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Christ.
Le Christ.

Christus (Anton Lang).
Oberammergauer Passionsspiel 1910.

pberammergau

and its Passion Play.

A Survey of the History of Oberammergau and its
Passion Plays, from their origin down to the present
day, including a description of the country of Ammergau
D the characteristics and customs of its inhabitants, n

TEXT BY HERMINE^DIEMER, NEE VON HILLERN.
English Edition by Walter S. Manning, I^ondon — Munich.

Illustrations from originals by Michael ^etio Diemer and Otto Geigenberger, as well
as from official photographs of the Passion Play 1910, and also from photographs by
n H. Traut, Municli, Hugo I^ang jun. etc. □

Second Edition.

Munich 1910.
Carl Aug. Seyfried & Comp. (Carl Schnell). Printers and Publishers.

-T

Preface to the Second Edition.

Again another decennium has rolled by and for the second time this book
goes out into the world to tell of the great event displayed in the solitudes of the
mountain world. — Necessitated by the changes caused by the lapse of time and
history I have had to alter much. Leaves have fallen from the tree of life — leaves
too from the tree of the Idealwarning us that in all things human, we must meet
with disappointments. But that which is lastingly and indissolubly connected with
Ammergau: the thought of Christianity — this it is that will maintain its all
conquering power for ever and ever! To this thought may the book be dedicated.

Munich, April 26'^ 1910.

Hermine Diemer,

nee von Hillern.

Mary.
Marie.

Maria (Ottiiie Zwink).
Oberammergauer Passionsspiel 1910

Christ.
Le Christ.

Christus (Anton Lang).
Oberammergauer Passionsspiel 1910,

Prologue.
Prologue.

Der Prolog (Anton Lechner).
Oberammergauer Passionsspiel 1910.

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Peter and John.
Pierre et Jean.

Petrus (Andreas Lang) und
Johannes (Alfred Bierling).

Oberammergauer Passionsspiel 1910.

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The Christ and

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Le Christ et Anne
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Christus und Annas (Sebastian Lang)
vor Herodes (Hans Mayr).

Oberammergauer Passionsspiel 1910.

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The descent of the
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La descente de
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Die Kreuzabnahme.
Oberammergauer Passionsspiei 1910.

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OBERAMMERGAU

and its Passion Play.

BY HERMINE DIEMER, NEE VON HILLERN.

English Edition

WALTER S. MANNING.

Oberainmeriiiiu.

A Modern Pilgrimage.

Wherever you ma}' come from, whoever
you may be, kind Reader, will you follow
me? — Whether you hail from Germany's
northern plains, from far off seas and distant
lands, come roam with me awhile. A guiding
star, though unseen, is above us ; which
leads to where in a peaceful village the
passion flowers, nurtured by long centuries
of tradition, are blossoming — to where the
Wonder of Wonders passes before our very
eyes : the Suffering, Death, and Resurrection
of our Redeemer!

We love to make pilgrimages to the holy
places in Jerusalem, which His foot has
trodden, that we may bring the holy form
of our Lord and Saviour nearer to us ; we
seek Him in the temples of God not only
in the spirit, our eyes rest in devotion on
the pictures, which artists, inspired by
religious faith, have painted. In art-galleries
too, we seek Him, and are happy when we
find in His countenance traces of the Divine.

So let us go then, to where something
more than a picture, to where His figure,
appears living and moving, where His voice
is heard gentle and sorrowful, as it may have
proceeded from His mouth 19 centuries ago!
And as, to the true believer, the wonder-

working pictures of Christ appear to begin
to bleed, so here, the artificial blood becomes
in truth the heart's-blood of the Redeemer.
The soul is moved to tears of repentance, and
all that was obscure before, now becomes
intelligible. The soul, with the repentant
sinner, clings to the foot of the cross, never
to leave it again. These are the effects
produced on the soul by simple human
means, in this representation of the Suffer-
ings of Christ.

The thought was engendered in the sincere
faith of a vigorous and earnest mountain
people, and received its form in naive yet
noble art, such as is produced by the believ-
ing mind of simple, deep-feeling natures.
In this representation, the spirit of Him who
is from everlasting to everlasting, breathes
upon us, and this ancient custom of 200
years standing, this fervent piety of the peo-
ple, spreads its beneficent influence over us.

Let us then go thither, to this beautiful

favoured land, where glorious mountain

scenery is the cradle of an upright, steadfast

and capable race, among whom religion and

loyalty go hand in hand, with a vigour which

is hereditary, and with a strict adhesion to

tradition.

Oberammergau. In the background, the Kofel Mountain.

The Village of the Passion Play and its

Environs.

At last we are in the village of the Passion
Play. Near the first houses, or rather just
before reaching them, we notice a bridge,
which leads over the Ammer to the left. Its
continuation is an even and picturesque road,
which King Max II had made in the fifties,
so that he could cross his hunting grounds
more easily. This road leads near the
delightful Dickelschwaig an old estate be-
longing to the Ettal monastery; then through
the village of Qraswang to Linderhof, and
across the Tyrolese frontier to Plansee and
Reutte. It is the route to Ammergau from the
Tyrol. To the right stands a neat little house,
the first in the village, with a picturesque
garden, reaching up to the quarry in the
mountain. In it lives an Ammergauer family
of the purest blood : the carver Andreas
Lang, the Peter of the Play, and his wife,
the grand-daughter of that Diemer who
.was leader of the choir in 1840 and 1850.

She has inherited Diemer's musical talent to
a high degree, and possesses a clear voice.
Above, on a hill, the villa of Frau von Hillern
stands out. The owner, who could not
resist the bewitching influence of the Play
in 1880, erected the house at considerable
expense, and has now become with heart
and soul an Ammergauer.

Farther in front, to the right, also at the
foot of the Villa Hillern, is the house inhabi-
ted by "Old Rendl", the Peter of 1900,
who, besides his trade of carver, also fills
the post of concierge at the Villa Hillern.
The next house is the Carving School, a
handsomely constructed building. We drive
in through the "Aussergasse", past clean
and pretty houses, with neat gardens,
flowers at the windows, and brightly painted
shutters. A fine house, near the church,
attracts our attention. It is the " Forsthaus "
(forester's house), the former judicial court

— 5

of Ettal, which, after the abolishment of the
monasteries, was offered to the Provost of
Rothenbuch, Heri<ulan Schwaiger, as a dwell-
ing place, and after his death in 1830, was
used as the seat of the District Inspector
of Forests for Ettal. The tastefully painted
house is anyhow certainly one of the most
interesting structures of the ISt'i century.
Close at hand is the peaceful cemetery,
through the re-arrangement of which in 1885
the late pastor, Anton Glonner rendered a
lasting service, in having i-t laid out in the
village instead of at a remote distance.
Every Sunday, after the morning service, the
relatives come to the graves, and sprinkle
them with holy water, and say their pray-
ers. There are monuments to great and
good people in the little burial-ground. In
it stands the beautiful monument, erected
by the community to its sons, who fell in
1870 — 71 ; a memorial service is annually
• celebrated here. There is also the monu-
ment, erected by pupils and friends, to the
teacher Dedler, composer of the " Passion "
music, who died (1822) in Oberfohring and
was buried in Ober Ammergau ; that to the
Provost Herkulan Schwaiger, and above all
the monument to the Geistlicher Rat Daisen-
berger, the re-constructor and reviser of the
text of the Play. As regards artistic merit,
the last is perhaps the finest of all in the

Oberammergau. Forsthaus.

Hillernschlosschen .

(Lower clown, the house of Old Hendl.)

cemetery; it was made by an Oberammer-
gauer. Otto Lang, a prominent Munich
sculptor.

Upon a simple red sandstone pedestal
stands the bust of the ever
memorable man, which re-
produces his features with
striking likiness. That the
artist has made a present
of his work to his native
village of Oberammergau
will surprise no one who
knows the love of the brave-
hearted Oberammergauer for
his home.

We will enter the church.
It cannot compare in beau-
ty with that of Ettal but for
a village church it is a fine,
spacious and worthy House
of God. It was built on

Oberammergau Cemetery.

the site of the old one, then fallen into decay,
in 1736 — 42, and was consecrated on June
17 th 1749, by His Grace the Most Reverend
Archbishop, Johann Marquard.

Handsomely decorated with fine stained
glass windows, the church among other
things contains a beautiful communion rail
and a most harmonious peal of bells.

