Oberammergau Passion Play in 2010 – the Suffering of Christ at a Steep Price

Recently I was working with two couples who desired to see the world-famous performance in Oberammergau, Germany of Christ’s Passion. The trip I proposed to them would take place in late July and early August. Held just every 10 years (which gives the spring, summer and fall all-day performances a sense of urgency for those wishing to attend this once-in-a-lifetime show) the play has become a huge economic booster to the entire Bavarian region, not to mention Germany as a whole. But, that boost comes at a very high cost. Americans, still getting used to the fact that our dollar is basically the new peso when it comes to its buying power, are shocked at the sky-high price to witness the townspeople of Oberammergau act out this 2,000-year old story. Add the premiums being charged by hotels, rental car agencies and the like, and you have one very expensive day of entertainment. A German woman living in Munich told me this past summer that she remembered saying to her mom and dad, “Can we go to the Passion Play today?” The response, “Sure! Let’s just hop in the VW and drive down to Oberammergau.” The family would pay for the ticket, enter the theater and enjoy the show. It was like deciding to go to your local multiplex for a matinee. That was in 1980. Those days of no reservations required, like the pre-2002 and pre-Euro and pre-zillion dollar American debt hammering the buying power of the buck, are long gone. Bottom line – for Americans wishing to attend the 2010 Passion Play, sit down, breathe deeply, and prepare to spend a significant sum. After all, it’s only held every 10 years. That gives your retirement fund time to recover, right?