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OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ARCHDIOCESE OF PERTH.
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Box 1633, G.P.O.
.111,0-41
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A CATHOLIC WEEKLY
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PRICE THREE PENCE
Registered at the G.P.O., Perth for Transmission by Post as a Newspaper. PERTH, SATURDAY, JULY 14, 1934.
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Phone B5447 SIXTIETH YEAR.
OBERAMMERGAU Germany's Famous Passion Play Notwithstanding the turmoil in Germany, the Passion Play at Ober. ammergau is still drawing thousands of visitors. Although Catholic associations are being dissolved, and the Nazi antipathy to Christianity fairly widespread, the government has spared no effort to advertise this "reverent representation of the greatest event in history.Critics explain that the financial advantages accruing from the influx of hundreds of thousands of visitors, has a "broadening" effect on the minds of the new pagans. Our religion in its official manifestations is impeached in Germany. but Catholic money from abroad is welcome. Already there are signs that Hitler's vaulting ambition has over-leaped itself. ALOIS LANG, Ohriatus, 1934. ill I
sess the dramatic values of being presented only once in ten years and because of a vow in thanksgiving for a great favour. As most people know, the villagers of 'Oberammergau, began their play as a thanks-offering for deliverance from a plague which was That devastating the countryside. was in 1634, and this year's series of performances, the first of which took place recently, commemorate the 300th. Previously anniversary of the vow. the Play was presented at the beginning of every decade, unless circumstances were prohibitive as in 1920. when the post-war poverty made it necessary to postpone the perform-. ances to 1922.
The Passion Play at Oberammergau gains much of its attraction because it is unusual in our days. and there is a lesson to be learned in the realisation that it was born in a time when such plays were by no means unique, but had been the common joy of villagers everywhere for centuries, writes J. B. Firth, in the ", 'atholic Fireside.'' The "Reformation- gradually killed them, as it killed se many other simple pleasures, and to-clay, because the play at Oberammergau almost alone survives, it attracts thousands. even of t hose to whom its theme is vague, but It is probable that the non-comwho love a "survival" and anything to which history is attached. The ma- mercial character of the Oberammerjority of people, including all Catholics, gau Play has appealed to many in are primarily concerned with the Ober- this century of Big Business; to Chrisammergau Passion Play because it pre- tians as a relief from the character of sents the sacred subject dramatically the world in .which they live, and to and in a way which cannot be wit- the worshippers of Mammon as a surprising relic of mediavalism. The vilnessed elsewhere to-day. lagers of Oberammergau have never There are a few people who question attempted to make money out of' their the propriety of presenting on a stage Play ,which is performed primarily beso sacred a study as the Passion and cause of the vow made by their an Death of Our Lord. Vet if the Church c estors. bong ago there were not w ere to accept the view that Our even charges for admission, and a Lord's life and death should not be charge is only made nowadays because dramatised then iogicallY a prescrip- the village built a tremendously largt tion might be extended to books on theatre (of currugated metal and the same subject --while the iconoclasts steel), to shelter the ever-growing ‘Yould delight in still further extend- army of spectators. But the stage ing the prescription to the Church it- still remains open to the sky, as it has self and banning the drama of Pas- always been, down the centuries. sion Week and Holy Week from her temples. The most surprising act of the vii Centuries ago, when reading was not the common accomplish- lagers—in worldly eyes—has been the ment it is to-day. the Church was refusal of large sums for the motion Pleased to adopt dramatic methods picture "rights" of the Play; some re, 01 impressing on the faithful the essen- ports place the offers they received in tial facts about our Redemption. In 1930 as high as two hundred thousand that way the Liturgy grew op, with pounds. Since no Oberammergau' ri'Variety of colours in vestments, the dweller is even passing rich and taxa LraPing of altars and the decoration of tion has been fairly heavy in Germany churches at Now in recent years, there was a real temp• that almost appropriate times. But everybody can read it re- tation in the offers thus made. mains as necessary for the Church to when asked about it the chief people. maintain these methods of teaching of the village only shrugged their the People They were too polite to can read —because, alas, though all shoulders. in our generation, far toe tell the well-meaning offerers what they nti ha.n.Y have lost the faculty of regular thought about so intrinsically insulting Hence it is that -books alone a proposal. a reI.,s nking. not enough to remind es of what The atmosphere surrounding the pro• °light never to forget: the suffer-. ings of Christ for us. duction of the Passion Play is as elevated as one could expect from sq The Passion Play at Oberammergau genuinely Catholic a village as Ober 15 not the only reminder which the ammergau. For instance, the inquiry P°st-" . permd has been into the personality of a candidate for unableReformatio to t; Plas-5 in abolish: there are Passion a part in the Play is a very rigid one. at gal other German towns, notably A s he or she will be expected to live an 'sullrg. These latter, however. exemplary life during the eighteen at or no means as complete as that months of preparation the individual's )erammergao, and they don't pose capacity for a spiritual life is the prim APO.-44W
Hence a tinker, ary consideration. tailor, scluptor or artist may be closer for a leading part because worldly standards do not even influence the choice.
