The Passion of Christ
in Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany
by: Bobby McDonald
Photos Courtesy of "Oberammergau Passion Play 2010"
Editor's note: Eight Hopkins County residents will be leaving on June 6th, 2010, for an exciting trip to Oberammergau to see the once a decade production of the 41st Passion Play.
Oberammergau, Bavaria, is located in the Ammer Valley of the Ammergau Alps, in Southern Germany. And, it was in 1632 that Europe was in the midst of the Thirty Year War (1618-1648), suffering from death, destruction, widespread poverty and disease. Most frightening was the spread of the bubonic plague, that was "wiping out" entire villages. Ten miles away in the village of Eschenlohe, a village that was already gripped by the plague, a young farm laborer that was a native of Oberammergau, named Kaspar Schisler, decided to return home to his village to see his parents and attend a celebration. Unknowingly, he took the plague with him and a day or two later, the young man and his family with him, were dead. Records show that by October of 1632, some 84 members of the Oberammergau village were dead from the plague, the heart of the tiny little German Alps village was crushed.
However, not knowing how the plague was spread, villagers believed it was the wrath of God and he was scourging them with "war, pestilence, and famine." The village leaders took matters in their own hand in July 1633 and called all members of the village that were well enough to walk, together. The townspeople made their way to the church and vowed around the altar that if God would spare their village from more death, that they would perform a passion play depicting the last weeks of Christ's life, his crucifixion, and resurrection.
From that day on, there were no more deaths in the village. And, the members of the village have kept their vow, as they have performed the play each and every ten years (twice there have been postponed performances) to mark the salvation of the village. The small village with only a population of some 5,000 inhabitants, began the 2010 Passion Play on May 15, 2010 and it will run through October 2010, with 102 performances. The major parts in the play have two local villagers playing each part, and over half the village's inhabitants are in the production. One must live in the village for at least 20 years or must be a native of the area, to be considered for a part in the production. The cast includes over 2,000 members.
The 2010 production will be featured in 2 parts (acts), with the first one beginning at 2:30 in the afternoon and then a three-hour dinner break will be taken, and participants will return for the second act. This season's production is directed by Christian Stuckl, director at the Munich's noted Volkstheater. Deputy director will be Otto Huber and costume design is by Stefan Hageneier. Music director is Marxus Zwink and conductor is Michael Bocklet.
The beautiful Bavarian Alps region of Germany is also home to breathtaking scenery, Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, both Staffelsee and Kochelsee Lakes, and the Church at Wieskrche in Steingaden. Nearby is the famous Neuschwanstein Castle, built by Ludwig II and the Pollat Gorge Bridge. Beautiful architecture, tole painted murals, and awesome scenes abound at every turn.
"The Black Death," or the Bubonic Plague, killed almost half of the European population from the 1300's to the late 1600's, and was traced to unsanitary conditions, rodent infestations, and the transmission of the disease by fleas. Hardly a family in the European region was not affected by the death of some family member. Some believe the orgins of the Bubonic Plague can even be found in the Bible, where in I Samuel 5:6 a reference is made to "The Plague of Ashdod." However, others think this may have been Typhus.
Victims of the Bubonic Plague were said to "eat lunch with their friends and dinner with their ancestors," referring to the swiftness the victims died once infected with the disease.
Some make claims that the folk song "Ring Around the Rosie" had its origin, and talks about the plague....with "ring around the rosie" making reference to to the actual bite of the flea and the area on the skin..."pocket full of posies" is reference to some believing that flowers in the pocket kept the fleas away and formed a line of protection, and the "ashes to ashes" refers to the many, many who succumbed to the disease. Other folklorist deny the association to the popular folk song.
The Bubonic Plague has been referenced in a number of other literature classics, songs, and written documents. The Bubonic Plague is still present in the world today, and claims some 1,000 to 3,000 victims annually, mainly in Russia, the Middle East, China, Southeast and Southwest Asia, the Andes Mountains, and Brazil. Infections of the disease are also present in the U.S., with most victims living in two distinct regions, the Northern New Mexico-Northern Arizona-Southern Colorado Region, or the California-Southern Oregon-Western Nevada Region. However, today, the disease once diagnosed can be treated with antibiotics, streptomycin and tetracycline.
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