The Passion Play at Oberammergau

Anton Lang in his workshop. This man has hung on the cross more than thirty-two hours in all the time he has taken the part of Christ. I Oberammer^au and the Passion Play (This graphic description is taken from a letter written to Mrs. A. B, Irvine by her son Wendell, who is laboring as a missionary in Germany. Editors.) F all goes well, this letter will arrive be- fore your birthday on the 29 th, and as it is to be my only present to you at this time, I want to make it so interesting and full of love, so ra- diant with the light of my devotion to you, that it will mean more to you than just a letter. As far as interest goes, there is nothing I could tell you that could in any way compare with the Passion Play which we saw last week, and so, to round out the interest side of this letter, into an atmosphere of divine peace, I am going to write an account friendliness and interminable good of what I did and saw at Oberam- will. My companion and I were mergau, and give my impressions assigned to live with Agathe of it all. Schmitt in Haus No. 79, and as we walked up the street of the T\7E left Munich last Sunday village with the rest of the 500 v* afternoon with about twen- Americans who had come on the ty other missionaries from all parts same train, and who were also of Europe, and after a beautiful looking for their places of dwell- but crowded ride on one of the ing, we saw many interesting special Passion Play trains, arrived and enjoyable sights. The natives in the village of Oberammergau. It of the town, the men with beards is situated high up in the Bavarian and long hair, the women without Alps, and is guarded on the east beards but also with long hair, and north by rugged and green- stood watching our cosmopolitan clad peaks. The village is of course procession wind its way up the vil very small (2,000 inhabitants), is as neat and clean as a hospital, and whether it is an imaginary a reserve and dignity about them that added greatly to their charm. If you smiled at them they would smile back with appreciation and frank- ness, but there was noth- ing of the fawning, favor seeking class to be found among this people. Even the stray cows that stroll up and down the street are not prone to gape and stare, and the village dogs have been taught that barking is a plebian habit which has no place in the quiet of the community after asking two blondes one brunette (all males) how to find Frau Schmitt's house, we finally wandered through a model barnyard and found our- selves before a newly painted house, which as you can guess, was to be our "home" during our stay. Frau Schmitt was a lovely old lady who said she was glad to have us stay with her, and whose words were confirmed with action. She showed us up to a little room (or rather a big room in a little house) ; and outside of our room in the Mission Home, I haven't seen a prettier Or cleaner room in Well, and reaction or not I don't know, but one seems to walk from the train lage street. I liked the people of Europe. Of course we were pay- Oberammergau the minute I saw ing for it, but even then it seemed them. They were all courteous and as if we were receiving special con- extremely anxious to be of assist- cessions that others did not have, a rice, but at the same time they had We washed hurriedly, went down

732 The Improvement Era for September, 1930 stairs and met Frau Schmitt's brother, who, in 1870, played the part of Joseph who was sold into Egypt, and then we rushed down the lane to meet all the other fellows in front of the post office. We spent the evening walking up and down the "main street," vis- iting curio shops, and talking with the natives and American tourists. I haven't heard so much English spoken at one time since coming to Europe as I did that night in Oberammergau. Everyone seemed to be talking English, "How much is it?" "Why my dear, they haven't even a bathtub where I'm staying." "We just now saw 'Judas' walking down the street and he's simply darling!" It was as though someone was giving a huge party where all the guests knew one another and talked ac- cordingly. The street was full of milling people. Everyone had a friendly nod for his neighbor, a "good evening," or a "how do you like this place?" j All the shops stayed open until ten P. M., for of course they do most of their business at night. A BOUT this time the crowd -**- started to thin out. There was a feeling of expectation in the air, a thrill of excitement. It was positively tangible, and I know I had the same feeling in my heart that all the rest of those people did, for I realized that something great and wonderful was in store for me, that it would transpire the very next day. The street was almost empty by 10:30, and By and I rushed home to get a good night's rest. Before going to bed we talked awhile with Frau Schmitt about the traditions of the people, about the play, and she told us many interesting things, i. e.: that Anton Lang, who had played "The Christ" for the last three times was deeply hurt when he was not chosen for the role again, but that the council had decided he was too old to carry, it. He does, however, read the pro- logue, and is wonderful; that every native in the town has acting blood in his veins; that rehearsals for the Play began in March; be- cause it was so easy for the people to learn their parts it was unneces- sary to start earlier; that Alois Lang, the "Christ" of this year is 33 years old and a keeper of bees as well as a sculptor. She also told us that a cannon would be fired off at 7:30 the next morning, which was a signal that all should start leaving for the theatre, and that at 8 it would be sounded again to denote the beginning of the Play. We went to bed like children on Xmas eve. We were up at 7 the next morning, had dressed and eaten and were just leaving the house for the theatre when we heard a dull boom that echoed throughout the entire val- ley. I had forgotten about the cannon until then. The morning was warm but it was very foggy, and heavy clouds were hanging over us. At five minutes to eight we were in our seats, and at that time the theatre was almost packed. You have no doubt seen pictures of it. It is covered by an arched roof as far as the stage itself, and Photo by Elder John J. Natives and Friends {They liked their native costumes best) Quinney that stands in the open. Behind the scenes and the buildings form- ing the stage one sees the green towering peaks, the "Guardians of Oberammergau." THE play begins at 8 a. m., lasts until 6 p. m. with a two hour pause for lunch. At 8 o'clock the vast auditorium was practically hushed. A trumpet blast, a sweet thrill through one's entire body, and the Passion Play had begun! It would take hours to give a de- tailed account of the presentation, but I am sending you a copy of the text in English, which people buy to follow the play, I wish every one in the family would read it through, for I think you will find it beautiful. Of course if you could hear th,ose lines spoken as they were in the Play, it would make it 100% more wonderful. I bought a German text and followed it in German, although I could hear and understand almost all that was said. I wish, Mother dear, I had the power to describe the feelings I had during the time I witnessed that spectacle. \ I guess it meant much more to me than it did to the people who have but little interest in such things, but having studied the life of the Sa- vior, preached on it, and having tried in a very imperfect way to imitate it, I was, as were all the other missionaries, in a much bet- ter position to see and appreciate its full worth. The music was splendid and the singing very beautiful. I was a little afraid the acting would be somewhat ama- teurish, but I have never seen any- thing more wonderful. It was simply superb. Alois Lang, as the Savior, was, as far as I could see, without fault. In fact he acted just as I had always thought the Savior would act. His voice was deep and rich, his manner gentle and kindly, and yet, when he drove the merchants out of the temple, his anger and passion were marvelous. As I watched him I thought, "That man must live a godly life or he could never pro- duce such a perfect characteriza- tion." Every character in the Play was well portrayed, but those that appealed to me most were Judas, John, Peter, and Mary Magdalene (outside of Alois Lang of course) . Next to A. Lang I thought Judas was the most perfectly characterized. His ac- tions, his look of greed, his fear,

