The New York herald., 1922-03-26
Passion Play at
Oberammergau to
Reopen This May
Thousands of Americans to
See Representations Dur
ing the Summer.

Thousands of Americans who will
Journey overseas this year will see the
oberammergau Passion Play. the first
performance of which takes place May
IL after an interval of twelve years.
1T is said that more than 25,00O people
in this country have already applied
for reservations at Oberammergau dur
ing the season and are booking pas
sages. Many are going in parties; some
are connected with various religious
and social organizations.
Elaborate preparations have been
made by the inhabitants of Oberam-
mergau to entertain visitors. Since the
last performance In 1910 garage for
200 automobiles has been erected. The
village also may be reached by electric
railway from Munich in less than two
hours. Owing to the high value of the
American dollar and the low value OF
the German mark at current exchange
the cost OF accommodations In ooer-
ammergau and seats for the play VIII
be unusually reasonable.
Thomas Cook & Son. agents OF the
Passion Play committee. state that the
cost of accommodation in the village
during representations of the play VIII
range from 900 to 400 marks. or about
S15O to 81 a day. These rates VIII IN
clude room and full board, beginning
with the evening meal on the day be-
fore the play and ending with breakfast
the day after. There are no hotels IN
Oberammergau, and the accommodations
are in the homes Of the villagers, all
charges being fixed by the local COM
mittee and received by the householder
in full AS 1t Is necessary to spend
two nights In the village, visitors ar
rive the afternoon or evening before
the day of the performance for which
they have tickets and leave the morning
after.
Owing to the fluctuations in exchange
the agents say 1t will be impossible to
know what the exact cost of living in
Germany will be during the coming sum-
mer months. All rates are therefore
subject to alteration. 1t Is, however,
the intention of the Passion Play com
mittee to keep the charges as moderate
as possible.
Between May IL and September "a
there will be thirty-two performances
of the Passion Play, which is usually
presented every ten years in commemo-
ration of the escape OF the village OF
Oberammergau from the black plague
which devastated Bavaria in 1853.
Nearly 700 persons take part in the
play, which is divided into two parts of
seven acts each. with frequent tableaus,
choruses and orchestral accompani-
ments, the nucleus Of each act being an
incident in the life of Christ.
The auditorium Is rooted over, but
the stage is open to the sky and has the
pine clad hills of Bavaria for back
ground. Charges for seats will be
about 100 marks, or fifty cents.
AS In former years, motion picture
companies will be barred from Ober-
amnergau, while the players. who are
again headed by Anton Lang as
Christ1ts. have rejected tempting offers
to appear in foreign representations of
the play. Even the principal performers
receive only small amounts for their
services. Most of the receipts derived
from the play are devoted to public pur-
poses such as charities. education, reli-
gion and civic improvements.