The Passion Play in Oberammergau Germany
by Janet Serra
How to See The Passion Play in Oberammergau | My Promise Kept
Why you should attend the masterpiece Passion Play
The village of Oberammergau, Germany.
I believe in promises. They are powerful commitments that should be treasured and held close. I believe that promises define the true character and integrity of a person and, of a place. The German village of Oberammergau is one of those places. It is a place where a promise has been kept by this very special community for almost 400 years. A place like that is somewhere that pulls you back, time, and time again.
As the story goes, after the village of Oberammergau had been ravaged by the Thirty Years War and the bubonic plague in 1633, the people of the town made a solemn promise to perform the “Play of Suffering, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ” if the village was spared. Miraculously, after this promise was made, the death rate declined and those that were sick quickly regained their health. Believing that they had been spared and true to their word, the people of Oberammergau performed their first Passion Play in 1634. They have performed it every ten years since that time - with the exception of a ban in 1770, 1920-1922 due to WWI, 1940, due to WWII, and 2020 due to COVID-19. The Passion Play is scheduled for 2022, it’s 388th year, making it one of the longest-running and most sought after performances in the world.
About 20 years ago I promised myself to visit this picturesque Bavarian hamlet to experience the Passion Play, an unforgettable dramatization of the resurrection of Christ. I really enjoyed myself the first time… and the year 2020 got me thinking… perhaps, I should make a “pilgrimage” there once again in 2022. I wanted to experience this wonder of wonders where 2,000 citizens out of 3,500 participate in keeping a 400-year-old promise once again. I think that if there is ever a show to see just one more time in Europe, this is it! After coping with 2020, I was overdue to enjoy an uplifting experience of hope, joy, and commitment.
Sights and Shops in Oberammergau
Nestled in the breathtaking mountain landscape of the Bavarian Alps, Oberammergau is a picture-perfect fairytale town. The main street is lined with some of the most elaborate wood-carved alpine houses and craft shops that I have ever seen. I was endlessly tempted with beautiful woodcarvings that would look perfect on my bookshelf and mantel. This trip I can’t wait to pick up all those woodcarvings that I left behind on the first trip - which of course is another good reason for a return visit! Oberammergau’s woodcarvings are some of the most sought after in the world and it is easy to see why. Woodcarving has a 500 plus year history here that goes as far back as the 12th century. The craftsmanship of woodcarving has been handed down from generation to generation bringing the families living in this famous Passion Play village international acclaim. There is a small museum in town that displays handcrafted objects from the 17th century. To watch a woodworking demonstration visit Pilatushaus, located next to the museum, best known for its paintings on its facade and its ground floor living woodworking shop.
As I recall, one of the most notable families in Oberammergau is the Albl family, whose linage can be traced back to 1556. Albl is one of the three family names that survived the plague in 1633. The family’s woodworking expertise goes back 14 generations - and, I can’t wait to visit their new gallery conveniently located across from the Passion Play Theater. The Albl Art Gallery offers a fine selection of crucifixes, statues of saints, nativity scenes, miniature triptychs, and religious relief carvings.
Another shop I am looking forward to seeing again is called Toni Baur that has a variety of woodcarvings with designs dating from 14th-century originals. I like the fact that I can find items in a variety of sizes, the smaller and lighter the better! They offer an excellent selection of hand-carved saints and secular figures, reliefs, and nativity sets. I love to pick up Christmas decorations when I travel, so my next planned stop will be Kathe Wohlfahrt’s Christkindlmarkt. As I recall, this is a treasure trove of nutcrackers, incense smokers, candle arches, and tree ornaments of wood, glass, and pewter. I can’t wait to get there!
This time I am also planning for more time to just wander the village and take photos of the colorful neighborhoods off the main drag. Once you are off the beaten path you will feel like you have magically become a character in a fairytale…think the Brothers Grim and the pastoral life of leisure of times gone by. Many of the houses on the narrow winding streets are artfully carved and adorned with colorful paintings and frescoes depicting stories and characters referred to as Luftlmalerei (air painting) in German.
Some of the best examples of wood carving can be found in churches. One church that is a must is the Rococo Oberammergau Church of St, Peter and Paul that was consecrated in 1749. The grand interior is elaborately carved and embellished with ample use of marble and gold. The workmanship and carving is exquisite. There are also several chapels located on the grounds of the church in addition to a cemetery with interesting headstones.
Being a fan of poor mad King Ludwig II of Bavaria and builder of nearby Neuschwanstein Castle, I want to make sure to get a photo of the sculpture that he donated to the town. Ludwig II attended a special performance of the Passion Play in 1871. He was so inspired by the performance that he donated a marble crucifixion to the town in 1875 that sits on Osterbichle Mountain. The inscription of this 58-ton sculpture reads, “From King Ludwig II in memory of the Passion Play.” It has a coat of arms similar to the coat of arms at the entrance to the Neuschwanstein Castle. After King Ludwig’s mysterious death, the Oberammergau residents light a bonfire each year on August 24, the eve of King Ludwig’s birthday in his in honor.
Dining
After all this exploring, I worked up quite an appetite and decided to treat myself to a real Bavarian meal. For lunch, I decided to dine at Ammergauer Maxbrau, a traditional Bavarian restaurant. They brew their own beer and offer a must-have dish called Kaiserschmarrn, a sweet pancake with nuts and apples named after Austrian Emperor Franz Joseph I. As for dinner, during the show break, I am making a reservation at my favorite restaurant in town, Mundart that serves up excellent regional modern cuisine. Although the building is nondescript near the train station, the food is excellent. I really enjoyed the smoked duck starter and followed it up with braised beef cheeks with a sweet parsnip mousseline and vegetable chips.
The Passion Play
I can’t wait to see the 42nd installment of the play in 2022. It is intriguing to think that the citizens of this tiny hamlet have maintained their promise through the centuries. Sitting in the vast open-air theatre I feel like I am sharing a part of a 400-year history. The performance is about five hours long and all in German. Last time I saw the performance I was given a script in English so that I could keep up with the action on stage. The performance is easy to follow, especially if you know your biblical history.
There are more than 2,000 townspeople participating that bring the story of Jesus of Nazareth to life. The play starts with Jesus entering Jerusalem and ends with his death on the cross and the resurrection. The play itself is divided into twelve scenes. Scenes one to six form the first part that begins in the afternoon and scenes seven to twelve begin in the evening after a three-hour break. Each scene is preceded by the choir that seems to be commenting on the meaning of the performance with a tableau vivant of real people representing paintings. I found these “living pictures” fascinating because of the references to the Old Testament and the foreshadowing of what awaits. To me, the choir breaks between each scene offer a perfect moment for reflection.
The ancient text of Oberammergau evolves with every ten-year performance in order to keep up with the times and to make it true to contemporary understanding of the historical sources. I can see that performing in the Passion Play is a point of pride for many citizens that live here. Locals told me that roles often run in families, with some able to trace the roles members of their families played back many generations. To me, this is the epitome of commitment and something to be treasured in this modern world we live in.
Few of us today think about a promise we have made a year ago; the citizens of Oberammergau see themselves as keepers of their culture and honor the obligation that their ancestors vowed so many centuries ago…that certainly is a promise kept.
Tours of Distinction is offering two distinct, once-in-a-lifetime tours to the Passion Play and I plan on joining.
Sounds of Bavaria
Germany & Austria featuring the Passion Play
Why Tours of Distinction?
2 distinct adventures available in 2022 to witness the captivating and exclusive Passion Play in Oberammergau Germany
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