An altar here contains the bones of Saint
Amandus. The frescoes on the roof by M.
Gindter are interesting, of which, in particu-

' Ausscrgassei

lar, that over the organ, representing the
tabernacle of St. Peter's in Rome, has a
strikingly natural effect, on account of its
clever perspective. Handsome, richly gilded
altars in baroque style, which have only been
renovated within the last ten years, make a
good impression iwith their fine carvings.
After the Passion Play of 1890 some Enghsh
people presented the community with a
splendid organ which surpasses in appear-
ance and fullness of tone even that of Ettal.
The last few years have
brought altogether many
a change in the church.
To the north of the
church lies the chief part
of the village. We still
see a few finely painted
houses, but unfortunately
the best here have been
destroyed by fire. For-
merly every house in
the village was decorated
with admirable frescoes,
the work of the so-call-
ed "Liiftlmaler" (painter
in the air) the highly

- 7

Interior of the Oberammergau Church.

gifted Franz Zwinck, colour-grinder and anecdotes still exist about his quickness of
apprentice to Martin Knoller. He was a execution. For instance, he is said to have
clever brisk worker, and many humourous once promised a peasant woman, who hap-

Dr Lang's House, with frescoes bj' Franz Zwinck.

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Garden-Side oi D^ Lang's House.

pened to be churning butter at the time,
that he would paint a Virgin Mary on her
house by the time she had finished mailing
the butter, if she would give him the latter.
And so it was ; when the butter was ready,
the Virgin Mary had been painted. At any
rate, it is wonderful how fresh the colours
still are, after these 120 years, and with
what skill the whole is composed. W. Wyl
calls him the Paul Veronese of Oberammer-
gau, and thinks, perhaps rightly, that the
art of this country Rococo-painter was a
stray element of the mighty host of the art
erf the Renaissance which had drifted into
this lonely mountain village. Zwinck reach-
ed an age of scarcely 40 years ; his great-
grandson Johannes Zwinck is the " Judas "
in this year's Play (IQIO). One of the finest of
the still preserved houses is that of Dr
Lang, which shows " Christ before Pilate "
on the garden-side, and is probably un-
equalled in the boldness of its architecture
and perspective.

Tastefully restored is also the house of
the bookseller Quido Lang, who in order
to accomodate the increasing throng of
visitors, had a complete storey built on to
his house.

With that fine sense of style which cha-
racterizes the Ammergauer, he has under-
stood how to bring the new part into har-
mony with the old, so that the venerable
publishing house has no need to be ashamed
of its new vesture. Interesting too in the
"Oberdorf" is the old original house of
the firm Georg Lang sel. Erben, the " Klep-
perhaus " termed so from the machine which
was used for making the grained frames
which were made there in the Rococo
period. The noise which this machine made
in working, the village people called " Klep-
pern " (clattering) and for that reason the
house was named Klepperhaus. It is one
of the most interesting of the old Ammer-
gauer houses and with it grew the prosperity
of the family Lang. Proceeding farther up

— 10

House of the Shoemaker, Ceroid.

the street we come across Oberammergau's
grandest modern elevation — the new carving
school. — It is well-proportionally built, of
noble aspect, with a happy combination of
the old style with modern comforts. Here
the youth of Oberammergau are taught and
trained under the guidance of Ludwig Lang

Peasant House.

and the teacher of industrial art, Anton
Lechner. Pretty objects of art are produced
and it is a pleasure to see there young people
so zealously carving, moulding and modell-
ing. Thanks to their clever principal and to
their experienced teacher, this school fully
comes up to modern taste, meeting all requi-
rements. Very pretty too are
the modern constructions
erected by the Bros. Zwinck
and Schilcher, in addition to
many others which have
sprung up within the last
few years and by which we
see that the inhabitants of
Oberammergau understand
how to preserve rural style
at the same time enhancing
the effect of uniformity.

We will now, after hav-
ing surveyed the village,
take a view of the sur-
rounding country. The si-
tuation of Ammergau is,
we would say pleasing
rather than impressive;

— n —

Carving School.

we do not find ourselves yet among reallj'
high mountains, but only between the spurs
of the Ammer range. The most interesting
part of this delightful group presents itself
to view in the upper Qraswang valley near
the castle of Linderhof. Between two enor-
mous mountain ridges running west to east
the rocky giants of the Ammer range, rise.
Whilst the southern chain is divided into
three separate groups, the northern range
runs, like a blank wall, beginning at the
Kofel, right along up to the Tegelberg near
Hohenschwangau. Down below between
these two crests, the snow-white Ories —
the dry bed of the upper Ammer stream —
>vinds its way through dark woods and green
meads ; and, whilst in times gone by, the
young Ammer, passing through the Ettal
of to-day, emptied itself over the Kienberg
down into the Loisach, it has in later cen-
turies broken through the stony ridge of
its native mountains and cleared a way for
itself to the north. Just in this gap, which
divides the Laber from the ridge of the
Sonnenberg, lies Ammergau. The cone of
the Kofel, rising 500 m. out of the valley

with its steep and dangerous looking slopes,
strikes us as being the most remarkable.

The Kofel in winter, covered with ice and snow.

— 12

View of the Kofel from the Barenloch.

Tliis Kofel was already known to the Ro-
mans. They named the settlement in Am-
mergau "ad Cofeliacas " after it. In the
middle-ages on May 1st, the betrothals of
bridal couples were celebrated on its sum-
mit with dance and music. On May 30th
15S0, a colossal wooden figure of a knight
was set up which the merchant Pabst of
Niirnberg had made. Later it was replaced
by a large wooden cross which generally
has to be renewed every 10 — 15 years, unless
it has already been destroyed by lightning
and storm. The Kofel must have presented
a most glorious spectacle, when in 1807
it stood enveloped in flames. The confla-
gration lasted ten days and the enormous
red-hot trunks of the trees slid down into
the valley like rods of fire. The cruel walls
moreover exact continual loss of life. Al-
though a good path now leads up to the
top, 1 would not advise inexperienced climb-
ers to make the ascent of the Kofel without

a guide. The view from the top, which latter
can easily be reached in fi/o hrs. from the
\illage, is extremely fine, especially that of
Oberammergau of which we get a capital
birds-eye view. On the " Kofelachsel "
there is a cave the so-called " Kofelkuche ".
Here the mysterious " Kofelweiblein " resi-
des, who for ages past supplies Ammergau
with children, and if they are found on the
road after vespers she comes and carries
them off again.

The Kofel is the eastern corner-pillar of
the " Sonnenberg " ridge, of which the
"Zahn" and the " Piirschlingspitz " peep
over into Ammergau, whilst the highest
point of the mountain range (Klammspitze)
1934 m.) is hidden by the mountains in front.
Along the foot of the Kofel, delightful walks
through shady woods lead right across the
valley to the " Barenloch " at the foot of
the Laber. This grand mountain encloses
Ammergau to the south-east, rising to a
height of 1680 m. and is noteworthy for
its glorious view into the plain Graswang,
Loisachtal and the mighty Wettersteinge-
birge. A neighbouring peak of the Laber
is the Ettaler Mandl (not visible from Am-
mergau). To the left of the Laber the
"Aufacker" and "4 Hornle " join on to
the circle of mountains surrounding Am-
mergau. Whilst on the one hand the entire
Laber consists of solid marble, a peculiar
yellow sandstone appears in the last-mention-
ed mountains. Farther to the left, in the
north, the Ammer enters flat country, and
there appears the thickly-wooded "Scher-
genberg " belonging to the group of the
Trouch mountains. Seen from here it forms
the background to the pretty, peaceful village
of Unterammergau, high up to the left of
which glistens the Unterammergauer " Wetz-
steinbruch" (stone quarry), like a gaping
wound in the dark forest. Still more to
the left is the Steckenberg and in front of
it the far reaching group of the " Oster-
bichl " hills, upon the highest point of which
a stone Crucifixion Group stands. Towards
it we will now turn our steps.

Crucifixion Group.

We pass the villas formerly belonging to
Diemer. Mounting the steep ascent over
the Osterbichl, we finally reach the Cruci-
fixion Group, a gift of King Ludvvig 11.
In front of the Crucifixion Group, is
a large open piece of ground. Round about
the monument are erected benches for
kneeling. On certain Saints' days, as for
example on St Ludwig and on the anni-
versary of the death of the King, mass is here
celebrated. The view is magnificent as seen
from around the monument, over the village,
to the surrounding mountains, the fresh
green meadowes and the grassy slopes. More

imposing perhaps than even the monument
itself, is the spot upon which it is erected,
for here is the concentration of soothing
quietude, the peace and melancholy of these
mountain regions.

The monument is hewn from Kelheim
marble and is of most imposing effect. —
The amalgamation of Mary with Niobe of
the Ancients, enhances, if anything, the telling
effect. The inscription, worded and chosen
by the King himself, runs as follows : " From
King Ludvvig II, in memory of the Passion
Play, to the art-loving Oberammergauers,
true to the customs of their fore-fathers ".