The Improvement Era for September, 1930 733 and finally his remorse for the betrayal were perfectly conveyed. John, the beloved, was played by a light-haired boy of 21 years. He was almost an ideal John, — ■ loving, fearful for the safety of his Master, and true to the core to his ideals. Peter was also excellent. He, too, was practically perfect in his character, and when he de- nied his Master, (the three times before the crowing of the cock) he rose to sublime heights. Mary Magdalene radiated love and ad- oration, and was a marvelous act- ress. Her words at the close of the Play after she has seen Jesus and been told by him not to touch him were given with such spirit and warmth that I tingled all over. She had a beautiful speaking voice. T THOUGHT the entire Play was wonderful of course, but there were three parts that im- pressed me particularly. The first was when Jesus bade farewell to his mother at Bethany and told her that this was his earthly fare- well to her. This scene was full of emotion, and there was not a dry eye among the five thousand spectators. Some of the women were sobbing almost uncontrolla- bly. The second scene was when the Savior is in the Garden of Gethsemane and offers his prayer to the Lord, how he so gently rebuked the three disciples he had commissioned to keep watch while he prayed, for falling asleep, and the anguish of his words to his Father: "If it be possible, let the cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt." Peo- ple say this scene will make Alois Lang more famous than his rela- tive Anton in the role of the Sa- vior, even though there is little to choose between them. The third, and to me the most impres- sive, was the crucifixion. It was staged with startling reality, and, as if to add effect to the tragic scene, the sky darkened outside, and dull rays of light fell upon the three figures on the crosses. Jesus, with pain and resignation written on his white face, hung on the middle cross, and one of the thieves on each side of him. It was a magnificent and beautiful moment, when Jesus, after telling the one thief that he would be with him in paradise, looked down at the foot of the cross, and with a voice hushed with pain, but clear in its beauty, said to his mother, Anton Lang and His Family Mary: "Woman, behold thy son!" And as long as I live, I §hall never forget the last words of tortured anguish: "Eloi! Eloi! lama sab- achthani?" and then, with a voice scarcely above a whisper and yet audible throughout the whole au- ditorium, a voice that thrilled you with its sweet tone of resignation and relief, — "It is finished! Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit." TTHE entire Play was supple- mented with living tableaux that were the most beautiful and artistic I had ever seen, and the very last one showing the Savior ascending to heaven left me weak. These living pictures contributed a great deal to the beauty of the Play. I can't say any more about it all except that it was the most wonderful experience of my life, and it is my greatest hope, and will be my determined ambition to bring you and Dad over to see it the next time it is put on. A FTER the Play we talked to some of the characters, had our pictures taken with Anton Lang, "Mary," and "Mary Mag- dalene," (I am enclosing one of the latter, and will send some others later) and all of them were just as friendly and unassuming as they could be, but they do hate to have a fuss made over them. Alois Lang was going to dinner with the Queen of Roumania (of whom we also got a snap-shot) but we saw him walk through the street of the village after the Play tagged and hounded by autograph seekers. If the poor fellow man- ages to keep in his character all summer it will be a wonder. He seemed very gracious and anxious to please, despite the annoyance he must have felt. The people of that little village are just as charming and pleasing as they can be, and although there is a good deal of commercialism connected with the Passion Play now, you don't find the slightest hint of it among the people themselves. The next morning after bidding our dear old Frau Schmitt adieu, we caught our train for Munich, leaving behind one of the most beautiful villages in the world, but taking with us as our very own a beautiful memory .-.and, a fuller appreciation of the life of Jesus of Nazareth. -"K^JIVSO— A NOTED scientist has declared that before many years the chemical laboratory will be able to produce the identical alkaloids of nature such as lime, potash, soda, ammonia, etc., bearing all the char- acteristics essential to producing a productive soil. This will cer- tainly be a great achievement. But let it be remembered, there can be no soil productiveness without a seed germ planted in it; and after all, the secret of the seed's life, the one element which alone -can prove productiveness, will still be as-im- possible of imitation as it ever has been. God alone knows that se- cret, and he alone knows how to store it: and only he will impart or will not impart that secret to the chemist, '■■.-. — Arthur T. Pierson. .>: