Oberammergau is a municipality in the district of

Garmisch-Partenkirchen Garmisch-Partenkirchen (; ) is an Northern Limestone Alps, Alpine mountain resort, ski town in Bavaria, southern Germany. It is the seat of government of the Garmisch-Partenkirchen (district), district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (abbreviated ...

, in

Bavaria Bavaria, officially the Free State of Bavaria, is a States of Germany, state in the southeast of Germany. With an area of , it is the list of German states by area, largest German state by land area, comprising approximately 1/5 of the total l ...

Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...

. The small town on the Ammer River is known for its woodcarvers and woodcarvings, for its

NATO School The NATO School Oberammergau in southern Germany is NATO's key training facility on the operational level. The School started with two courses in 1953 and now offers over 100 different courses to Alliance members and partners on subjects relate ...

, and around the world for its 380-year tradition of mounting

Passion Play The Passion Play or Easter pageant is a dramatic Play (theatre), presentation depicting the Passion of Jesus: his Sanhedrin Trial of Jesus, trial, suffering and death. The viewing of and participation in Passion Plays is a traditional part of L ...

History

Passion Play

The

Oberammergau Passion Play The Oberammergau Passion Play () is a passion play that has been performed every 10 years from 1634 to 1674 and each decadal year since 1680 (with a few exceptions) by the inhabitants of the village of Oberammergau, Bavaria, Germany. It was wr ...

was first performed in 1634. According to local legend, the play is performed every ten years because of a vow made by the inhabitants of the village that if God spared them from the effects of the

bubonic plague Bubonic plague is one of three types of Plague (disease), plague caused by the Bacteria, bacterium ''Yersinia pestis''. One to seven days after exposure to the bacteria, flu-like symptoms develop. These symptoms include fever, headaches, and ...

then sweeping the region, they would perform a passion play every ten years. A man traveling back to the town for Christmas allegedly brought the plague with him by accident. The man purportedly died from the plague and it began spreading throughout Oberammergau. After the vow was made, according to tradition, not another inhabitant of the town died from the plague. All of the town members that were still suffering from the plague are said to have recovered. The play is now performed in years ending with a zero, as well as in 1934 which was the 300th anniversary and 1984 which was the 350th anniversary (though the 1920 performance was postponed to 1922 due to postwar economic conditions, and the 1940 performance was cancelled due to the onset of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

in 1939). The 2020 was postponed to 2022 due to the outbreak of COVID-19. It involves over 2,000 actors, singers, instrumentalists and technicians, all residents of the village.

Geography

Economy

Tourism

About half the inhabitants of Oberammergau took part in the once-a-decade Passion Play in 2010. Over 2,000 villagers performed the story of the

Passion of Jesus The Passion (from Latin , "to suffer, bear, endure") is the short final period before the death of Jesus, described in the four canonical gospels. It is commemorated in Christianity every year during Holy Week. The ''Passion'' may include, amo ...

for the audiences from around the world. This was a labor-intensive community enterprise, in which only natives of the village could participate. Performances have taken place between mid-May and early October. The play has a major economic impact on Oberammergau. There is a local expression ''"Die Passion zahlt"'' ("The Passion Play will pay for it") in explaining how the Oberammergau community financed construction of a new community swimming pool, community centre, and other civic improvements. Since 1930, the number of visitors has ranged from 420,000 to 530,000. Most tickets are sold as part of a package with one or two nights' accommodation.

Traditional art

The village is also known as the home of a long tradition of woodcarving; the Bavarian State Woodcarving School is located there. Among the celebrated former students is the German artist

Wolfram Aichele Wolfram Aïchele (29 April 1924 – 9 June 2016) was an artist from Baden-Württemberg in Southern Germany. Son of the animal artist Erwin Aichele, Aïchele's Third Reich childhood is the subject of a 2011 book by the author and historian Gi ...

