The New York herald., 1922-03-05

posing hardships upon the native popula
tion.
Before going over to the theater / asked
Lang for the true story of his trip to the
Holy Land and learned that in 1910 a
wealthy American had offered to send him
and that the offer had been joyfuliy accept
ed until Lang found out that he was to
be made an advertisement for some Amer
ican enterprise. But the thought of tread
ing the soil of the Holy Land and visiting
the. scenes he had so long visualized in his
Imagination became a idee fre, and three
years later Lang and his wife made the
trip at their own expense. What this
meant to him is best expressed in his own
words:
"My entire conception of the Passion
of Christ was deepened and spiritualized
and the words of the Christ which l have
to speak have become a matter of inner
soul experience"
Stage Largest in World,
Scenery a Native Product
Even the untenanted theater creates a
deep impression. Spread out upon the
seats lie the gigantic sketches for the new
background and wings, task which has
been intrusted to a young Oberammer-
gauer by the name Of George Lang, as 1t
has always been the policy of the commit
tee to employ only the villagers for every
phase of the work.
The stage, which is in the historic trip
tych form with the eternal hills as back
ground, is probably the largest in the
world. From this vantage point one gains
the best impression of the size of the audi
torium, the acoustic of which is so perfect
that whispered word carries to the very
back row.
To the right of the stage lay the cross
weighing $50 pounds, which must be car
ried for fifteen minutes on the way to
Gethsemane, and that in bowed position.
Only a man whose muscles had been har-
dened by incessant work under winter
SHOWS, summer suns and mountain winds. :
would be capable of so strenuous task
This brought us to the question OF the
Crudfxion Scene, about which there has
been so much discussion in years gone by.
The Christ must remain fastened to the
Cross for twenty minutes. during which
time the blood cannot circulate freely.
There is imminent danger Of heart failure
each time an actor essays this scene and
one single false movement during the i'm
pressive Descent from the Cross whereby
the blood would rush to the head too sud-
denly. would cost him his life.
Zwinck, who in his well-known role of
Judas Tscdriot had the reputation of being
an incarnate traitor, whereas in reality he
was the soul of amability, will not be In
the cast this year He is now seventy years
old, fifty of which have been identified
with the Passion Play--twice as John, the
beloved disciple, and three times as Judas.
Zwinck's daughter, who was the Mary OF
the 1910 festival, has since married, and,
as according to Oberammergau traditions
all Of the women's roles must be taken by
virgins, Is no longer eligible for the role.
One OF the village tragedies occurred
when Mary Magdalene realized her role in
private life by giving bAth to a child and
was barred from participation in the festi-
val.
Any one who has taken the trouble to
search the minds Of these peasants cannot
fail to be impressed by their sincerity and
genuine piety, and can only echo the wish
that the "Christus Drama"-the name the
Oberammergauers give to the Passion
Play-may this year be veritable Feast
of Reconciliation