The Fargo forum and daily republican., 1917-07-09
Anton Lang as Christ in the Passion play

New York. July THE calling of
Anton Lang to the service of the
Bavarian army is apt to puzzle many
Americans who, year or two ago,
were mourning him as dead. For 1t
was in 1915 that the Christ Of the ia
nous passion plays was reported
killed in battle, and hundreds Of let
ters poured from all the tourist
sources of the United States into the
tiny mountain village. freighted with
inquiries and all too hasty messages
of sympathy. For Anton Lang at
that time had not even gone to war.
AS a matter of fact, were the Ger
man rulerssto keep to their pact-a
task evidently as beyond their grasp
in internal as in foreign affairs
none Of the peasant players of Ober-
ammergau would be called to the
colors. In 1882 upper Bavaria was
swept by a pestilence which wiped
out villages by the score. The peas
ants Of Oberammergau. in order to
avert the general ruin, instigated
this elaborate passion play. The
plague departed and Duke Maximil
ian entered into solemn covenant
with the villagers that they should
always be spared the hardship of
war so long as the custom of pre-
senting the holy drama continued.
Successive kings of Bavaria have
kept the rule, no member of the cast
being forced to take up arms as a.
soldier. The Franco Prussian war
had 500 Oberammergauers in uni
form, but all serving in hospitals in
"a - IL AV.AA
Lang, the very Christ of the play, is
to be cast into the ranks. it Is a
breach as distinct as unprecedented.
Old Joseph Mayr, who played the
part before him, was drafted as an
artilleryman, but was almost i'm
mediately relieved OF duty. Lang
was called to duty only few days
ago, according to cable dispatches,
but as yet there have been no fur
ther tidings to the effect that he has
been allowed the customary exemp-
tion.
Lang, a potter by trade and a
maker of very reputable stoves, has
all of the Byzantine beauty which
old masters gave to the Christ head.
His features are soft and straight,
his brown hair falling in silken
waves across his shoulders. With the
eyes of the world upon him. he has
always maintained a strange, mild,
almost superhuman humility. He has
gone every day to his workshop,
where any one many find him shaping
his little pots and vases or pressing
moulds about his stoves, ready to
clasp hands, to smile with rare
cheer, but unwilling to speak much
upon subjects which are outside his
small village street.
There is an air about him which is
disarmingly simple. The grandeur
of good and effective acting is not
there; instead a very human, very
quiet tenderness, not without a sense
of exaltation. Those who have met
and talked with him for long say
there is no disappointment in thus
encountering a living representation
Of the Son of God.
From Generation to Generation.
He is, of course, descended from
Langs who have acted in this passion
play for generation upon generation
Oberammergau is made up of such
families. The Fungers, for In
stance, had a Christus. a PLATE,
Matthew, Mary in two successive
performances The Mayrs have had
as many. the Langs even more. An
dreas Lang is a famous Peter, whi(
Ludwig Lang, director of the village
wood carving school, has also, been
the manager and director of tho
play.
Anton Lang's house is the finest in
| the village. 1t has the bright cedar
shingles on it's roof which are in
evitable in these mountain houses,
and its front face is cleaning white,
large cross inbedded in the plaster,
just below the carved caves. A
i grilled balcony runs completely
around it, Towering plants along its
rail, and quaint, ancient tower at
one corner. The house is compare
lively new. In Anton's old one near
by lives his father, Rochus Lang,
who was once a famous King Herod
It must not be imagined, however.
that Anton Lang has become wealthy
. through his enactment of the holy
role. He received $6 a performance.
as a matter of fact, and for his six
months of training and rehearsins
during which time he had to give
up his work as a potter-gained no
more than $500. 1t was his ambi-
ton to go to the Holy Land on a de-
vout pilgrimage with the profits he
received from his acting. But the
coming of the war made this impos-
sible. Besides he shrank from be-
ing lionized and feared the fame
which he had worked up for himself
Held MiIitarism as sPoison."
Last Christmas an American cor
respondent sought him out and found
him still at home in the snowbound
village. Lang had been reported
dead. Stories had come Of his join
ing a Bavarian ski regiment to fight
In the mountain passes. He was still
In his workshop however. and still
exempt from military duty
This is not Gods war; it Is mans
war So long as there are armies
and so long ais nations prepare there
will be war" he said to his visitor
4 would be glad If there We're n"
militarism in any land Shall poisor
always be used to destroy poison
Cannot all miiitarism be destroyed
BY international agreements2' r.
And now he himself the peasant
Christ must 60 forth to war!