The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-06-24
AMERICANS MAKE
LOUC PROTESTS
Tourists Complain About Primitive
Accommodation at 0beiammer-
gau-Can't Handle Crowds.

BERLIN, June 23.-The Americans
at OberammeTgau have been having
very bad time The floods cut on
communication by rail and road. and
the visitors TO the little Bavarian VII
lagc found themselves compelled 10
stay. whether they wished TO do so or
not
But apart from this unexpected dis
aster the Americans, who have been
Hooking 10 see the Passion Play, inter-
ally by thousands. are vociferous III
their complaints regarding the accom-
modations wi.h which visitors to CD
erammergau must be content. Even
those who go there fully prepared TO
make allowances for the primitive
character of the place are disgusted
with the inferior board and lodgings
offered
Prices for bed and meals range
from SO TO Sc day. Americans almost
invariably take the highest-priced ac-
commodations they can get, expect
ing 10 OBTAIN thereby the maximum
equivalent, but satisfied guests are
few and far between. The trouble
lies in the fact that the good, we'll
meaning Oberammergauers have bit
ten OFF a little more than they can
masticate In attempting TO cope with
this years Passion Play crowds.
The attendance is three or four
times what IL ever was before. but
the available accommodations nave
hardly been doubled.
IL is at meal time that the Ameri-
can visitor finds himself especially
maltreated. His bed and room are
clean. II not luxurious or spacious
but he is huddled into a dining
room" built 10 accommodate perhaps
fifteen persons with comfort. but pack
ed three times a day with crowd OF
forty
His discomfort only begins when he
wedges himself into his place AT the
table, for the boarding houses AT OBJ
erammergau are hopelessy under
stated and the service is unspeak-
ably slow and bad.
The less said OF the meals the bet
ter: the Oberammergauers are doing
the best they can There is not a
single French chef in the village. The
one delicatessen shopkeeper In the
community. however. is doing lahd
office business with American visi-
tors. who storm his premises after
each of their regular meals" and
avoid semi-starvation by that method.
Scores OF Americans. it must be
said in all Justice. come 10 Oberam-
mergau with wholly ridiculous de-
mands. When the writer was there
recently he encountered some West
ern fellow-countrymen who were
kicking" because they could not get
rooms with baths. A Cincinnati man
was irate because he could not con
tinue a strictly enioined diet OF Ora
ham bread 1t was apparent, however,
that even the Americans who go to
Oberammergau in a spirit OF Spartan
RESIGNATION 10 be satisfied with what
they find have their patience sorely
tried.
At conservative estimate fully
one-haH OF the 4. 500 spectators al
every performance of the Passion
PLAY are Americans. The streets oil
the village reverberate from morning
TO night with unmistakable trans
atlantic dialect.
The Americans have not been In
any grave danger but have suffered
intense discomfort. Sixty-seven houses
serving as hotels for foreign visitors
were made uninhabitable by the water
which stood four or five feet deep In
various parts OF the village. For three