OBERAMMERGAU
ITS PASSION PLAY AND PLAYERS
A 20th Century
Pilgrimage
to a
Modern Jerusalem and a New Gethsemane
[View Figure]
Anton Lang.
OBERAMMERGAU
ITS PASSION PLAY
AND PLAYERSA 20th Century
Pilgrimage
to a
Modern Jerusalem and a New Gethsemane
LOUISE PARKS-RICHARDS
COVER DESIGNCARL VON MARR
Professor in the Royal Academy of Munich
PILOTY & LOEHLE
MUNICH,
MAY 1910.
SECOND EDITION, AUGUST, 1910.
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COPYRIGHTED
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MAY 1910
Dr. C. Wolf & Sohn
K. Hof- und Universitäts-Buchdruckerei
Lithographisehe Kunstanstalt
Munich.
page: [7][View Page [7]]To the memory of my beloved friend, Frau Emma Lang, the worthy daughter of a noble father, the late Bürgermeister Lang, and of her baby girl, the little God child who bore the name Louise Parks Richards Lang, both of whose graves are now in the village churchyard of Oberammergau.
page: [8][View Page [8]]CONTENTS
- Passion Play Performers 10
- Bavarian Railway Time table Munich-Oberammergau-Garmisch-Partenkirchen 12
- Preface 17
- Preface to second edition 19
- A Modern Pilgrimage 40
- The Passion Play 48
- After the Passion Play 107
- Preparations for the Passion Play-- Assignment of rôles 119
- Happiness and Heart Aches of the Passion Play Players 147
- Ludwig II - The Patron King of Oberammergau 183
- The Wood Carvers of Oberammergau 222
- Commercialization of the Passion Play-- Business Methods in Oberammergau 244
- Oberammergau in Summer 257
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
- Frontispiece-- Anton Lang 4
- Bird's eye view of Oberammergau 20
- Village Church-- in winter 31
- Monastery of Ettal 34
- Daisenberger Strasse 36
- Georg Lang House 39
- The Kofel in winter 41
- A coming Oberammergau actor 47
- Passion Play Theater 49
- Leader of the Chorus, Jakob Rutz 51
- Prologue Anton Lechner 53
- Entrance into Jerusalem 57
- Jesus and the Apostles 59
- Jesus with Simon of Bethany 65
- Jesus and Mary Magdalene 67
- Jesus's Meeting with His Mother 69
- Peter and John 73
- Judas and the thirty pieces of silver 79
- Betrayal kiss 81
- Gregor Breitsamer as Caiaphas 85
- Hearing before Pilate 89
- Jesus before Herod 91
- Pilate Washing his Hands 95
- Jesus on the way to Golgatha 99
- Mary Magdalene-- Marie Mayr 105
- Grave of Bürgermeister Lang 111
- All Hail! Thou Son of David! 117
- Hauling Saw Logs 123
- Workmen on the Passion Play Stage 125
- Turkish Music in Oberammergau 131
- A happy chorus girl 132
- Little Oberammergauer Actors 135
- Josepha Lang with her sewing girls 137
- Ludwig Lang 139
- Peter-- announcing the hour for rehearsals 145
- Rochus Lang as King Herod of 1900 149
- Rochus Lang and his grandson Ludwig-- 1910 151
- Josef Mayr as Prologist of 1900 153
- Bürgermeister Lang as Caiaphas 155
- Anton Lang in his work shop 157
- Anton Lang and Family 1910 159
- Carl-- 1910 161
- Marie Mayr, Magdalena 163
- Ottile Zwinck 165
- Ottile Zwinck as Claudia 167
- Johann Zwinck, painting his house 169
- Gregor Lechner as Judas 173
- Thomas Rendl, 1910 175
- Peter Rendl as John, 1900 177
- Alfred Bierling-- John 1910 179
- Barrabas of 1900 181
- The humble beast 182
- King Max II and Queen Marie 185
- King Ludwig II at the age of 18 187
- Richard Wagner-- 1864 189
- Neuschwanstein 197
- Crucifixion Group 201
- Linderhof 203
- King Ludwig II-- 1871 205
- Füssen 209
- Luitpold, Prince Regent 217
- Anton Schiestl-- stage driver 225
- Museum 227
- Wood Carving School 229
- Interior of Wood Carving School 231
- Andreas Lang at his wood carving bench-- 1910 235
- Little Granddaughter of Lang 237
- Little Oberammergauer actors 239
- Little Grandson of Lang 241
- A coming actor 243
- Plan of theatre 256
- Grave of Rev. Mc Cracken 259
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page: [10][View Page [10]]The Passion Play Performers of 1910.
Manager: Director Ludwig Lang
Assistant Manager: Hans Mayr
Prologue: Anton Lechner
Leader of chorus: Jacob Rutz.