. His processional church staff depicting Christ on a donkey can be seen in the church of St Peter and St Paul. The streets of central Oberammergau are home to dozens of woodcarver shops, with pieces ranging from religious subjects, to toys, to humorous portraits. Oberammergau is also famous for its "

Lüftlmalerei Lüftlmalerei (also spelt ''Lüftelmalerei'') is a form of mural art that is native to villages and towns of southern Germany and Austria, especially in Upper Bavaria ( Werdenfelser Land) and in the Tyrol. Style The origin of the term is dispu ...

," or frescoes, of traditional Bavarian themes, fairy tales, religious scenes or architectural ''

trompe-l'œil ; ; ) is an artistic term for the highly realistic optical illusion of three-dimensional space and objects on a Two-dimensional space, two-dimensional surface. , which is most often associated with painting, tricks the viewer into perceiving p ...

'' found on many homes and buildings. Lüftlmalerei is common in

Upper Bavaria Upper Bavaria (, ; ) is one of the seven administrative regions of Bavaria, Germany. Geography Upper Bavaria is located in the southern portion of Bavaria, and is centered on the city of Munich, both state capital and seat of the district gove ...

and its name may be derived from an Oberammergau house called ''Zum Lüftl'', which was the home of facade painter Franz Seraph Zwinck (1748–1792). The village is also known for its religious art. A wooden statue of Our Lady of Good Voyage from Oberammergau stands in the

Seaport Shrine Our Lady of Good Voyage, also known as the Seaport Shrine, is a Roman Catholic church located at 51 Seaport Boulevard in the Seaport District of Boston and in the Archdiocese of Boston. The shrine has 250 seats and holds Mass twice daily and thre ...

Boston, Massachusetts Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

Transport

Oberammergau lies near the Bundesstraße 23, part of the ''Deutsche Alpenstrasse'' route. Its single-track, single platform railway station is the terminus of the

Ammergau Railway The Ammergau Railway or ''Ammergaubahn'' (sometimes called the ''Ammertalbahn'' or "Ammer Valley Railway", originally the ''Lokalbahn Murnau–Oberammergau'') is a single-tracked, electrified railway line in Bavaria in southern Germany. It runs f ...

. Several

Aerial lift An aerial lift, also known as a cable car or ropeway, is a means of cable transport in which ''cabins'', ''cars'', ''Gondola lift, gondolas'', or Chairlift, open chairs are hauled above the ground by means of one or more Wire rope, cables. Aeria ...

s climb the nearby mountains.

Military

The

Conrad von Hötzendorf Conrad may refer to: People * Conrad (name) * Saint Conrad (disambiguation) Places United States * Conrad, Illinois, an unincorporated community * Conrad, Iowa, a city * Conrad, Montana, a city * Conrad Glacier, Washington Elsewher ...

Kaserne was built just east of the village in 1935–37 as a base for the signals detachment (''Gebirgs-Nachrichten-Abteilung 54)'' of the Mountain Brigade. In October 1943, the barracks were taken over by the

Messerschmitt Messerschmitt AG () was a German share-ownership limited, aircraft manufacturing corporation named after its chief designer Willy Messerschmitt from mid-July 1938 onwards, and known primarily for its World War II fighter aircraft, in parti ...

company as a research and development site; of tunnels were bored into the neighboring Laber mountain for engine production facilities, and a winter sports hotel was also taken over. In all, Messerschmitt had 500 employees in the design department and about 1,300 more in the factory. At the end of the

, the Messerschmitt design department was visited by both U.S. and British scientific missions, as well as by teams from

Bell A bell /ˈbɛl/ () is a directly struck idiophone percussion instrument. Most bells have the shape of a hollow cup that when struck vibrates in a single strong strike tone, with its sides forming an efficient resonator. The strike may be m ...

(who stayed for five weeks) and

de Havilland The de Havilland Aircraft Company Limited (pronounced , ) was a British aviation manufacturer established in late 1920 by Geoffrey de Havilland at Stag Lane Aerodrome Edgware on the outskirts of North London. Operations were later moved to ...

