Tag Archives: Oberammergau

OBERAMMERGAU – PART 2

2 Dec

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

Judy

 

In addition to our wonderful experience at The Passion Play 1970 in Oberammergau, Germany, we had other times to visit that lovely town.  On some of our trips around Germany, we visited the town and introduced our daughters to it.

Someone told us about a Master Woodcarver in Oberammergau, and insisted that we visit his house/workshop.  Fred was chosen to attend a NATO school in Oberammergau.  So we hired a single friend to stay with the girls, and I went with Fred to the school.  Again, we stayed in a B&B, and I was able to explore the town while he was in classes at the school.

English: The welcome sign to NATO school in Ob...

English: The welcome sign to NATO school in Oberammergau, Germany. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

As I explored, I found the house of the Master Woodcarver.  His wife seemed pleased to have me invite myself to their house, and took me to his workshop, where he was working on one of his creations.  To say I was entralled would be an understatement, for sure.  He could carry on a complete conversation and continue to carve at the same time – without missing a beat!

They showed me samples of his work – different sizes and different themes.  They told me that the tourist shops in town had offered him exorbitant commissions, if he would just allow them to sell his craft/product in their stores.  He rejected them all.  The only time he allowed his product to be in their stores what when he was carving a very large (sometimes life-size) piece, and needed their large machine to work a particular piece.  Their bargaining chip was – “you can use our equipment, but we get to sell (blank) number of your works in the store.”

I was in love.  I purchased two pieces of his art,and have enjoyed them all these years since

Carving 1

carving 2

.  In later years, when my Mother came for a visit, we took her to Oberammergau, and to the carver’s house.  She purchased another one – a “happy” monk with a bier stein in his hand.  They told us that, the larger the size of the monk, the “happier” he appeared!  I was given that piece when she passed away

monk

We had dinner in the NATO Club several evenings while on that trip.  While looking around the shop within the Club, I found a wood carving of an eagle – one of my favorite creatures.  And guess who the artisan was!!  That’s right – my favorite Master Woodcarver!  It is now hanging on my wall!

eagle

When my best friend came to visit from Panama City, Florida, we took her to Oberammergau, and – of course! – to the woodcarvers house.  The lady of the house told us that he had been commissioned to do two lfe-sized pieces for a Catholic Church in Panama City!  The next time I visited her, we went to that church to see the figurines.  They were magnificent!

So many items we were able to purchase while in Europe, to remind us of our times there, and the places we visited.  But these wood carvings are some of our most favorite pieces and memories.

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OBERAMMERGAU

25 Nov

SUNDAY MEMORIES

Judy Wills

                                                 

 

My husband and I (and later our daughters, as well) were blessed to have spent six years in Germany.  Except for a couple of short trips with my Aunt Jessie to Mexican border towns, I had never traveled outside the United States.  So the prospect of spending YEARS in Germany was quite an adventure for me.  Fred had never lived in Germany, but had spent some time in Italy and Japan with his parents in his growing-up years.

It’s very hard to say “where” our favorite place in Europe was.  So many places we were able to visit, and they all delighted us.

And yet, one of our very favorite memories is of the town of Oberammergau, Germany.  It is beautifully situated in a valley between mountains.  On our travels, we had visited there occasionally, but since we were in Germany in 1970, we decided to go see the Passion Play that the town presents every 10 years, on the even year.  We had always enjoyed staying in B&B’s on our trips, rather than fancy hotels, so we were pleased to be able to get a “package” that included two nights stay in a home with a German family.  We learned that the man of the house had played Jesus in the 1960 performance.  We would have breakfast in that home, but the other meals were to be taken in the restaurant at one of the hotels in town.  The Passion Play was an eight-hour production, with a lunch break.  That gave us some time to explore the town and it’s shops, mostly appealing to tourists.

We found the house where we were to stay, and found that half of the house was the barn for their animals, with only a wall between it and the residency.  Made for some interesting sounds and smells!  Our room was on the top floor – essentially the attic – with a shared bathroom down the hall, and a balcony outside our room.  The bed was comfortable, with an  comforter to keep us comfy and warm.

 

 

 

We had reserved seats in the huge theater, especially built for the Play.  All the seating area, except for about the first 10 rows, were under cover.  But those rows of seats and the stage was open to the air.  Our tickets were for the first regular showing of the Play of the season – May 22, 1970.  And we were quite glad that our seats were half-way back the theater, since we had a snow fall during the performance!  We were amazed to see the actors, including the children in the play, remain in their assigned positions even with the snow falling on them!

 

The entire play was spoken in German, but we had a handbook that gave the dialog in English.  Actually, we didn’t need to refer to it too much, since we knew the story line!

 

 

It was an extremely moving and wonderful performance.  It touched our hearts, and brought us again to our Savior’s feet.  We are so thankful to have been in that place at that time, and  able to experience that Play.

 

 

 

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