The Mellette County pioneer. [volume] (Wood, Mellette County, S.D.) 19??-1971, 1923-12-28
PASSION PLAYERS COME
AS CRAFTSMEN ONLY

the ldHu Ol Dd\ dIId. ltSuc, poverty /,
hunger and death was at every hand.
Finally the people turned to God and
asked that they might be relieved
and their suffering was relieved.
In the little village Of Oberammer-
gau, which still stands near Munich,
the people were very grateful. They
gathered together and in 1888 pledge
was made and an oath taken to al
ways worship God who had delivered
them.
Then was conceived the idea to es-
tablish a rite which would never let
the people Of Oberammergau forget.
1t was decided to re-enact the life of
Jesus, the Christ, once every ten years
for three hundred years. 1t was called
1.-The Passion Play" That pledge
will have been fulfilled ten years
hence-1933.
From that humble idea has devel-
oped influences which have been
worldwide in eject. 1t has made the
people of that village devout, studious
and Christian. 1t has made their vii
lage known in every land. 1t has
caused thousands to journey across
continents and seas to witness the
great production and thousands
have lived better lives as q result
thereof.
CHARTERED today in New York is Il
little band of potters and wood car
vers-pilgrims to our land OF promise
from Oberammergau. They have come
10 sell their wares-all money there
from to 90 toward relieving the now
starving women and children of their
little valley. When they have COM
pleted their task, visiting about II
cities in the Z. S., they will return
TO their work benches in the quaint
crooked streets of idyllically peace
ful Oberammergau.
Christus Peter and Judas
Heading this band of craftsmen, Is
Anton Lang, who three times in the
last thirty years has portrayed
(Christus) in the Great Passion Play.
With him is his brother Andrea Lang
(Peter), and Guido Mayr (Judas).
Others who portray lesser parts are
also in the party.
This is the first time any member
CT the company except Anton Lang
has been out of, Oberammergau. Be
fore the party left for America they
were gatherd in the simple quaint
dining room Of Anton Lang, the Christ
player. Many Of the people did no,
want their great players to 90 out
into an unknown world, where then
minds might be distracted from thl
pure idyllic Christian lives they lead
For be it known that every boy born
in Oberammergau at his earliest age J.
imbued and inspired with the idea t
live and think that he may mould his
character and be selected to one day
portray the Christus in The Passion
Play.
The money for this expedition was
advanced by an American relief sOci-
ETY.. George Gordon Battle is chair
man of the committee which financed
the trip. Said Anton Lang:
"We are here to save the little
children of our village. We are serv-
ing Him who said, "Suffer little
children to come unto me-" Under no
conditions will we present The Passion
Play in American or outside of Ober-
ammergau. We dom come here with
the idea of getting rich. All We ask
in return for our wares is sufficient
to. alleviate the suffering at home.
Considerable money has been advanced
to US by kind. Americans. All of this
will be returned before we take Vne
cent
Bearings of Trio Demand Reverence
Standing with his hat off, Lang
bore a marvellous resemblance to the
traditional idea of Christ. His man.
ner is simple and humble. On either
side of him stood Peter and Judas. So
much did the trio portray the charac-
tiers that hardened reporters uncon-
sciously assumed reverent attitude
completely out of step with their usual
methods.
The Passion Players have received
many offers to produce the play for
money One motion picture company
offered $l,750,0O0 for the exclusive
picture rights.
Herr Mayr, player of Judas, has
been Offered handsful of gold to give
one scene from the Passion Play IN
the home of a New York millionaire.
All of the party have lived In
..l lvoo,, cinca loayinU home