The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-05-18
POrtraer of Christ in Passion Play Had Offer From American
Film ProduCer-Idea of Commercaizng 1t Is Abhorrent to
Them-AdmiSson, Including Lodging and Meals, viii
Cost American Tourists $125

Oberammergau, Bavarla.-It will
cost the American visitor to the Pas
sion Play this summer something less
than $1.25. This includes the price
of the ticket, lodging for two nights,
and five moupt0ip meals. The price
has been fixed at 400 marks, every
thing included, and 400 marks are
right now worth less than Sl.25.
There is no knowing how little they
may be worth by the time the first
performance is given on May H.
The town of Oberammergau is in
danger Of running itself in its insist
ence Of asking as little as possible of
the thousands of visitors who Will
come to their quaint mountain vii
lage this summer. They want above
all things to avoid the slightest sus-
picion of trying to make money out
of the pageant in honor of Christ
which they have performed as nearly
as possible every ten years since the,
vowed 10 De 81 fullowing the great
plague lr 1893. This was always easy
10 do in the years before the war,
when money had a fixed value but
with the value of the German mark
changing from day to day and the
price of living constantly increasing,
it is going TO be an expensive bust
ness to feed the quarter Of a million
visitors they are sure to have this
summer. Then there Is the question
of renewing the scenery and the cos
tuning, in which the village has al
ready invested a million marks.
Hence the money question is really
beginning to worry these simple,
idealistic people, as | have learned
chiefly from private conversations dur
ing the few delightful days l have
been spending in their pure, religious
atmosphere. Curiously enough, / have
heard great deal about money mat
ters-not that the Oberammerg2u PEG.
pie want to know about or think about
worldly questions, but because they
are constantly having the disagree
able matter showed in front of them.
Perhaps it is the Oft-repeated scene
of Christ driving the mOney-changerS
from the temple that has given them
a disgust for money, or perhaps it is
the crude way their idealism has been
shaken by theatrical and movie man
ayers eager to put them on the boards
and make a fortune out of them. In
cidentally most of these offers have
come from America.
A Million to Film It.
For instance, Anton Lang, the vii
lage potter, who has entered the soul
and broadened the religious conscious
ness of hundreds Of thousands of spec
tators Of the Passion Play by his pres
entation of Christ, told me he had
been offered S1,000,000 by American
film producers to stage the Passion
so large that | could not have believed
such an offer had been made If had
not had 1t from Lang himself. He also
told me there was a second offer Of
70,000000 German marks, which was
something near S1,000,000 at the time
the offer was made. A German film
company made the more modest offer
of 100000 German marks to film the
performance.
Lang's attitude toward all these
money offers is one of annoyance.
When l talked to him the other morn
Ing at breakfast over the coffee and
Jam he shared with me, he happened
to have his mind turned that way
81 have just received a letter from
an American bishop" he said, (which
! appreciate very much, The bishop
begs me by no means and under no
consideration to be tempted by the
fortune held out for movie picture
rights Don't let anyone induce you
to make money from the Passion Play
he writes. IT stands out as a great
religious festival, something so far
above and remote from mere money
that there Is no price
even before the war ] was made
offers to produce the Passion Play