In the middle of the base stand the words
of the Gospel: "Woman, behold thy son!"
and " Son, behold thy mother! " The sculp-
tor has successfully embodied this, 1 might
say, the most human moment in the death of
Christ. We see the mouth of the Saviour
still opened in uttering these words, St John,
weeping, lifts up his clasped hands, whilst
the "Mater Dolorosa" covers her face with
her garment.

The monument in its entirety is 40 ft.
high; the Crucifix is 19 ft., and the other
two figures each 14 ft. high.

We cast a last glance over the glorious
view, and then we go on our way, with sad
memories clinging to us. Along the foot
of the Kofel a picturesque walk through the
woods leads us over the " Dettenbiihl " to
the " Barenloch " ; then we turn in the
direction of the village. Past the pretty
houses of Zwinck's, and the newly-built
hospital, we go up to the swimming-bath,
and St Qregor, the property of the Lang
family, following always the Laine, a cool,
clear mountain stream. Here the little Gre-
gori Chapel still stands, up to which the
supplicatory processions against devastation
by rain come. It contains an interesting pic-
ture of the Passion Play of 1860, by the Ty-
rolese painter, Pogl. (The Key must be
brought from Ammergau.) We see here
from the extensive shingle, to what a size
the tiny mountain stream has already
swollen.

A delightful "hermitage", built of logs
and bark, which the community has dedi-
cated to its faithful friend and spiritual ad-
viser Daisenberger, calls to mind the kindly
figure of this great, noble, and true priest,
who so loved to walk out to this place,
and spend hours there in silent devotion.
Here he reviewed the past eighty years of 'his
life, and perhaps called to mind the words
of the Psalmist: "And if by reason of
strength they be fourscore years, yet is their
strength labour and sorrow." But his in-
fluence meant blessings upon generations to

come, and his work has sown the seed of
everlasting harvests. Deeply moved, we
leave this peaceful spot, and after having
looked at the gardens of Lang's house, we
return along the pretty path. There are
many other nice excursions to be made from
Oberammergau; you will however do well
in such outings to take a native of the place
along with )'0U. In mountain trips the
numerous royal hunting-paths prove very
convenient. Especially within the last twenty
years, since the Prince Regent Luitpold holds
his extensive chamois-hunting parties in Am-
mergau, many new paths have been made,
and old ones repaired; still, in spite of this,
there is a large field open to the lover of
rock-climbing. You have only to try the
pinnacles of the Geierkopfe, the crumbling,
rocky walls of the Kreuzspitze (2185 m.),
or the sharp ridges of the stofiy fields of
the Hochplatt.

The excursion most worth making, for
non-climbers, is of course a drive into the

Oregon
Chapel

Graswang valley, to the royal castle of Lin-
derhof, and the " Hundingshiitte ", situated
in a lonely wilderness on the road to the
Plansee.

About a quarter of an hour's distance from
Oberammergau, the beautifully situated Con-
vent of Ettal is reached, the history of

French have entirely destroyed the work
of the pious Emperor. Finally a fire broke
out on St Peter's and St Paul's Day 1744,
which left only the outside walls standing.
In the year 1710, when the Academy for
young noblemen was founded, the re-erec-
tion of the church was decided upon. One

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Castle Linderhof.

>vhich is much associated with that of Ober-
ammergau.

A short description of the convent may
perhaps interest the reader.

We enter the church. As it now stands
there are only a few remnants of the origi-
nal foundation walls which the great Em-
peror Ludwig had begun to erect in 1330.
Of the ancient votive church, only the foun-
dation and principal walls exist. Confla-
grations, inroads of the Swedes and of the

of the Conventuals, Count Joseph von Gon-
dola, travelled through the whole of Ger-
many and beyond, into Holland and Belgium.
In the years 1744 — 1750 he got together
by collections, the amount of 24,Q77 florins.
The Jesuits erected a new edifice upon the
ruins of the old buildings.

Whereever our eyes stray, they encounter
subhme and grand proportions. Looking up
into the roof of the dome, we seem to gaze
into immeasurable space: "And behold, I

17 -

Convent Church of Ettal.

saw the heavens open and angels ascending
and descending." Knolier's beautiful pic-
ture shows us the heavens opened, and the
Ascension of the Virgin Mary. We see the
Saviour surrounded by saints going to meet
her, we see the angels and heavenly hosts
joining in joyful ecstasy, and we feel our-
selves being carried with the jubilant throng
towards our eternal home.

Besides the fresco in the rotunda, Knoller

has also painted five other altar pictures :
The picture over the high altar, "the two
altar pieces", "the Martyrdom of St Seba-
stian " and " the Beheading of St Cathe-
rine " ; somewhat later, " The Holy Trinity
adored by angels " and still later on " Mary
with the Corpus Christi."

Very fine too is the Benedict Altar, in
the altar picture of which (painted by Felix
Anton Scheffler, born in Bavaria Aug. 9.

— li

The Madonna of Ettal.

1701, died 1760 in Prague) the death of the
saint is represented.

We will now ask one of the monks, who
for the time being fills the charge of sacri-
stan, to kindly lift the Madonna down for us.
It is said to have originated in the school of
Nicola Pisano, about the middle of the 13th
century. Some authorities maintain it to
be much older and assign it to the early
Christian era; others again consider it to
date back even before Christ and take it
to be one of those Roman-Egyptian idols,
representing Isis. Formerly the statue was
coloured. The stone from which it is hewn
is also highly remarkable, being of mar-
vellous whiteness and of a peculiar trans-
parency. One authority designates it as
Indian porphyry. The figure diffuses an
indescribable charm. The face of the mother
bears such a sublime, majestic and spiritual
expression, that of the child one of ineffable
sweetness. Whether the artist be Christian
or Heathen, he certainly endeavoured to
glorify in it the manifestation of highest
celestial beauty.

We now visit the sacristy, with its
handsome inlaid cabinets built into the wall,
its artistically decorated ceilings and its cosy
corners.

Church of the Convent in Ettal. The Sacristy.

Oberammergau with the Passion Theatre in 1634.

The Passion.
Origin.

As far back as the 13th and 14t'i cen-
turies, religious plays were performed in
several parts of Germany, especially in the
South, in Bavaria and the Tyrol, which were
mostly dramatised by the clergy or monks
or were at least superintended by the same.

In this epoch of scanty education, when
only the clergy and very few of the laity
were acquainted with reading and writing,
the theatre was the most suitable means
of spreading knowledge among the people.

Now the village of Oberammergau was
particularly adapted for such representations
being a much frequented village, where
Sunday for Sunday whole companies of
travellers put up. Also the proximity of the
large and important convents of Rothenbuch
and Ettal much contributed to the deve-
lopment of these plays.

The population, whose imaginative powers
were quickened by these mercantile pro-
cessions and caravans of foreigners assem-

bled together in these parts, began to look
upon these theatrical performances as a kind
of religious custom or service. This was
especially the case at the beginning of the
17* century, when war devasted the Ger-
man countries and had depopulated and
impoverished the land of the Ammer. When,
to make matters worse, in the year 1632
or later in 1634 the plague broke out in Ober-
ammergau, the community in their great
trouble made a vow, in order to ward off
the calamity, to perform the Passion of the
Saviour at regular periods, as a work ac-
ceptable to God.

The representations took place every 10
years. This was kept up until the year
1674. In the year 1680 it was decided that
the Passion should be performed in the
years ending in 10 or its multiplicatives and
this was done up to the year 1770, when
no representations were given in accordance
with an edict prohibiting all further religious

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Passion Theatre in the year 1820 (from an old lithograph.)

performances. In vain were petitions sent
in to high authorities and it was not until
the year 1760 that permission was again
granted by reason of a petition and forcible
arguments which, together with a new text,
were laid before the Elector Karl Theodor.
The community obtained the privilege of
being allowed to perform the Passion
publicly without any hindrance every ten
years.

Thus performances again took place in
the years 1790, 1800 and 1810 — when
another edict interrupted the religious re-
presentations and it was only with the
greatest possible difficulties that a deipu-
tation, at the head of which was the
publisher Georg Lang, succeeded in getting
an exception granted in the case of Ober-
ammergau.

Since then the Passion performances have
met with no more hindrances although em-
barrassments were not lacking.

In the year 1870, the German-Franco war
interrupted the performances which were
then later resumed.

The representations were removed from

the cemetry to the open square where
they are now held and which was enlarged
in the year 1830. This gave the Passion
Play a great impetus onwards and from
1840 attracted great crowds thither.

If the Passion Play now draws together
an audience composed of all nationalities,
it is due principally to the beauty of the
text.

