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Oberammergau: 1634
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In 1633 the villagers of Oberammergau, in Bavaria, are stricken by the plague. But their community survives. In gratitude they vow to perform, in 1634 and every ten years, the story of the Passion of Christ. They borrow the text of their play from Augsburg. It has been revised several times. Since 1680 the performances have continued in the opening year of each decade.
The production, performed entirely by amateurs (as were the mystery cycles in the Middle Ages), takes place on a great platform stage in front of more than 5000 specators. The Passion play lasts about eight hours, even though it spans only the period from Christ's entry into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday to the Resurrection a week later.
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