.Christopher, p.156. Among the German staff interviewed by the

Fedden Mission The Fedden Mission was a British scientific mission sent by the Ministry of Aircraft Production to Germany at the end of the Second World War in Europe, to gather technical intelligence about German aircraft and aeroengines. It was named for the ...

were

Woldemar Voigt Woldemar Voigt (; 2 September 1850 – 13 December 1919) was a German mathematician and physicist. Biography Voigt was born in Leipzig, and died in Göttingen. He was a student of Franz Ernst Neumann. Voigt taught at the Georg August Universi ...

, Messerschmitt's chief designer,

Hans Hornung Hans G. Hornung is an emeritus Clarence Johnson, C. L. "Kelly" Johnson Professor of Aeronautics and former Director of the Guggenheim Aeronautical Laboratory of the California Institute of Technology (GALCIT). He received his bachelor (1960) and ...

, and Joseph Helmschrott.Christopher, p.157. After the war, the Americans occupied the kaserne, renaming it Hawkins Barracks and making it the primary facility of U.S. Army School Europe; over the next three decades schools in specialties ranging from military police to nuclear weapons handling were located there. The base reverted to German Army control and its original name in 1974.

, formerly NATO Weapons Systems School, the alliance's principal training and education facility on the operational level, has been located at Hawkins Barracks/Hötzendorf Kaserne since 1953.

Tongue-twister

The name of the village (as well as that of neighbouring

Unterammergau Unterammergau is a municipality in the district of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, in Bavaria, Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the nort ...

) appears in a well-known

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...

tongue-twister A tongue twister is a phrase that is designed to be difficult to articulate properly, and can be used as a type of spoken (or sung) word game. Additionally, they can be used as exercises to improve pronunciation and fluency. Some tongue twisters p ...

, often sung as a

round Round or rounds may refer to: Mathematics and science * Having no sharp corners, as an ellipse, circle, or sphere * Rounding, reducing the number of significant figures in a number * Round number, ending with one or more zeroes * Round (crypt ...

: * ''German:'' Heut' kommt der Hans zu mir, / freut sich die Lies. / Ob er aber über Oberammergau, / oder aber über Unterammergau, / oder aber überhaupt nicht kommt, / das ist net g'wiß! * ''English:'' Hans will come join with me, / rejoices Lies (Lies is most likely the shortened form (pet name) of the name Elizabeth). / If he comes by way of Oberammergau / or by way of Unterammergau, / or if at ''all'' he comes, / that is not sure!

Gallery

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 102-09463, Oberammergau.jpg, View of a street in Oberammergau, March 1930 File:Oberammergau1.JPG, Example of ''Lüftlmalerei'' decorating homes in Oberammergau File:Oberammergau, Baviera, Alemania, 2014-03-22, DD 27.JPG, Example of ''Lüftlmalerei'' decorating homes in Oberammergau File:Oberammergau3.JPG, Scene of Little Red Riding Hood decorating a home in Oberammergau File:Oberammergau Pilatushaus Gartenfassade.jpg, ''Lüftlmalerei'' adorning the facade of the ''Pilatushaus'' File:Iglesia de San Pedro y Pablo, Oberammergau, Baviera, Alemania, 2014-03-22, DD 28.JPG, The parish church of St. Peter and Paul File:Oberammergau Passionstheater 2010 3.jpg, View of the stage during the 2000 production File:Joseph Albert Oberammergauer Passionsspiel Kreuzigung.jpg, Crucifixion scene from the 1870 Passion Play File:Oberammergau Kreuzigungsgruppe.jpg, The ''Kreuzigungsgruppe'' File:Oberammergau Pilatushaus Garten Kruzifix.jpg, Traditional crucifix beside the ''Pilatushaus'' File:Oberammergau St Florian.jpg, Woodcarving of St Florian File:Oberammergau Bethlehem Anbetung der Hirten BNM.jpg, Nativity group, ca. 1840 File:Oberammergau Skulpturen Schaufenster.jpg, Woodcarvings for sale File:Oberammergau Pfarrkirche organ.jpg, Parish church: Organ gallery File:Oberammergau Pfarrkirche Decke.jpg, Parish church: Dome File:Kofel bei Oberammergau.jpg, The '' Kofel'', Oberammergau's signature mountain File:OberammergauFromKofel.jpg, Oberammergau from the summit of the ''Kofel'' File:Oberammergau Ammer 1900.jpg, The town and the river Ammer in 1900 File:Anno Domini 1633, Oberammergau D.jpg, Representation of the Passion of Christ on a house in Oberammergau