Omitting every confessional nuance, the
text is founded upon the Bible and the
Christian religion. It is simple and this
simplicity it is which causes the true
nobleness of the acted drama to stand out
in still more significant force.

The oldest Text still in existance dates
back to the year 1662. The original of this
text is in possession of the firm Georg
Lang, sel. Erben.

If the thorough and scrupulous researches
of Dr. A. Hartmann and Karl Trautmann
are correct, this text is composed from two
still older ones: from one which was
employed in the 15tli century in St Ulrich
and St Afra in Augsburg and from a poetical
work of the mastersinger Sebastian Wild,

21 —

Passion Theatre in the year 1S50.

which originated towards about the middle
of the 16tli century.

In this text are many passages of extreme
beauty and deep feeling, although not
unalloyed perhaps .with ingredients which
bear witness to the less-refined good taste
of those times.

This text was made use of until the
year 1740.

In the years 1730 and 1760, the text
of Peter Rosner passed on to the scene,
which however met with no very favourable
reception, so that already in the year 1780
the Ettal Pater Magnus Knipfelberger, at
the suggestion of the inhabitants of Ammer-
gau, revised the same making great changes
and at the same time simplifying the
whole. —

Passion Theatre in the year i860 (From the painting in the Gregori Chapel at Oberammergau).

It 5

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Facsimile of the first page of the Text of the oldest Ammergau Passion Play

of the year 1662.

(The original manuscript is in the possession o£ the firm o£ G. Lang sel. Erben, Oberammergau.)

— 23 —

The Text.

The te\i in its present actual form origi- ceptions, almost word for word the original
nates from the pen of P. Ottmar Weiss, of Pater Ottmar Weiss, while the actual
who wrote it in ISIO — 1815, put it on text of the play was transformed and

Father Ottmar Weiss. (From an old oil-painting.)

the stage in 1815 and under his personal improved b}' his pupil the Oeistlicher Rat

direction, 1885, produced the same. The Joseph Alois Daisenberger.

present text of the Songs is, with few ex- If any one has put finishing toui^nes to

— 24 —

beautify and improve the text, it is indeed gau, he devoted his whole energy and

Daisenberger, to whom all honour is due.
Born in the neighbourhood of Ober-
ammergau, his youth passed in Ober-
ammergau and educated in Ettal, Daisen-
berger as the pupil of Pater Ottmar Weiss,

talents to the development of his ideal
— for which posterity honours him.

As priest and teacher he sought by word
and example to promote true Christian
feeling among his parishioners. As director

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Geistlicher Rath Daisenberger.

not only frequently attended the Passion
representations but even himself took part
in them. Therefore Oberammergau and its
Passion were always his ideal. When in
the year 1845 at the request of the
community he became priest in Oberammer-

of the Passion performances he endeavoured
to impregnate the actors ever and anon
with the spirit of their sublime roles and
with that of the divine Saviour, who devoted
his Whole life to the love and service of
all.

The Music.

The music of the Passion Play is one are unanimous as to the beauty of the
part of the play about which there exists text, the music itself meets with many
great diversity of opinion ; for, while all fault-finders, even decided opponents.

Rochus Dedler, Schoolmaster in Oberammergau, Composer of the Passion Music.

■/^//.

— 26 —

In any case even the opponents must own,
that it abounds in rare beauties, containing
a great number of truly subHme parts.

We forget that the music which is here
represented on the stage, is music adapted
to the olden times ; in every case, if such
can possibly here be used, it must in the
first place be simple.

The music to the Passion Play originates
from a native of Oberammergau: the Lehrer
Rochus Dedler.

Dedler \vrote his first composition for
the performance in the year 1811. This copy
together with the archives of the community
got lost in a fire in the year 1817. There-
fore Dedler composed new music for the
Passion Play 1820.

Since then various attempts have been
made to improve the music, but it has
only been spoilt by so doing; at last it
was decided to leave it almost in the original
state.

However the Lehrer Ferdinand Feldigl
newly arranged the music for the year IQOO
and formed a true masterpiece out of it.
His idea only to improve Dedler by means
of Dedler confers upon the "Reformer" the

highest credit, who as clever composer and
highly talented, proved himself fully equal
to the task.

Concerning the musicians and assistants,
we can find all in the "Guide through the
Passion Music, by F. Feldigl ".

The orchestra and chorus is composed of
40 singers and 42 musicians.

Louis Wittmann is this year Conductor of
the Orchestra of the Passion Play; since
1906 he fills the post of teacher in Ammergau
and is as gifted as Feldigl. Since his resi-
dence in the community he has endeavoured
to get together an efficient chorus and
he has succeeded so well that the various
members, in spite of the difficulties of their
task have easily succeeded in overcoming
them. The successor too of old Eduard Lang,
the young Ferdinand Rutz, is very sympa-
thetic. His name already tells us that he
originates from an old family of musicians.
He is the nephew of the Choragus Rutz
and although not more than thirty years
of age, he has nevertheless proved himself
an excellent musician in the modern sense
of the word, whilst filling his position as
Director of the Ammergau Music.

The Passion Theatre of Oberainmerffau.

The Present Theatre.

At the extreme north-westernly end of
the village, stands the Passion Theatre.

In accordance with the sublime subject
of representation and its divine purpose,
this theatre is totall}' different from all
other buildings, bearing the name. As it
now stands before us in its present state,
it is from the very foundation the work
of a native of Oberammergau.

The Beneficiat Unhoch, who lived at the
same time with Pater Ottmar Weiss and
the teacher and composer Dedler in Ober-
ammergau in official capacity, made up his
mind to design the plans for the Passion
theatre and also personally superintended
the building of the same. From youth
upwards he had made himself familiar with
the Passion Play and as a man of great
talents he understood to utilize his ex-
periences to the good and welfare of the
whole undertaking.

With the exception of a few unimportant
changes, the theatre of to-day is still so
as Unhoch designed and built it.

The improvements of the year 1890 —
removal of the houses of Annas and Pilot
to the two extreme side ends of the Pro-
scenium, then the erection of the high steps
by which they are reached, were carried
out from designs by Ludwig Lang, the
director of the Carving School.

The stage is composed of 4 parts : the
Proscenium, to the right and to the heft
stand the houses of Annas and Pilot. He-
re also the chorus delivers its perfor-
mances and here the great mass scenes
take place; the Entry of Christ, the Death
Sentence by Pilot, the Carrying of the Cross.
The central stage, where the interior scenes
take place, as the Last Supper, the Meetings
of the High Council and where also the
Tableaux are set; finally the two streets

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Passion Theatre in Oberammergau.
View of the auditorium from tlie stage.

in Jerusalem, which run out to both sides
of the central stage, streets in which the
crowds arrange themselves for the mass
scenes.

The stage is not covered, with the excep-
tion of the middle building. Open nature
forms the background, the blue sky the
roof.

Grand is the impression the spectator
receives, if during the Taking Dovvn from
the Cross the thunder rolls and the lightnings
flash from the clouds in the background —
this being so often the case on hot summer
days.

The decorations, executed from designs
by Lautenschlaeger, the machinist of the
Court Theatre and painted by Burkart in
Vienna, display, with respect to their rural
and architectonical surroundings, an almost
oriental character.

Mechanic contrivances are entirely dis-
pensed with. In the northern part of the
theatre are roomy apartments in which 22
dressing-rooms, rooms for the appurtenances

and a small refreshment room for the actors
are to be found.

The Orchestra is situated in a recess in
front of the proscenium.

We will now let the actors pass by
before the eyes of the reader. At their
head is the choragus, the smith Jakob Rutz.
He indeed deserves to rank among the
Veterans of the Passion Play, for this year
it is for the eighth time that he stands
among the actors. In 1830 he sat as a
curly fair-haired boy in the lap of Mother
Eve; 1860 he sang in the choir as tenor,
1870 — 71 as bass. 1880 he was Choragus
and now in 1910 he is choragus again for
the fourth time in 30 years. In the German-
Franco war, in which he took part, he was
decorated With orders and distinctions. To-
day at the age of 63, he still arouses the
admiration of the spectators by his voice
and noble bearing. He still stands at his
forge. In the midst of winter he climbs the
roofs, in carrying out the arduous labours
of his calling.

