French Broad hustler. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1916-1919, 1916-12-14
Christmas
Cribs Of the
Tyrol

1ITE Christmas cribs, showing the
first resting place of the infant
Christ, which one sees occa-
- sionally in the churches of this
country are not to be compared with
tbosc of Europe, especially the remark
oh1c ones made by the peasants of It
DIV and Of the Tyrol. In the latter
onr,rry, there has been of recent years
decided revival of interest in these
groups representing the nativity of
- : not unusual to see one with sew.
ara, hundred figures: Not alone the
birth OF Ils Saviour, but the alteration
Of the shepherds, the arrival 2t the
kings with their soldiers and courters.
the flight into Egypt, Jesus in f65 tenn
p MI eTeh the marriage at Cana.
are rs6T6E6hted. 0aossEzEazrxnw
The Trrors cribs have been famous
f6f Centuries and the people were just
" proud Of them until the spirit of
|moIcrn enlightenment invaded the
,arI .@E Glib building was denounced
as c..i"~ play. Enterprising antigua
rians and art sellers eagerly boTcht IT,,
all the old cribs and then SID them AZ
good profit TO tourists.
M2my rinc specimens have disappear
al from the land. but fortunately a
few OF the best wee acquired by ia
tioual u@Scums The hest two Tyrol l.
knoun to have had. the = 'i>:.i::SI
crib Of Ro"cn. are new in the Bavarian
National nuscUin at Munich. \ third.
the Jautenthaier crib. is i'll the Vienna
museum.
Originality it belonged TO a family in
Wilten. now a part of Innsbruck. 1t
contained 154 animal figures, "A build
,tngs and 25G human figures. 1t in
Guided solid WoOdcarvings, fgures-the
hpads OF which were wax and others
whose heads and limbs were movable.
Some of these date back as far as the
year 100. Seven scenes were repre-
Sented.
The M0ser crib of Bozen was much
more extensive. MOser's "city" was in
itself a masterpiece and included pal
aces. gushing fountains, monuments
of King David and towers with six
city clocks striking the hours of the
night. 1t was valued at more than
5000 during Moser's lifetime.
The Ursuiines' crib was particularly
famous on account of the gorgeous
dressing OF the figures. The angels
were clad as courtiers of heaven in
the rich court costumes of the seven
tenth century.
These masterpieces are now lost t.
Tyrol. 1t can hardly cause surprise
| then. that serious minded men began
to entertain grave fears for their re
naming works of art. This fear had 6
practical result in the formation or
society whose object was to prevent IL
future the reckless expectation anC
selling of old cribs and to revive thu
spirit that produced them.
Tyrolese cribs may be divided int
two general classes, the oriental type
and the Tyrolese. In the latter clas:
the crib owner takes it for granted
that Christ was born in TyrOl. hence
scenery, people and dress are purel!
Tvrolcse. In all the cribs the stable
Of Bethlehem Is either the ruin of ;
castle according 70 legend. Christ frs
saw the Tcht g lar in the ruins Of thu
toy.or'uf Havi;0 or Il part of temple
10 show thst tie stable OF I3ethLchen
VS. lie GTst Christian temple, or els;
]! j. . s.a:r'c cave on the mountain
So
wa2 .t@':e Of Bethlehem and its in
r1.t,s always remain the center Of TIL
GIT =. <:.y. tlla g~-t is merely the set
til. The ,T4D means much to th
family. After weeks of careful pain
stalking labor everything is ready. bu
tn holy family is not there. Afte
super on Christmas eve the parents
GcIcstic3 ard children gather abou
The crib. the gospel scene is read aloud
al tie little ones, quick to detect TIL
absence Of the "Christkind," are tOlt
tlac tie holy family are still seeking ;
shelter and finding none. The sadness
t.. IT first expresses itself oil thei
hl0.eut faces soon gives way to jo.
a. they recall that perhaps there i
I"... i. their own hOme-at least the.
W re room. At midnight the sol
e. church. bells call all to mass, ant
VIII lie family returns, 10. there lie
the 5H-al.t III the Manager, while Mar.
an. Joseph kneel in humble Alteration
al is side.