Notable people

Rochus Dedler Rochus Dedler (15 January 1779 – 17 October 1822) was a German composer. He is best known as the author of a stage music for the version of the ''Oberammergau Passion Play'' by Father . Life Dedler was born on 15 January 1779 in Oberammergau ...

(1779–1822), composer *

Johannes Kirchmayer Johannes Kirchmayer also known as John Kirchmayer (March 31, 1860 – November 29, 1930) was one of the leading woodcarvers in the United States, active primarily in the Boston area. Kirchmayer was born March 31, 1860, in Oberammergau, Bavari ...

(1860–1930) immigrated to the US in 1880, leading woodcarvers in

Boston Boston is the capital and most populous city in the Commonwealth (U.S. state), Commonwealth of Massachusetts in the United States. The city serves as the cultural and Financial centre, financial center of New England, a region of the Northeas ...

USA * Maximilian Dasio (1865–1954) painter and medal engraver, died in the town. *

Ludwig Thoma Ludwig Thoma (; 21 January 1867 in Oberammergau – 26 August 1921 in Tegernsee) was a German author, publisher and editor, who gained popularity through his partially exaggerated description of everyday Bavarian life. After graduation from t ...

(1867–1921) author, publisher and editor *

Alois Lang Alois Lang (1872–1954) was a Master Woodcarver at the American Seating Company, and one of the artists responsible for bringing the medieval art of ecclesiastical carving to life in the United States. Lang was born in Oberammergau in Bavaria, a ...

(1872–1954) immigrated to the US in 1890, a master woodcarver at the

American Seating American Seating Inc. is a company specializing in the production of chairs and other seating, including seats for rail transport and public transportation, schools and churches. Founded in 1886 as the Grand Rapids School Furniture Company, the ...

Company *

Eugen Papst Eugen Papst (24 December 1886 – 2 January 1956) was a German composer and music teacher. Life Papst was born in Oberammergau, the son of an educator and head teacher of the same name, Eugen Papst (1855-1923), after whom the Eugen-Papst-Fö ...

(1886–1956), composer *

Franz-Zeno Diemer Franz Zeno Diemer (3 July 1889, in Oberammergau – 17 April 1954, in Friedrichshafen) was a flight pioneer in Bavaria, setting a number of world records, and Flight Officer for Bavarian Lifeguard Regiment. Early life He was born in Oberammerga ...

(1889–1954) flight pioneer in Bavaria, *

Max Streibl Max Streibl (6 January 1932 – 11 December 1998) was a German politician of the Christian Social Union in Bavaria, Christian Social Union (CSU) party and the eighth Minister President of Bavaria. Biography Streibel was born in Oberammergau in ...

(1932–1998) CSU politician, eighth Minister President of

* Erich Ott (born 1944) sculptor, engraver and designer *

Gregor Betz Gregor Betz (born 11 February 1948) is a German former swimmer. He competed at the 1968 Summer Olympics and the 1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as ...

(born 1948) former swimmer, competed at the

1968 Events January–February * January 1968, January – The I'm Backing Britain, I'm Backing Britain campaign starts spontaneously. * January 5 – Prague Spring: Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Cze ...

and

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and officially branded as Munich 1972 (; ), were an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 1972. It was the ...

born in the town