— 29 —

He labours in the fields in heat and cold
and yet his melodious voice is by no means
deteriorated. Although since the departure
of Eduard Zwink in the church choir, he
has to sing both the tenor and bass parts,
yet his voice is very little affected. He
possesses a high love for honour, he lives
entirely wrapt up in his role and it 'is
almost certain that he would die, if it were
taken away from him. In addition, Jakob
Rutz possesses a great love for literature.
He is perhaps the only Oberammergauer
of whom we can say he is born for the
theatre. He possesses all the accomplish-
ments and faults of an actor. Whether
acting as manager or when presiding over
the concerts, he invariably exhibits his ta-
lents. He commands a most astounding
repertory, dramatical as well as musical and
is always well informed in the literature
of both these branches. If you pass his
smithy of an evening, you hear singing, prac-
tising on the piano or the studying of a
new role. His wife is just the contrary
to him and brings to bear upon the artistic
tendences of her husband the realistic
counter-poise of serious practical life. His
daughter is very musical and highly gifted,
and is married to Christus-Lang, to whom
she proves an exemplary Wife. In the year
IQOO she was a pearl in the Passion Choir
and her high soprano is still in fond remem-
brance of those who at that time heard
her. — They have a son who is an esteemed
official in Munich and in the same city,
a married daughter. Finally a still younger
son who this year takes part in the chorus
and who will inherit the craft of his father.

We have already become acquainted with
the Christus, Anton Lang in the year 1900.
He is now 35 years old; his outward
appearance has changed little within the
last 10 years. He still bears the same regular
fratures, sharply cut, surrounded by a fair
beard parted in the middle; a pair of blue
eyes with a marked expression of innocence,
almost childish. This is the true Christus
head where Christ would appear to us in

Jacob Rutz as Leader of the Choir 1880, 1890, 1900 and 1910.
(Photograph taken 1890.)

the ordinary everyday garments of our time,
but with the head of the Saviour. It
is not the interesting individuality of Mayr,
sparkling in manifold colours, not the power-
ful, artistically eminent personality of the
same, — but it is the "Christus" such as
our greatest artists have imagined him.

Mayr was of the dark, Roman type —
the Christ of a Titian, a Velasquez, a Van
Dyck; Anton Lang is of the blonde, truly
Christ-like type, such as Raphael so often
painted, such as Overbeck, Steinle and
FiJhrich have created. Yes, the pure
profile, the slightly curved nose, the small
mouth, remind us strongly of that figure of
our Lord which is recognised by the Church
as being the only proper representation.

— 30 —

jA-nTfd^ H^

The Christus of 1900 and who again takes the part this year, 1910.

The Workshop of Anton Lang

Christus (Anton Lang) Oberammergau Passion Play 1900.

— 32 —

Johann Zwink (Judas, 1910) and his daughter Ottilie (Mary, 1910).

Anton Lang is a true man, a pure, deep-
thinking soul. He has grown up in the
circle of a loving and happy family under
the eyes of parents and grand-parents and
has retained the naive simplicity of childhood
in his temperament. He is now 35 years
old. He attended the school at Oberammer-
gau and following in his father's footsteps
has learned the trade of a potter. He has
repeatedly proved his pronounced talent for
the theatre; but his blameless life and high
ideals have weighed more in his favour in
causing him to be chosen. He reads much,
possesses artistic tastes and in his walks
abroad composes poetry — of simple form
but full of warm feeling and a sense for
the beautiful.

In this year Ottilie Zwink fills for the
first time the role of Mary and she will
do well through the expression of her
features, which seem so thoroughly adapted

for a telling representation of the Mater
Dolorosa. At all the rehearsals she has
proved herself an excellent representative
through her genial acting and temperament.
In the Passion performance of 1900 she took
part in the singing as alto. She is 30 years
of age. Her pleasing regular features, full
of deep expression, are admirably suitable for
the Mater Dolorosa. Her father, as in 1900,
again acts the part of Judas. He comes
of one of the oldest and most honoured
Passion families. He is the grandson of
the renowned Maler Zwink, who formerly
so successfully filled the role of Johannes.
Of all the actors he has decidedly the most
interesting head and acts magnificently.

Johann Zwink shows the full tragedy of
his part in every detail. A tragic vein also
runs through his life. A talented decorative
painter, he could not however succeed in
attaining successful results, never reaching a

Marie Mayr, Mary Magdalene igio.

Alfred Bierling, St John igio.

comfortable position in life. Among his four
fine children, highly gifted, is the eldest
daughter who represents Mary. His eldest
son, though physically and mentally so far
;well developed, is a confirmed invalid. And
the unhappy father always has before his
eyes the sight of this suffering son past
all hopes of being cured and who might
have proved an excellent actor.

A charming personality of typical expres-
sion is Marie Mayr in the role of Mary
Magdalene. She is the daughter of the late
carver, Paul Mayr, whose wife, a striking
beauty of a fair type, took the part of
Eve in 1880. She has, in the year 1900,
already taken part as the angel in the Garden
of Olives and has given decided proofs,
during the rehearsals, of great talent possess-
ing at the same time a pretty voice.

Of the young Bierling, .who now performs
Johannes, we know as yet little to say, except
that the curly, fair-haired youth is the grand-
son of old Deschler. Proofs of his abilities
he has not yet displayed. We hope that
the talent of his grandfather will descend

down to him. A clever and highly talented
performer is the Petrus of this year, Andreas
Lang, the Rabbi of 1900 and the David of
the Kreuzesschule of 1905. He is one of
the principal wood carvers in Oberammer-
gau, his family being distinguished through
great talent and strict moral training. The
mayor, Biirgermeister Sebastian Bauer per-
forms Pilatus this year, .which role he also
filled in 1900. He is one of the best and
most experienced of the actors. He brings
out the superiority and powerful personality
of the high-spirited Roman to perfection.
The characteristic manner in which he com-
municates his true opinion to the crowd
surrounding the high priests makes a most
marked and the best possible impression
upon the spectators.

One of his daughters this year performs
Martha. Bauer plays in the Passion Repre-
sentations since 1860 and in the years 1880
and 1890 was an excellent performer of
the Rabbi. — Peter Rendl now gives the
Joseph of Arimathea. Formerly he filled
the role of Johannes. We are convinced

— 35

that he >vill perform masterly, so as we
are accustomed to see him. Also Wilhelm
Lang, who acts the part of Nicodemus. The
personalities of both the actors, are sure
guarantees.

Now another few words about Caiaphas,
played by Georg Breitsamter. Breitsamter,
the Nathanael of 1900 and the speaker of
the prologue of the Kreuzschule in 1905.
He is not only an actor, but as a man
— one of the most striking personalities in
Oberammergau.

At home, in all the affairs of practical
every day life, he devotes himself to the
planting of trees, to his gardens and to
horticulture generally. His villa stands in
a perfect little paradise of a garden. In
representing his role, his face and red beard
are most in keeping. Thanks to his gifts
and to his most expressive mode of delivery,
his Caiaphas tenders a splendid representa-
tion. His two brothers appear on the stage
as Nathanael and a Member of the High
Council.

Also the Rabbi too of this year, Wilhelm
Rutz, is an excellent portrayer of character.
Last time he performed Nicodemus. He

Peter Rendl, St John 1900.

commands a deep, pathetic tone which un-
fortunately he is unable in his present role
to bring out into effect.

A first-rate performer is the Annas of
this year, Messner Lang. His Nathaniel of
1880 and 1890, his Caiaphas of 1900 and
his King Saul at the Kreuzesschule of 1905,
were in every respect, masterpieces. This
year the role of Herold will be taken by
the vice-mayor, 11 Biirgermeister Hans Mayr,
son of the famous Christus-Mayr, whose
gifts he possesses.

Let us add a few more words to mention
the Fachlehrer Anton Lechner, who has al-
ready been mentioned as the right hand
of Director Lang. In this year he does not
fill a very thankful role, — he delivers the
Prologue. A son of an excellent, former
Judas he possesses remarkable artistic ta-
lents, especially for character roles and he

- 36 —

George Breitsamter.

.will certainly become as famous a represen-
tative of Judas as his father once was. In
former Passion Performances he took a
leading tenor part in the Choir. This year
he appears for the first time in a speaking
role. Lechner is a bright and amiable artistic
character, leads a happy family life and
is the father of a family of clever children.
He has a daughter who, with her high
soprano voice, takes part as one of the

Anton Lechner, Drawiny-Master.

chorus. As painter and designer Lechner
has, in no less a degree as actor, taken part
and done his full share. Even as a child
he displayed talent for painting, but on ac-
count of his weak eyes he was prevented
from devoting himself to this art. Later on
owing to his remarkable energy and love
of work he was enabled to enter the Aca-
demy of Fine Arts in Munich and to pass
an examination which helped him on to
procure a state appointment as teacher at
the school for sculpture. In his branch of
study, he is highly talented. He arranges
from time to time the decorations for the
plays and rehearsals and helps Director Lang
in the designing of the costumes.

Entry into Jerusalem.

The "Passion".