ANNA RUTZ, Our Lady, 1934.
Many of the mass-production age. players are expert craftsmen in wood and clay, and their work was on exhibition in London some years back.
After the cast is selected the general arrangements for the Passion Play are in the hands of a committee compos A feature of the Passion Play is the ed of fourteen common counsellors. Es lengthy prologue which (in German) timates of the recent plays places the tells of the Fall of Man and the Proentire number of persons engaged in mise of the Redeemer. Before each the performances at a little more than subsequent act a short announcement a thousand individuals, which repre made, and the orchestra plays dursents a fair proportion of the total vil- is the infrequent intervals. Very few The music is fur- ing lage population. spectators find the length of time trynished by an orchestra of fifty pieces ing, which is the best tribute which with a chorus of equal number, the can be paid to the reverent yet drascore being interpretative of the early matic treatment of the sacred theme. chants developed in the German mon- How few could sit for eight hours at asteries. After the performances besecular drama, or even an opera? gin the leading actors leave their re- a gular occupations to their families or The players who took the chief roles employees and devote themselves en- in the 1930 series have been cast for tirely to living the role assumed. the same parts this year. Anton Lang, the Christus of 1922. will speak the proBaOberammergau is situated in the Alois Lang— logue as he did in 1930. varian Alps, some three or four thouto him, for there distantly related only sand feet up, about two hours' journey are about 200 Langs in the village— from Munich. In winter the village is will again be the Christus, and Annie frequently snowbound, but in Spring Rutz will be the Virgin Mary. as in and Summer its climate is equitable. 1930. This young lady spent some Because of the heavy snowfalls every time in England in 1931-32, helping her house has a large\ over-hanging roof, family in Oberammergau over the deand the protection thus afforded has pression period by engaging in domesenabled the craftsmen of the village to tic service here, and incidentally impaint on the walls, a fashion which proving her knowledge of English. gives a touch of 'fairyland to the surroundings. Most of the paintings are The Magadalene of 1930, Hansi Preiof Our Lady or other religious sub- singer, is now married, and it is the jects. unwritten law of the village that no married woman may take part in the Visitors to the Passion Play arrive play. This is due to a Catholic reabout sunset and spend only two spect for the duties of domestic life requirnights in the village, as room is which do not permit of eighteen ed for the succeeding visitors, who months' training and complete absencome to the number of four or five ces from home. on three days of each thousand for each of the tri-weekly week during the performances. Conperformances. It is no mean achieve- sequently the soprano soloist of the ment for the villagers to cater for so last plays. Klara Mayr, will take the large an influx, considering that at part of Magdalene—a role she is not other times the visitors are few and likely to repeat, as she is engaged to There is only one hotel the son of Anton Lang. now teaching far between. in the place, which suffices for the nor- in the Catholic University. of Georgemal requirements. town. Peter Rendl had been The Play takes eight hours to pre- chosen to play again the part of St. sent and begins at eight o'clock in the Peter, but he died this .year, and Humorning, carrying on without a break bert Mayr—a relative of Klara Mayr— until midday, when there is a two-hour has been chosen to fill his place. Promptly at luncheon adjournment. Thousands of people, Catholic and two o'clock all spectators must be in their seats again to see the remainder non-Catholic, from our countries, will of the Play which goes on utitil six visit Oberammergau this year and take o'clock. Visitors spend the remainder back from a little village othefwise lost of the evening admiring the wood- on the world a breath of that quality carvings and pottery made by the vil- which makes both for genius and perlagers and on the sale of which the manence: sincere spirituality. May it majority of the people exist—and a be reflected in our midst for all of us not very luxurious existence in this have need of it in some measure!
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