
church bell begins to ring every one
raises his hat and remains bareheaded
until the bell stops ringing. This
and other odd customs impress visi-
tor very much. The church though
small and plain is one of the most
artistic buildings In the interior,
Lhave ever seen. The walls and cell
ings are painted with beautiful scenes
from the Bible while many pieces OF
carved work are grouped on the
sides, corners, etc.
One of the most striking features
about the village are the cows. They
Craze in the valleys and hillsides all
day and in the evening march
through the streets to their different
stables. Imagine FIVE or six hundred
COWS coming in from pasture and
walking through the principal street
OF the village. 1t Is certainly a rare
and pleasing picture.
The players in the Passion Play
are all natives OF Oberammergau the
players being selected by a commit
tee which is elected by the COM
munity. One of the Oldest players is
Johana Twink who has played the
part OF Judas since 1870. He is a
very strong and forceful actor, and
the manner in which he portrays the
remorse of Judas after his betrayal
OF his Master is remarkably forceful
and impressive. 1t is said that dur
ing one play he felt the part so thor
oughly that he actually tried to hang
himself and had to be rescued. Anton
Lang who plays the part OF Christ
has aramarkably gentle and pathetic
face, with a voice kind and full offeeI-
ing. AS you can see from the post
card which L sent you his face and
foatnras are trainod To lonl- x-orr,