Does the Oberammergau Passion Play
aim at becoming a secular theatre and, as
it is so generally assumed, look to money
making? No, this is certainly not the case.
It is Faith which once brought the crowds
hither, which still attracts and draws them
on and which will also continue to do so.
As regards the inhabitants of Oberammer-
gau themselves, their sole intention is to
edify and to fulfil the vow of their ancestors.

Let us now endeavour to give the reader
a short description of the impressions on
that great day.

We are awakened early by the report of
the signal gun. We follow the stream of
devout people to the church, .where my
fellow-countryman (from Baden) to whose
kindness I owe the interesting biography
of his predecessor Unhoch, celebrates early
mass. We see the church filled with crowds of
worshippers, and most of the Passion actors
are there to fortify themselves for the great
work Nvith a prayer.

But renewed reports ;warn us that the
Play is about to commence, and we must
make haste if we are to get there in time.

A curious sensation comes over us as yve
approach the huge hall with its large vaulted
roof. — A devout stillness surrounds us,
infinite awe seizes us at the sight of the
venerable stage, which, iwith but few, minor
alterations, has remained practically the same
through all these centuries. A place of such
sacred art is holy ground. The very ground
upon which this stage stands seems hallowed.
The sight of it awakens in us sensations
that we cannot explain. It is as if the times
of days long gone by, had once more
returned. — And away over the gable of
the theatre we see the peaks of the
mountains, and the sunshine of a glorious
spring morning floods the bye-ways of Jeru-
salem.

The music begins — muffled and harmo-
nious from the half hidden orchestra. From
the columned halls on either side of the

— 38 —

stage, the Chorus slowly and solemnly
comes forth.

In antique white robes, with coloured
mantles, it strides in two processions across
the proscenium taking up its position in
one long row. The Choragus then com-
mences his recitative.

Just as we burst into tears when sym-
pathizingly and unexpectedly spoken to, of
an old and long-hidden sorrow — so, upon
the address uttered by the Choragus, the
whole misery of the curse upon mankind
seems to come over us, and we shed un-
controllable tears of remorse.

The first Tableau is shown : "The Expul-
sion of Adam and Eve from Paradise."

Adam and Eve, dressed in skins, are
driven out of Paradise. Adam hides his face
with his hands, but Eve on the other hand
casts a longing glance back to the lost
Paradise, and w4th her, sorrowing mankind
looks back once more upon the lost Para-
dise of religious peace and childHke inno-
cence. The Chorus accompanies this tableau
with most touching and appropriate music.
And now the "Prolog" begins — he recites
the fine introductory verses in the same
antique metre in which Daisenberger has
written the introduction for the chorus and
the text with its iambics then begins.

In sublime beauty, harmonious to the ear
— as a message of consolation after the
divine punishment — the words of Anton
Lechner resound.

Behind the scene are now heard the loud
cries of Hosanna, and mingling with the
song of the Chorus are heard the voices
of the jubilant crowd bringing Hosannas to
their Lord and Saviour. The spectator is
strongly impressed; he hardly expected to
find these masses of people, such good
taste in the colour and arrangement of the
costumes, together with this flow of pul-
sating Hfe in every movement and action.
The first impression is overpowering and
we put the questions to ourselves : Does
all this originate from heaven, is it born
of earth, is it art, is it nature, or is it

both? We never have seen the like before.
We have scarcely grasped all this when we
are suddenly placed under the spell of the
wonder of wonders, and to quote the words
of the song "Die Erfiillung fangt schon an"
(„The Fulfilment of the Promise now be-
gins").

Now He Himself appears, and a fervent
glow of devotion pervades pur hearts when
we see before our very eyes the figure
which is so famihar to us from the days
of our childhood — from numberless pic-
tures. He steps forth before us, a living
form. All this is acted and yet not acted as
it were; for that which distinguishes it from
mere acting is the spirit of true belief.
And over the audience and the performers
an invisible web is woven, which with a
thousand threads connects the qne with the
others. — And how really fine these moving
masses of people are, in their bright rai-
ments, which in no way give the idea of
mere costumes! — In these figures so true
to life ;We see best how wrong the idea
of our modern painters is, who can only
imagine "Truth" clothed in the every-day
dress of our European fashions.

When we witness the strewing of palms
upon which the Son of Man treads, his
slender form in the traditional red and grey
garments standing out in all its chastity
— when we see the face with the expression
of infinite gentleness and submission, we
realize that he is standing before us in
the flesh.

The representative of this year's Christus
will most favourably bear comparison with
his predecessor Mayr. — The two can stand
side by side — just as well as the various
types of Christ of various artists. — What
Anton Lang lacks of Mayr's spiritual fervour
is replaced by his more dogmatically correct
appearance — where he cannot command
the depth of expression of his predecessor
he has the indescribable dignity and majesty,
as also the infinite pathos, of the whole
figure. If Mayr was more the powerful
God, who in full knowledge of the same,

— 39 —

voluntaril)' met his death — with whom
only the human part of his nature was to
a certain extent, under his strong will,
shaken in its depths — and whose agoniz-
ing groans always made us recognize the
conflict between the Godhead and Man —
so Anton Lang is entirely the Lamb of
God, who without complaining, without re-
sisting, bears the sins of the world in dumb
submission. — I believe that, Flunger ex-
cepted, there has been no such typical and
truly German embodiment of the "Naza-
rene" during the whole of the century as
in Anton Lang. When he is hanging on
the Cross, it is just as if the wonderful
picture of the Crucifixion by Overbeck in
the Rosminianum at Stresa .were before us.

But let us now continue to follow the
course of the Play. In the meantime Christ
has ahghted from the ass and has entered
the precincts of the temple. He sees the
desecrated spot which the traders have turn-
ed into a market place. In holy anger
he raises his hand, overturns the tables
and brandishes the scourge over the heads
of the profaners of the temple. The Phari-
sees become enraged, the traders conspire
together for revenge, the animal nature in
man now associates itself with the threat-
ening power of the priestly throngs. All
conspire together to destroy Him.

The foundation is now laid upon which
the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders
can erect their pernicious fabric. In the next
act begins the conspiracy of the High
Council.

We may call this assembling of the High
Council a masterpiece of the text of Weiss
and Daisenberger, so powerfully do those
assembled work upon us. The eminent
dialectics of the Chief High Priest, the reli-
gious fanaticism, the priestly hierarchy in
danger of being overthrown, the passion-
ateness of the Jewish character which is
expressed in the words : "An eye for an
eye, a tooth for a tooth" — all this presents
a picture of grandest truth and of masterly
portrayal of character.

The Leave-Taking at Bethany follows, and
the whole shadow of coming painful events,
as described in the gospel of St John,
seems to cast itself over our hearts, and
we shudder at the thought of how they
will come to pass.

Here for the first time the women appear.
Mary Magdalene anoints the feet of the
Lord and dries them with her long fair hair.
Judas is enraged at the waste, and we feel
that avarice has already seized his soul
Then we witness the sorrowful leave-taking
of the Saviour and His disciples, we see
the last leave-taking from the Mother, whom
He thanks for all her loving care which she
has shown to Him in the thirty-three years
of His life (one of the most beautiful and
touching scenes), — There is nothing more
impressive than the sight of Him, appointed
to die, who in full knowledge of the same,
goes to meet His destiny. All Christ's sor-
rowful preparations in which he explains to
his disciples the expediency of his sufferings,
the effective scene of the washing of feet,
the sublimity of the Last Supper, all things
carry the soul through a sea of approaching
sorrow on to the Mount of Olives where
the presentiment becomes certainty — where
the apprehensive, gloomy feeling of leave-
taking is converted unto heart-rending la-
mentation. — The impression made upon
us by the Last Supper cannot be described.

The Washing of Feet and the Last Supper
are placed before us in so perfect a manner
that our souls seem, as it were, brought
nearer to the source of all love — it is
the highest manifestation of the Divine in
art.

Now comes the preparation for the Mount
of Olives. — As the beautiful Tableau, the
"Manna in the Wilderness", and the "Gra-
pes brought by the spies from Canaan "
introduce the Last Supper, so the sufferings
on the Mount of Olives, and the taking
prisoner of Jesus are prefaced by two
introductory pictures : " Adam tilling the
soil in the sweat of his brow ", as a
precursor of the Agony of Jesus on the

The Way of the Cross,

Mount of Olives, and the " Assassination Of
Amasa by Joab near the rock Of Gibeon."
The music here is exceptionally good and
forms a most suitable preface to Judas' trea-
chery.

