Читать книгу A Jewish Journey - Sheldon Cohen - Страница 4
CHAPTER 1 On a clear day in Munich, the peaks of the Alps are visible some sixty miles to the south. Many Munich citizens travel in this direction to the town of Oberammergau. The trip is a beautiful and tranquil journey taking the traveler past shimmering, clear green lakes. Soon one sees pale grey mountains looming in the distance. The journey starts a slow upward ascent as rolling hills transition for almost a mile above sea level. The travelers then find themselves encircled by grey and white peaks surrounding the beautiful village of Oberammergau in the Ammer River Valley. Countless travelers make the journey for the sole purpose of observing the famous Oberammergau Passion Play.
ОглавлениеIn the 1840’s, the part of Caiaphas, the Jewish high priest in Jerusalem during the time of Jesus, was given to Hans Bauemler. He was the town blacksmith; a quiet, hard-working man who no one expected could play the part with such a mission driven relish. As Hans said, “I never dreamed I could be a good actor, but when you believe in a role and want to show the power of the devil, it just flows out of you.” He was forty-two years of age and had a fiery red beard. When perfoming on stage, his bushy eyebrows angled up at the periphery and served as a perfect match for the double horned crown perched on his head. A priest’s robes could not hide his massive arms, which added to the determination and strength necessary to portray the part of the high priest. The bass voice he projected, audible to the last row of the audience, did the same. A man of few words, Hans took on another personality when he played the part of Caiaphas. He was a great draw for the townspeople who came to hear the story of their Lord, and also to see and revel in the transformation of Hans when he stepped forth on the massive stage.
As he worked over his anvil in his blacksmith shop, the heat and light from the fire defined his massive upper body musculature. He had the appearance of a Michelangelo sculpture with every muscle well delineated.
His son, Otto, fifteen years old and taller than his father, was overjoyed that his part in the play was that of one of the crowd of Jews influenced by Caiaphas. Otto was more like his mother, as verbal as his father was non-verbal. He was gregarious and outgoing and was a leading debater in his high school class. This would be his first experience and would give him the opportunity to work with his father. What he didn’t know was that this experience before an audience would also give him a head start on his future career
Otto stood in front of the mirror and practiced his lines under the watchful eye of Hans. With his pointing right index finger punctuating his voice and with his eyes staring straight ahead, he said, “Take him away; death to the false prophet and blasphemer. He looks tired. Let him rest on the cross.”
“That’s fine, Otto. Say it a little louder. Pretend you are talking to the last row of the audience. My job, as the high priest, Caiaphas, is to stir up the crowd. After Jesus is condemned, I will say no more. Then you and the other Jews scream your lines. Point your finger at Jesus when you say it. Show the hatred on your face. Scowl. We do an important job when we play these roles. We must never let people forget what the Jew devils did to our Lord.”
“I will never forget, father.”
