The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1922-06-11
Wonderful Spectacle Of The 5avar1an
Village Is Told BY One Who Has
Been It's Witness


has always held great interest for
American tourists, but this year par
tlcularIy so because of the fact that
during the world war it was not pre-
scented this being the first presenta-
ton since 1910, and also because OF
the refusal OF Anton Lang, who takes
the part Of the Christus, to CONNER
cialize his art, though a New York
aonpanv has offered him wealth be-
wond the dreams OF avarice If he would
bring the Oberammergau company TO
thia country and stage the spectacle
oe the passion OF Christ In New York
theater.
Mrs. william f. McIlwain, who saw
the Passion Play in 1910. has recently
AFFORDED great pleasure to many
through readings she has given before
the Ladies Auxiliary OF the Knox
preabvterian Church. The Passion
play IA now being given in Oberam-
mereau and will continue until sep
, TENDER, the first performance OF the
year having been presented May a.
The Journal is privileged this morn
ing to give TO its readers the wonder
fully interesting article which Mrs
McIlwain has written. and which gives
her own personal impressions and ex-
neriences while witnessing this pro-
daction which has come to stand for
an that Is most sacred in religious OBJ
servance:
The Passion Play presents our Lord
from His triumphal entry into Jerusa
lem on palm Sunday, including the
last week OF his life, to His ascension
into glory on Easter Sunday.
Before telling you about the play
] win tell you something of Oberam-
rnerRau, the Bavarian village in Ger
many, where this play takes place.
Ii il a small village Of 1,700 inhapi-
tants. almost surrounded with the hlgh
Alb mountains, snow capped.
The streets in the town are so crook
Cd and narrow that they are puzzling
AZ i riddle, no two running in the same
direction, no sidewalks; the roads are
Of white clay that sticks to ones shoes
and nothing removes 1t but washing 1t
on.
Nearly all the houses are small and
have little paint, the home of Christus
being one OF the most pretentious. AS
ne il a potter and artist, his home is
pictures on white background.
on our arrival at the railway sta
tion we were impressed that we had
set foot on holy ground, as the newly
arrived visitors were assigned TO the
home OF Peter and John, Annas and
Caiphaa. or the home of Mary, and OF
Mary Magdalene,-als PLATE and
Herod; for during the Passion season
as ii is called, family names are COM
plefely laid aside for those Of the cast
in the play, and the men after their
election to the various parts must let
their hair and boards grow for over a
year. to represent the characters they
are chosen for.
Mr. friend and myself were assigned
10 the homo of the postmaster, he be-
ing brother of Anton Lang, the
Christus. and said to be the wealthiest
man in the village. cultured gentle-
man. His wife spoke good English,
and We retired at night between two
feather beds nj August.
Our meals wer eserved at the house
Of Judas, on long pieces Of boards
covered with domestic cloth, and
benches to sit on-simple living and
scattered about over the grounds, and
during the Passion season, II all ar
engagements for room, board and tick
cts to theater Is not made in advance,
one may spend the night on one Of the
crooked clay roads.
Two nights must necessarily be
spent in Oberammergau. The trains
come In sections the evening before
the performance, as the play begins
at 8 a. m. and closes at 6 p. m, with
two hours, from IL until 2, intermis
sion.
The highest ambition Of these sim
pie. cultured Christian people is that
their children may some day have a
part in this play. During the play sea-
son the performers who have been
selected by the local committee put
aside their usual occupations and en-
deavor to live the parts assigned to
them.
Although they devote months Of
their time 70 the play. the earnings
Of the various players are remarkably
small In 1910 Anton Lang, the Chris
tus and taking the principal part, res
ceived $400--other players much less.
ans AVt year WORK. anu Iudl OnAy
once In ten years, could not conduce
20 any great prosperity and, taken
with the fact that the players abandon
their customary work. IS sufficient
proof that the play has not been COM
mercianxed.
In 1910 there were 10000 spec
tators who Witnessed the performance
OF the play; Of this number 10000
were Americans.
The origin OF the play was due to
a terrible pestilence, or Black Death,
that ravaged this country in 1888 The
survivors OF Oberammergau in the
following year vowed to give a repre-
aentation OF the life of Christ regu-
larly once every ten years thereafter,
as an antonement for their sins. This
pledge has been fulfilled, with the ex-
espuon Of years when war or other
troubles have interfered
The play was originally acted In
ina village churchyard. Later on 1t
was moved to the outskirts of the