Evening star., 1939-04-09
Man Who Played
Christ Describes
Passion Play
lone's "reminiscences
Translated by His Son,
Georgetown Professor
By JAMES WALDO FAWCET'

How the man who played Christ
in the Passion Play at Oberammer-
gau regarded the role is disclosed
in the posthumous "reminiscences of
Anton Lang, recently published at
Munich.
The English translation of the
little book is the work of the au-
thor's son, DR.. Anton Lang. jr.. pro-
fessor of German at Georgetown
University.
Born in 1875. the child of potter
and stove-builder, the senior Anton
first appeared in the scriptural
drama at the age of S. He was
trained by his grandfather, the
king Herod" of 1870. His own
father was cast as the High Priest
Ezekiel in 1890. and the boy was
lone Of the crowd" in that year.
During the next decade. he studied
art and music. practiced his trade
as it had been taught him by his
parent, read the Bible and other
religious texts and hoped that he
might be chosen for the favorite
disciple" in 1900.
Surprised by Choice.
II was surprised, even dumb
founded he writes. when on De-
cember 21. 1899. they elected me
Christ The emotion which over
came me was more similar to fright
and fear than to delight: for i'm
mediately 1 felt the weight of the
task and its responsibility. Not un-
til after the first rehearsals in jan
uary. 1900. did I gain more courage
and confidence in myself, progress
largely due to the cheering words
of the burgomaster, Johann Lang,
who simultaneously filled the ca
pacity of a coach. One of my
prospective disciples assured me,
Don't worry, your predecessor also
had a hard time at first: We'll all
help together. So my portrayal be-
gan to improve as rehearsals went
on; by the time the first public per-
Torrance had come my fear of crit
icism had practically disappeared.
For me the portrayal of the role
AZ the Christ meant nothing else
but divine service, the carrying out
Of noble mission, in fact the loftiest
mission for a layman. My studies
OF the part began with reflections on
the pictures in our parish church.
At the nearby monastery 1 con-
ceived some more ideas which were
extended and amplified by visits to
workshops dealing with religious art
Do hyy
Katharine Emmerich, also Ben
Hur,' by Lew Wallace. Nor did I
fail to acquaint myself completely
with the Bible. No doubt frequent
participation in the play-from in
fancy-an intense interest in every
scene, has helped me to no small
extent. All disciples about me dur
ing the last supper were my elders.
To my knowledge, there has been
no younger Christ before in the
history of Oberammergau."
Wasps Add Hazard.
Mr.. Lang tells of several accidents
which occurred during the presenta-
ton of the play. "Once, during the
cruciflxion," he says, my right arm
happened to get unlocked; when
the cross was erected and fastened
in the ground the ring which held
my arm slipped from the hook. The
pains and anguish had to go
through were rather trying ex-
perience. Fortunately the coach
noticed my predicament and Short
ened the scene by several minutes
AT another time, in 1910, the rod
with which the bottom of the cross
Is fixed to the ground could not be
found, yet the crucifxion had to
take place at all events. They helped
themselves with makeshift by sup
planting the essential rod with
chains. On that day I thought my
last moment had come; if the ex-
ceedingly heavy cross had tumbled
1t would have meant the end, to be
sure.
"At one performance, WaSpS were
constantly flying about me during
the Last Supper, where we always
had cake on the table; naturally I
could not flap them away with a
motion in disharmony with the dig
nifty of the part. They even bothered
me when I was on the cross, one
flew about my face for long while
and I was in constant fear of being
stung by 1t in my entirely helpless
position. Eventually I managed to
blow 1t away without anybody's no.
tice"
Play Not Commercial.
Mr.. Lang played the part of the
Saviour 48 times in 1900, 81 times
in 1910 and 10 times in 1922. His
earnings we're s375 in 1900, $500
In 1910 and IS in 1922 The play
always since it's original presenta-
ton in 1884 has been a community
enterprise, a religious offering in
character, not commercial under
taking. When motion picture
company offered the actors S1O0O,-
600 for the rights to make photo
play of the sacred drama the men,
bers of the cast cut their hair to
show that they were not interested
in the proposition.
whoever has played the
Christ realizes that it demands
many a deprivation and mortifica-
ton" Mr.. Lang explains. Il was
asked once. while in the United
States, whether I was going to be
Christ again in 1880. My answer
was in the negative and I frankly
admit, although I had no reason to
complain about physical troubles, I
was aware of the fact that my
nerves would not be fit to meet
that spiritual strain to the extent
required for the proper expression
Of the unsurpassed words of our
Lord. without going through an ex-
cessive inner emotion that perhaps
would impair the speaking of the
words of love, peace and recon-
ciliation; the experiences of the past
war are still in my mind-to me it
was more a matter of the soul than
Of the body.
Tells Of Trip to America.
"Certain scenes moved me greatly,
1@,oh &c fI,o fo rouo11 fo potho,v tbo