History of the Passion Play

At the beginning a solemn promise was made: During the Thirty Years' War the Black Death came to Oberammergau in the year 1632. In 1633 nearly every family bemoaned one or more victims as a consequence of the Black Death.

At the Cemetery (Beinhof) the Black Death invalids promised to act the history of Jesus Christ every ten years. The inhabitants of Oberammergau erected a Symbol for Jesus Christ. This is testified by an etching of the artist Hans Schwaighofer from Oberammergau.

On Pentecost 1634 the inhabitants of Oberammergau acted the Play on a stage which was built at the cemetery and constructed over the fresh graves of the Black Death victims.

Transcript of the oldest Passion Play Lyrics document that could be saved. The majority of the 4,902 verses emanates from two much older Passion Plays dating before 1634: A Middle Age Passion Play (Second half of the 15th century) whose manuscript was found at the benedictine monastery St. Ulrich und Afra in Augsburg. The second text is the Passion "Tragedi" of the singer Sebastian Wild from Augsburg dating from 1566.

5th Passion Play Year -

After 1634, 1644, 1654 and 1664:
Enhancement of the passionlyrics by scenes which were taken from the "Weilheim Passionplay" (1600, 1615) of the priest J. Älb who also copied it from a mediaveal draft. For the first time the Passion Plays were acted by musical parts. In front of the Gothic Cross which is located at the altar of the today´s Oberammergauer Local parish church, the Passion Play was praised during the Black Death in 1633.

6th Passion Play Year -

The Local Authority determines to act the Passion Play in a ten years rhythm.

12th Passion Play Year -

The lyrics versions are written by the Oberammergauer priest and the Rottenbucher probst Clemens Praser (1703-1770). Presumably two acts.

13th Passion Play Year -

Announcement of the Rationalistic Age that the sanctified secrets should be disclosed and not be played on stage. As a consequence the citizens of Oberammergau answered with reorganisation. The Ettaler benedictine Ferdinand Rosner (1709-1778) was a religious, skilled and experienced man of the theatre and rhetoric. He registered all 8,457 verses of the spiritual baroque theatre. Rosner Lyrics are widely distributed in Bavaria.

Oberammergau becomes the overall concept for other Passion Play locations. Direction and single innovations of the lyrics by Joseph A. Daisenberger (1799-1833, since 1845 local priest in Oberamergau). Mr. Daisenberger's puplic educational activiy evolves the dramatical and historic work.

An elected Passion Play comission will organize the Play. For the first time statistic reports in English and French about the Passion Play.

(Picture: A. Daisenberger 1799-1883)

32nd Passion Play Year -

420,000 spectators at the new stagining of G. J. Langs (please see picture, below) see for the first time a modern-directed theatre. Simplicity and artistic concentration of scenography.

Subordination of all configurations to create an uniform expression. Georg J. Lang and his brother, the architect Raimund Lang, are replacing the historical stage of 1980 by a clear ascetical and monumental new stage and even the spectators hall is ampliefied to 5,200 seats.

39th Passion Play Year -

There is an alternation of generations at the Local Authority in 1984. It is decided to act the Daisenberger Passion of 1990. Then suddenly the election of the youngest director ever. It is the 27-year- old sculptor Christian Stückl. The question, whether married and elder women are allowed to act was decided by court favourably, too. (Altogether almost 480,000 visitors watch the Passion Play).

Year 2000, 40th Passion Play Year -

The struggling for fulfilling the solemn promise in a right way - traditionally or contemporaryly- continues. In this context Oberammergau becomes the Bavarian community with the highest number of public decision.

No 1 (1996): The decision whether the text by Rosner or by Daisenberger is the base for 2000 is decided in favour of Daisenberger again.

No 2(1997): As a result of the puplic decision Christian Stückl is appointed director instead of conservative Dr. Rudolf Zwink.

No 3(1997): The final result of the three suggestions for a new design of the outside of the Passion Play Theatre - a) traditionally made of wood b) modern with a lot of plate glas c) modern realistic- is number three.

Also in 1997 an agreement with the Catholic Church is made.
The Cardinal of the archdiocese Munich-Freising assumes patronage for the Passion Play if the warrantor chosen by himself consents with arrangement and lyrics.