The Best Laid ‘Plays’ Begin in MUNICH

The endurance of The Passion lives on... and on. For more than 400 years, the quaint Bavarian village of Oberammergau has performed its now historic Passion Play as a promise to God. It's actually a fascinating, wonderful story - one that has travelers from all corners of the globe heading to a Bavarian hamlet once every decade. They want to be a part of it all. A part of history.

With Mount Kofel and the Bavarian Alps as a backdrop, Oberammergau softly beckons travelers like an old friend. The welcoming facades of houses are brilliantly painted with frescoes. The scenes range from Biblical to storybook. Here, the charm of it all is so enchanting ... the sense of peace, absolute.

Oberammergau wasn't always as wonderfully peaceful as it is now. In the middle of the Thirty Years War, at the beginning of the 17^th century, the "Black Death," or plague, penetrated the remote mountain valleys of the Alps. The villagers kept vigilant guard to prevent the plague from reaching their town, but a man from Oberammergau named Kaspar Schisler, who was working as a farm laborer outside the village, slipped over the mountains to his home. Within a few days he succumbed to the plague - as did a large number of people of Oberammergau. In fact, within a year, the Black Death had claimed over a fifth of the approximately 1,500 inhabitants of Oberammergau with no end to the plague in sight.

In those days, little was known about germs or how they were spread. People at that time believed that their only chance of survival was to pacify God's fury. So in 1633, surviving villagers swore an oath to perform a "Play of the Suffering, Death and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ" every ten years if God would show mercy and release their village from the clutches of the plague. According to a chronicle of the time, from the day the villagers of Oberammergau gathered around the cross to swear their sacred vow, no more villagers died of the plague.

The rest, as they say, is history. The first Passion Play was staged in 1634. In 1680, the performance was moved to the first year of each decade.  Throughout the centuries, despite many dangers and threats, and amidst the historical and cultural changes that have taken place, the villagers of Oberammergau have maintained their solemn promise. Exceptions to this occurred in 1770 in which the church and the state prohibited the staging of passion plays in any form and again in 1940 because of World War II.

The Passion Play House

The Passion Play House boasts vertical stripes and an open air stage - one of the largest of its kind in the world. Up until 1810, the Passion Plays were performed in the cemetery in front of the parish church. In 1830, they were moved to a meadow outside the village. Then in 1900, a large hall accommodating 4000 spectators was built, and later in 1930 it was redesigned and enlarged yet again.

The next Passion Play is right around the corner in 2010. Collette Vacations, who has for decades taken many thousands of travelers to the Passion Play, includes special reserved seating at a Passion Play performance on eight of its programs. Tremendous interest in this once-in-a-lifetime event is already mounting.

But what can you expect as you take your seat to witness one of over 100 performances that are planned for 2010?

"First, the plot of the Passion Play has not changed since the first performance. It includes Christ's entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, the kiss of betrayal on the Mount of Olives, the mocking Roman soldiers, the women who followed Jesus to his crucifixion, and the moment Mary Magdalene brings word of his resurrection to the disciples," explains David Costabile, Associate Director of International Product at Collette Vacations. "Second, the Passion Play is performed in German but with enough verve and emotion that it transcends language barriers."

In 2000, nearly half of the residents of Oberammergau came together to stage the 40^th Season of the Passion Play. During the last season in 2000, 550 children and 1,600 adults were involved in the Passion Play.

How does a simple village succeed in staging a project of this magnitude, even if only every ten years? Certainly a vow taken in 1633 is no longer binding on anyone. We have witnessed the passing of so many traditions; in fact, there were many old passion play traditions that have since disappeared. Yet Oberammergau lives on.

What began as a solemn duty is now the joyous retelling of a story that continues to give hope and strength to countless oppressed people around the world. This is the story of a man from Nazareth, played out in a theater with music and elaborate costuming. The message is as simple as it is profound. Perhaps somewhere in the middle lies the answer to its endurance.

Begin the journey in Munich

Collette Vacations' Bavaria with Oberammergau tour already has built-in excitement from its title alone which promises travelers a seat at the once-a-decade Passion Play. Performed since 1634 in the tiny Bavarian hamlet of Oberammergau (a village known for woodcarvings and, well, this mega-event), in 2010, the open-air stage is set once again - and this tour is just perfect for travelers who can only escape reality for 8 days. Best of all, the tour begins in the "European Dream City" of Munich.

A city nestled at the foothills of the Alps, inviting lakes, picturesque villages and fairy tale castles enchant every visitor.  Munich is a wonderful introduction to the splendors of Bavaria. Travelers eagerly devour the sights from Olympic Park to the Marienplatz - a lovely square set in the old town.  The Rathaus-Glockenspiel is an ornate clock that illustrates medieval jousting and dancing, tapping into a piece of Bavaria's history. 

This program is a great opportunity to focus exclusively on Germany's charming Bavaria region. With great pricing and the added value and convenience of Collette's new Door to Door service - a free round trip home to airport sedan ride when air travel is purchased with the tour - this once-in-a-lifetime experience is more accessible than ever.

PLUS, when you book by October 31, 2009, save $200 per couple⁺ on air-inclusive bookings for July and August 2010 departures!  

Bavaria with Oberammergau

Starting at $1999*            8 days, 10 meals

Munich ● Glockenspiel ● Innsbruck ● Nuremberg ● Rally Grounds ● Justice Palace ● Oberammergau ● Passion Play

To learn more about the Bavaria with Oberammergau tour, contact your travel agent, or call  800.528.0351. Visit www.collettevacations.com or click here for day-by-day itinerary.

*Pricing is starting at, double, per person, land only.
+ The $200 off per couple/$100 off person is valid on new air inclusive bookings only made between June 15 - October 31, 2009 for Bavaria with Passion Play for July and August 2010 departures only. Offers are not combinable with any other offer and are not valid on group or existing bookings.