The Hessian Christmas Game
| Data | |
|---|---|
| Title: | The Hessian Christmas Game |
| Genus: | Mixed form of spiritual and secular game / Christmas game |
| Original language: | Early New High German and Latin |
| Author: | Anonymous |
| Literary source: | Bible |
| Publishing year: | 1450-1460 |
| Premiere: | 1517 |
| Place of premiere: | Friedberg (Hesse) |
| Place and time of the action: | Jerusalem in the 1st century |
| people | |
|
|
The Hessian Christmas Game is a spiritual game (also known as a mystery game ) from the 15th century , which depicts the biblical events surrounding the Christmas story . Stylistically it is a mixture of spiritual and secular play in early New High German. A handwritten copy is in the Kassel State Library.
Christmas games
Christmas games are games that represent the Christmas event, or rather decorate it acoustically and visually. Christmas games developed from the Christmas celebrations and can be found in various forms. The genre of the Christmas game represents a "spiritual. Game of the Middle Ages, which, like the Easter game, is made up of the text of the Office and the scenes. performing expansion of the festive liturgy . developed "The underlying content are" the three specified by the gospel main story of the Christmas liturgy -. Angel proclamation, pastoral procession [and] Adoration of the Child in the manger "Extensions of the content by adding new elements are not unusual. The initial Christmas games are written in the church language, Latin. Latin Christmas games include the Freising Christmas game , as well as the most well-known Middle Latin Christmas game, the Benediktbeurer Christmas game . Later, however, popular Christmas games were also created. These differ not only in terms of language, but also in terms of content. The appearing figures appear more popular. Not only the Bible is used for the content, but also the Christian epic. Representatives of the German-language Christmas games are the St. Gallen game from the childhood of Jesus , the Oberuferer Christmas game , and the Hessian Christmas game.
The Hessian Christmas Game
The Hessian Christmas game was created in the 15th century in the vicinity of Friedberg . An exact year of origin is not known, but the period from 1450 to 1460 seems to be the most likely. A well-known performance took place in Alsfeld in 1517. Formally it is the "most scenic and liturgically least bound" game of its kind, as it consists of 870 verses. These are written in both early New High German and Latin, with the passages written in Latin consisting of stage directions and chants. A copy of the game is in the Kassel State Library. This sometimes also contains additions from another writer. Various errors in the transcription indicate that the scribe did not understand Latin and simply copied the letters.
content
The angel Gabriel proclaims the good news to the Virgin Mary and urges her not to be afraid. There are already hints of the future here, as Maria learns what her child will be called later. Maria accepts her fate, but Joseph, not knowing the background, rejects Maria because of her pregnancy. Only the appearance of the angel Gabriel convinced Joseph to stay with Mary and take care of her and the child.
This scene is followed by Maria and Joseph's search for a hostel, but without the emperor's request for a census known from the Bible and other Christmas games. The couple are rejected twice, once out of disbelief over Mary's virgin pregnancy and once for practical reasons. Joseph is desperate because he cannot find a place to stay, but he finds a cradle for the child so that when it is born he can weigh it. The birth of the baby Jesus is a cause for joy and leads Joseph to invite the servants to celebrate. The birth of the child is extensively celebrated and sung about.
One of the pastors, the shepherd, hears the angelic chants and now wants to send his servants, Czegenbart and Unfaithful, to the place of joy. He is not the only shepherd who has heard the angelic chants. Several shepherds set out on their way to the baby Jesus, and as soon as they have reached this, they pay homage to him and give him gifts, but also demand that the baby Jesus grant their wishes.
In the following scene, Joseph has to deal with his maids Hillegart and Gutte. He wants to feed the child on Maria's behalf and demands that the two maids help him. These refuse, however, and a dispute now breaks out between Hillegart and Gutte. The situation only dissolves when the landlords Arnolt and Czulrich join in to dance and celebrate with Hillegart and Gutte.
Now the devils appear, who are called together by Lucifer to deliberate on the danger that the newly born child represents for the devils. At the same time, the various devils are planning how to get more souls. One of the devils, Machadantz, wants to disguise himself as an angel for this. Meanwhile, the angels warn Joseph that Herod had children killed and that he and his family should move to Egypt. Joseph and Mary followed this advice to keep themselves safe.
In the final scene, Lucifer appears in front of the audience. He informs them that the game is over and that they should go home to receive the new year. With his last words, he calls on the audience to celebrate and dance.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Weidhase, Helmut: Christmas game. In: Metzler Literature Lexicon. Terms and definitions. Second, revised edition. Edited by Günther and Irmgard Schweikle. Stuttgart: JB Metzler, 1990. p. 498.
- ↑ Rupprich, Hans: History of German literature from the beginnings to the present: History of German literature from the late Middle Ages to the Baroque: Vol. 4/1 First part: The outgoing Middle Ages. [1970] 2nd revised edition. Edited by Hedwig Heger. Munich: 1994. p. 257.
- ↑ Benediktbeurer Christmas game. In: Burghart Wachinger et al. (Hrsg.): The German literature of the Middle Ages. Author Lexicon . 2nd, completely revised edition, volume 1: 'A solis ortus cardine' - Colmar Dominican chronicler. De Gruyter, Berlin / New York 1978, ISBN 3-11-007264-5 , Col. 693 ff.
- ^ Vogelgsang, Klaus: Dona Infernalia. The devil scene of the "Hessian Christmas Game". In: Research on German literature of the late Middle Ages. A commemorative publication for Johannes Janota. Edited by Horst Brunner et al. Tübingen: 2003 p. 234
- ↑ Michael, Wolfgang F .: The German Drama of the Middle Ages. Berlin: 1971. p. 48.
- ↑ Hessen: The Drama of the Middle Ages. Third part. Passion play. Christmas and Epiphany Games. Barrel night games. Ed. Froning, Richard Stuttgart: Union Deutsche Verlagsgesellschaft, 1964. pp. 904–937.