To give thanks for the end of the Black Death in 1632, inhabitants of this town in the Bavarian Alps of southern Germany vowed to enact a Passion play every ten years, which they have done faithfully, ever since. Which town is this?

In the early 1630s, while the Thirty Years' War and the bubonic plague devastated Central Europe, this small village in the Bavarian Alps made a solemn vow. Legend holds that in 1633, after the plague had claimed many lives, the town's residents pledged to God that if He would spare them from further deaths, they would perform a play depicting the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ every ten years, forever.

According to local tradition, the deaths ceased, and the grateful villagers staged their first performance in 1634. This tradition has evolved into a massive theatrical production that consumes the entire community. The Passion Play is a remarkable undertaking, lasting over five hours and involving more than 2,000 local residents as actors, musicians, and stagehands—nearly half the town's population. To participate, one must either be born in the village or have lived there for at least 20 years.

For almost 400 years, the town has faithfully upheld its promise. The schedule has been interrupted only a few times by war or crisis, most recently when the 2020 performance was postponed to 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This enduring commitment has made the town and its world-famous play a unique cultural and spiritual landmark.