And then, with Christ, we stand at the
Mount of Olives — we witness His anguish,
we hear the sorrowing, reproachful tone in
Iwhich he says to his disciples: "What,
could ye not Watch with me one hour ",
an appeal which certainly many of us has
repeated when watching alone in pain and
sorrow. — But human flesh is weak — the dis-
ciples again fall asleep and again the agony
of death steals over the Redeemer. — The
beautiful profile of the pale, sorrow-stricken
countenance stands out from the background
— and the angel approaches Him in His
Despair; — strengthened through the aid of
the Father, the Son of Man goes forth to
meet His destiny. — But we know, that the
Scriptures must be fulfilled.

Up till now we have consoled ourselves,
on hearing the sentence of death upon the
Saviour, that it cannot be possible — we still

hoped, that what the prophets prophesied
was only in the spirit; but when we see the
Son of God in the hands of his enemies, we
know that all comes to pass, that all now
stands out visibly before us which w^e con-
ceived to be impossible to be witnessed.

I forbear to depict scene for scene — the
cruel trials before Caiaphas and Annas, the
rough treatment by the soldiers, the whole
torment of martyrdom, which the God in
Man had to go through.

The Way in which the actors perform all
this, with what nicety of perception — how
all the scenes, however boisterous, are still
kept within the bounds of good taste, —
to realize all this we must have witnessed
it. Amidst all this again, come the affecting
scenes of the faithless disciple, the repen-
tence of Peter, the terrible ending of Judas.

And now they drag Him, the Man without
Sin, to Pilate, that he may pronounce upon
Him the sentence of death. — A fresh gleam
of hope rises in our hearts, — the noble
Roman sees through the machinations of
the Jewish High Council, like sledge-hammer

— 41

blows his forcible arguments fall upon the
heads otthe High Priests, and it really does
one good to hear how he tells them the
truth.

But he is too weak to set the Saviour
free; he sends him to Herod that the latter
may condemn him. But this worldly sen-
sualist, who had John the Baptist executed
in cold blood, — finds no fault in the Lamb
of God — he sends him back again to Pilate ;
but Pilate again refuses to pass the sen-
tence of death and asks to hear the general
voice of the people, — in the meantime
however he orders Christ to be scourged.

And now the awful torture is continued.
Christ is bound to the pillar, scourged, and
when covered all over with blood, crowned
with the crown of thorns. — The manner in
which this scene is enacted, how the soldier
who puts the crown of thorns on him first of
all puts on the iron glove so as not to hurt
himself, and the way in which the men
press the crown, with crossed rods, down
on the noble head — it is all so cruelly yet
quietly carried out that it cuts into our very
souls VvithDut at the same time offending
our aesthetic feelings.

He wishes to hear the voice of the people
— "let him hear it", cry the High Priests,
and already that distant murmur of an uproar
begins to sound in the streets of the city.
— Headed by the High Council, spurned,
on by the inflammatory words of the fanati-
cal Priests, the misled, maddened crowd,
among whom are the traders which Christ
drove from the temple, rushes out of all
the streets of the city. — As a mighty flood,
the rioters move on, to the front of Pilate's
palace. Pale with fear, crying "Revolt",
" Rebellion " the servants rush out. The
words of the high priests fall like firebrands
among the frenzied mob, kindling flames
of ungovernable fury.

Once again the Governor, Pontius Pilate,
endeavours to save Christ : " I will release
unto you Christ instead of this murderer
Barabbas." But no, they cry out once more,
saying, " Away with this man and release

unto us Barabbas." Not even the pale
countenance of the " Ecce homo " can move
this infuriated rabble.

When once the surging wave of passion
has taken possession of the brains and hearts
of men — their eyes are closed for the noble
and beautiful, and their hearts are dead
to all sense of sympathy.

" His blood be upon us and our children ",
they cry. — Oh wretched, blinded humanity,
how often have ye called down from heaven
the curse upon you and your descendants,
from which whole generations have had to
suffer.

Pilate is forced to yield. He washes his
hands — saying that he is innocent of the
blood of this just person — and breaks his
staff. Reluctantly the words proceed from
his mouth " Take ye Him and crucify Him."

Now come the two wonderful tableaux:
" Isaac bearing the wood for the sacrifice
up Mount Moriah ", and the " Setting up
of the brazen Serpent as a symbol of the
Crucifixion."

Again the curtain rises and we see the
group of the holy women anxiously seeking
the Lord, and knowing as yet nothing of
the fate which is to befall Him. Out of
one of the city streets comes a sad pro-
cession — a criminal who is being dragged to
execution — unhappy Mother, now becomes
verified that which was prophesied of thee,
that 'a sword shall pierce thy soul; be firm,
do not break down, O tortured heart, when
thou seest Him, the innocent Man, Him-
self dragging the Cross to Qolgatha. — For
the third time He falls under the heavy
burden — then they take the cross off His
shoulders and put it upon Simon of Cyrene;
and now the women, lamenting and bewail-
ing Him, approach. But we hear the gentle
voice of the Patient Sufferer saying " Daugh-
ters of Jerusalem, weep not for me, but
weep for yourselves, and for your children ".
— Then Veronii:a hands Him the linen cloth
to wipe the sweat from off His brow —
but the soldiers drive the women away, and
there remains but one consolation left to

42 —

them, that of following- the procession to the
place of execution.

The scene changes, Jesus now being in
Golgatha. The Chorus appears, singing the
funeral dirge.

The Chorus has completed its song of
lamentation. A noise, heard from behind the
curtain, accompanies the last verses — ham-
mering — what can it mean? — No — the verv
thought of it is too awful! — We hear it —
we try not to hsten to it! — The silence of
death prevails among the audience — the
blows of the hammer become more distinct
— the curtain rises — there He is lying. His
feet towards us, stretched out flat on the
Cross, which is on the ground. And they
drive the nails through His limbs with heavy
blows. They bore through those tender
hands, which have never done harm to
any living creature ; which, wherever raised,
healed all wounds and relieved all pain —
those feet which carried the Divine form
so lightly — gliding over the hot sands of
the country and over the rolling waves of
the ocean — onwards towards the goal of
love. — He now lies pitifully here on the
ground, stretched out on the accursed tree
— His muscles tense and rigid as a fallen
stag. To the right and the left, already erect-
ed, stand the low crosses of the two thieves.
The latter have their arms merely bound
to the crossbeam, and only the feet are
fastened with nails. Christ alone is nailed
through hands and feet, the Pharisees being
troubled by a presentiment of their not being
able to kill Him altogether. If they dared,
they would tear him in pieces and scatter
the parts to the four winds, so as to be
quite certain of His not rising again the third
day, as He prophesied.

The executioners have finished binding
the thieves : " Now the King of the Jews
must be raised! "

'•Raise the Cross! Lay hold!" commands
the centurion. Breathless silence reigns
supreme, every heart stands still. The four
executioners lay hold with their muscular
arm. — " Up with it. Don't leave go ! "

The cross is heavy, the soldiers groan, and
push it up with their shoulders — their veins
swell out — another heave — up it goes in a
huge sweep — humanity bows its head, shud-
dering at the atrocious deed.

It cannot be, it is impossible! It can be,
and is. Horror seizes the on-looker — his
limbs tremble. The spectators clutch hold of
each other, lest the cross fall on them and
crush them. The cross is coming — coming
over the whole world! Higher — and ever
higher! '-'Hold tight^don't let go!"

It stands, it is fastened!

There hangs the Divine Form, naked and
bare. The nails go right through the bleed-
ing hands and feet — and our eyes, which
would be blind to the fact, are obliged to
witness it — our hearts, which long to make
all undone, must bear it! But we can con-
trol ourselves no longer, in loud sobs our
long restrained grief bursts forth, and our
trembling hands are clasped in suppHcant
love. — Unutterable pity is poured out in
uncontrollable tears, forming a cloud of sym-
pathetic sorrow about the head of the Cruci-
fied One, to lighten the agony of death. And
gradually the eye becomes accustomed to
that which it has never witnessed before,
and is able to gaze on the awful scene.
Divine grace spreads over the slender Form,
and as sense of the beautiful eternally
reconciles heaven and hell, and ennobles
even the most terrible, so our horror
harmoniously resolves itself into pious
admiration of perfect manly beauty, such
as is unfolded to our gaze in chaste calm
and majesty.

It grows dark. There is a rustling and
murmuring in the air, which comes nearer
and nearer. Is it the sound of the wings
of the angels of death? Or is it a flight
of those sacred birds, of which the legend
says, that they tried to peck out the nails
with which the Saviour was nailed to the
Cross, until they bent their weak little bills
crooked, and to which the name of cross-bills
was given?

The Sufferer up above is quiet and still.
— His bright eye alone speaks — speaks to
the invisible powers, which reign and hover
around in this hour of consummation.