- Christ Anton Lang
- John Alfred Bierling
- Peter Andreas Lang
- Judas Iscariot Johann Zwink
- Caiaphas Gregor Breitsamter
- Annas Sebastian Lang
- Pontius Pilate Sebastian Bauer
- King Herod Hans Mayr
- Nathaniel Ruppert Breitsamter
- Mary Ottilie Zwink
- Magdalene Marie Mayr
- Archelaus Rabbi Wilhelm Rutz
- Joseph of Arimathea Peter Rendl
- Nicodemus Wilhelm Lang
- Ezekiel Sebastian Schauer
- Simon of Bethany Thomas Rendl
- Simon of Cyrene Andreas Kratz
- Longinus, a Roman Captain Anton Haser
- Sadoc Martin Oppenrieder
- Joshua Melchior Breitsamter
- Dariabus Rochus Lang
- James the Elder Mathias Dedler
- Andrew Alois Gerold senior
- Philipp Andreas Braun
- Thaddaeus Joseph Kurz
- Matthew Joseph Albrecht
- Thomas Anton Mayer
- James the younger Benedikt Klucker
- Bartholomew Balthasar Keller
- Simon Martin Hohenleitner
- Selpha, leader of a gang Peter Nairz junior
- Dathan Andreas Mayr
- Esron Joseph Haser
- Ephraim Roman Gast
- Kore Joseph Hohenleitner
- Moses Alois Guggemos
- Albiron Emanuel Lang
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- Booz Andreas Lindele
- Eleazar Anton Albl
- Gaad, witness Michael Deisenberger
- Nun, " Sebastian Albl
- Raphim, " Leopold Mayer
- Eliab Johann Hett
- Mark, Publican Andreas Stadler
- Lazarus Richard Lang
- Martha Viktoria Bauer
- Rabinth Eduard Uhl
- Ptolomäus Alois Samm senior
- Samuel Georg Schallhammer
- Aser Andreas Albl
- Amiel Johann Lang senior
- Gerson Andreas Albrecht
- Oziel Dominikus Klammer
- Amon Andreas Bö1d
- Merari Klement Gindhard
- Jehosaphat Martin Liebherr
- Nathan Joseph Bierling
- Salamon Peter Nairz senior
- Saras Andreas Wiedemann
- Ameram Peter Maderspacher
- Balsam Heinrich Gebhard
- Gamaliel Martin Haser
- Jacob Rabbi Alois Schmid
Chief Controller: Franz Rutz.
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[View Figure]
Time table Munich-- Murnau-Oberammergau.
Arrival of trains in the Starnberger Bahnhof.
[View Figure]
Time table Oberammergau-Murnau-- Munich.
Departure of trains in the Starnberger Bahnhof.
[View Figure]
Photograph by Lorenz Fränzl, Munich
Passion Play Theater-- erected in 1900
Preface.
THIS little book is not intended in the strictest sense as a guide to Oberammergau, but rather as a sketchbook of personal reminiscences for those English speaking visitors who may wish to see the Oberammergauer and his Passion Play with the interest of intimate acquaintance, thereby obtaining an insight into the actuating motives as well as immediate influences that are brought to bear on the sacred drama.
In a residence abroad of nearly twenty years, ten of which were spent in Munich, less than three hours from Oberammergau, the writer had the opportunity of often visiting this village of the Ammer. Not content with merely seeing its plays, which she witnessed many times, she finally went to live among its people.
Speaking their tongue, and understanding the dialect of the Bavarian Highlands, she did not come to them as a foreigner, but as one of them, between whom and herself there were no barriers of misunderstanding. Months at a time spent with the Oberammergauers in their own homes, where she shared their daily lives and personal interests, brought them to her in a very close relationship.
There was however a still closer bond. As the wife of an artist, the distinguished American painter, the late Samuel Richards, who had been a student for many years in the Royal Academy of Munich, their own Capital, she met them with a sympathetic appreciation of their artistic occupations and aspirations, and thus she came to see in the Oberammergauer the reflex of an artistic, as well as religious, soul. Her page: 18[View Page 18] view point, therefore, is taken from a personal acquaintance with the Oberammergauers, and an intimate knowledge of their lives, their work, and their ambitions.
For official information relative to the performances of 1910, grateful acknowledgements are hereby made to Bürgermeister Bauer and members of the town council, as well as those of the Passion Play Comittee, to whose records she was given access. For much of the historical data and various matters of personal interest, indebtedness is hereby recognized to Herr Ludwig Lang, the gifted artist, director of the wood carving school and of the Passion Play: to Herr Guido Lang, Postmaster, one of the worthy exponents of the intelligence, graciousness and culture in Oberammergau: to Frau Hermine Diemer and her valuable book on Oberammergau and Its Passion Play: lastly to the all inclusive number of personal friends, who have never failed to contribute to the comfort and delight of the writer in their Oberammergau homes, where she has been made to forget all the world outside.
Special indulgence is hereby asked of the reader for the incompleteness of this booklet, both as regards the literary and typographical shortcomings. Owing to the limited time allowed for its preparation, (it was written in Oberammergau during the six weeks previous to the opening of the Passion Play) together with the absence of a proof reader, these pages must of necessity be generously sprinkled with errors. In corresponding humility it is solicited that a not too critical judgment be meted out either to printer or writer.
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page: [19][View Page [19]]Preface to second edition.
AN unexpected demand for the first edition of this little book is the excuse for its reappearance, in the same dress, and under the same cover design by our distinguished artist whose name alone has its note of interest to every American. A few additional illustrations have been added to the reproductions of official photographs and kodak views.
In conformity with the desire of many of my English speaking readers for a general plan of the Passion Play performance without the minutiae of detail, a more complete synopsis of the libretto has been incorporated in this edition.
It is hoped this will meet the demand of those who do not wish to lose sight of the stage itself while following the translation of a full text, whose words after all are not in the language spoken on the stage. The marvellous colour scheme, and the artistic design of the play, as it is unrolled in a succession of scenes and tableaux, do not allow of a moment's diversion from the stage, even to study the words of a text, without a sacrifice on the part of the spectator of much of the beauty of the performance.
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[View Figure]
Copr F. Bruckmann, Ltd. Munich
Bird's eye view of Oberammergau.