At the foot of the Cross the soldiers are
casting lots for His vesture — the priests are
triumphant— the wild beast "cynicism" is
lurking with wolfish eagerness till its prey
fall undisputed, and showing its teeth in
anger, cries in fierce mockery: "If thou
be the Son of God, come down from the
cross " —

" He calls upon God, let Him save Him,
if He has found favour in His sight!"

"He would destroy the temple and build
it up again in three days. — Show now Thy
power, proud King of the Jews :"

Hereupon the tortured One in agony
turns His head:

" Lord, forgive them, for they know not
what they do." —

And the one thief, even in his own dying
agony, mocks at Him ; but the other rebuk-
es him saying "We receive the due
reward of our deeds : but this man hath done
nothing amiss!" and he beseeches: "Lord
remember me when Thou comest into Thy
kingdom ! "

Then Christ utters the wonderful words :
" Verily I say unto thee, To-day shalt thon
be with me in paradise!"

Fresh cries of mockery from the Phari-
sees : " He saved others ; Himself He cannot
save ! "

But Christ no longer hears them, His
senses are numbing; He bends His head to
Mary and John: "Woman, behold thy son!
Son, behold thy mother! "

And now come the signs of approaching
death. He becomes restless — He struggles
for breath, His tongue cleaves to the roof
of His mouth.

"I thirst!"

They hold up to Him a sponge filled
.with vinegar, at the end of a long spear.

He sips, but it does not refresh Him.
His anguish has reached its highest point:
"Eli, Eli, lama, sabachthani ! " groans the
breaking heart : a wave of agony passes over

the noble form in its death-struggle. Then,
deeply sighing. He speaks in tones of an
aeolean harp, the words "It is finished!
Father, into thy hands 1 commend my
spirit! " He gently bends His head, and dies.—

Roars of thunder shake the earth, dust
whirls up from the ground, and steam hisses
out of the clefts and darkens the air. The
graves open and give up their dead. — In
holy rage the Father strikes the earth as
He takes the sacrifice back which He left
only too long to pitiless torment. The temple
is burst asunder, the veil is rent — and in the
fire of Heaven the Father's heart shines
forth upon Him, the cruelly-treated, patient,
and obedient Son! —

"Come, O Beloved!" rings the longing
cry in Heaven. "Come, O Beloved!" is
re-echoed from mouth to mouth among the
audience down below. They still have to
witness how the beloved Body is pierced by
a sharp lance, till the warm blood flows
out of the wound — and it is as if the
thrust went through the heart of the whole
world. They must still hear the howHng
of the wolves contending for the holy Body
— but the tortured sou! may rest at last
with Him.

The hand of the Governor has protected
the Body and handed it over to His family.

Stricken with awe at the terrible signs,
the crowd becomes scattered as dust before
the wind — the priests flee, pale, with fear,
back to their shattered temple. Golgatha
becomes deserted. The scoffings and blas-
phemings are hushed, the uproar of the
elements has abated — and the holy calm
of evening surrounds those left behind. " It
is finished. He has gone home to the bosom
of His Father!" Noiselessly do the drops
of Blood trickle on to the sand. Nothing
is heard but the gentle weeping of the
women at the foot of the Cross.

And now compassionate love approaches,
and never has such faithful devotion been
witnessed as that which this next hour
brings. The first blades of that love now
burst forth, the seed of which has since
spread over all the earth.

44 —

Joseph of Arimathaea and Nicodemus
come with ladders and tools to take the
Body down. — They climb up and bind the
dead Body with long strips of white linen,
the ends of which they throw over the Cross.
The friends standing round take hold of
them, acting as a resisting force in order
to let the Body down gently. Joseph and
Nicodemus now begin to draw the nails
out of the flesh with pincers ; we hear the
wood creak and spHnter, so fast are the nails
driven in.

Mary is sitting on a stone, and with folded
hands resignedly awaits her Son. "Noble
men, bring me soon the Body of my Child! "
she gently implores.

The women spread a linen cloth before
her feet to receive Him, — at last the nails
are drawn out. —

Carefully the one friend places the loosen-
ed rigid arms of the Dead upon the shoul-
ders of the other so that they shall not
drop suddenly, — Joseph of Arimathsa em-
braces the Body: "Come holy, blessed Bur-
den, come rest on my shoulders!"

He descends from the ladder with the
Body. Partly carried, partly suspended in
the cloths, the lifeless Form is let down
from the pillar of torture. Nicodemus
spreads out his arms towards it: "Come,
holy Body of my only Friend, let me em-
brace thee! And they carry him to Mary —
that the Son may rest once more in the
lap of the Mother. And she takes Him in
her arms, all covered with wounds, the Son
born again in sorrow."

Mary Magdalene kneels by the side: "Let
me once again kiss the hands which have
so often blessed me." And with chaste fer-
vour the lips of the sinner touch the cold
pierced hands of the Body.

Another of the women throws herself over
it: "Beloved Master, one more tear upon
thy lifeless Body!" And the sobbing mur-
murings sound sweet and gratifying, as
peaceful evening bells after the terrible
storm.

The men on the other hand stand around
in mute adoration.

He is laid in the grave. — A funeral chorus
bids the weary soul and the beloved Body
rest from the torments of the past.

In front of the sepulchre lie the watchmen,
whom the maHce of the Pharisees has placed
there to keep Watch.

A great noise is heard. The stone at the
door of the sepulchre fs overturned, the
watchmen fall to the ground, and out of
the sepulchre appears the Saviour, who has
overcome death.

After the music of the " Halleluja ", fol-
lows the final apotheosis. Christ ascends,
out lof the midst of his disciples and the holy
women, into heaven.

But the shadows of evening are fast ap-
proaching, — the sun's rays shine slantingly
over the stage of the Passion. — Slowly the
curtain falls amidst the final strains of the
Hallelujah Chorus. And over the vast plains
it rings out to the rocky heights, and it seems
as if all nature would join in loud rejoicings
over the Resurrection.

Quietly, most deeply moved, the crowd
of people leave the theatre. The mountains
and rosy meads lie spread out in the golden
glow of evening. The night-trains, which
carry the pilgrims off again, take with them
numbers of people serious and deeply affect-
ed, and in many a heart, which came hither
in the icy bann of the chilling cold of winter,
it has become Eastertide — the blissful spring-
time and Easter, full of the wonder of the
Resurrection and Heaven's exultant joy. Of
what it has witnessed, felt, and suffered, and
of what the revelation has effected in it, the
heart cannot as yet give account— but we
irresistibly join in the final words of the
Chorus:

Halleluja!
Praise, Honour, Worship, Power and

Glory-
Be to Thee from Everlasting to Ever-
lasting!

Pictures
of the Oberammergau Passion Play.

In this part of the book are given pictures and scenes of earlier Ober-
ammergau Passion Plays. Many a visitor of the last or former representations will
be pleased to come across an old acquaintance in one or other of the actors
whom he once saw as a child, later on as a grown-up man, and whom he now
once again recognises as a veteran in the Passion Play.

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Christi Abschied von Maria. (1900.)

Christ taking leave of the Virgin Mary.

Le Christ fait ses adieux a sa s'e Mere.

Mary of 1900.

Maria von 1900 (Anna Plunger).

Marie de 1900.

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crq

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Kreuzabnahme. (1900.)

The Descent from the Cross.

La descente de la croix.

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o

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in

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en
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The expulsion from the
garden of Eden.

Die Vertreibungf aus dem Paradiese.

L'expulsion du Paradis.

The Departure of Tobias.

Der Abschied des Tobias.

Le depart de Tobie.

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Der Herr gibt dem Volke das Manna und die Trauben aus Kanaan.
The Lord gives to the people the manna and the grapes of Canaan.
Le Seigneur donne au peuple la manne et les raisins de Chanaan.

Toseph sold by his brethren. Joseph wird von seir.en Briidern verkauft. Joseph vcndu par ses fieres.

Adam fight against life's burden.

Adam muC im bittern SchweiCe seines
Angesichtes sein Brot essen.

Adam condamne a manger son
pain a la sueur de son front.

Samson avenging himself on
the Philistines.

Der gefangene Samson muC den

Philistern zu hohnender Kurz-

weil dienen.

Samson enchaine doit servirde passe-
temps auz moqueries des Philistins.

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James.

Jakobus.

Jacques.

Andrew.

Andreas.

Andr6.

Matthew. Matthaus.

Disciples.

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Mathieu.

Apostel.

Thomas.

Apotres.

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University of
Connecticut

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Full text of "Oberammergau and its passion play : a survey of the history of Oberammergau and its passion plays, from their origin down to the present day, including a description of the country of Ammergau, the characteristics and customs of its inhabitants"

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