Germany since the war. Hitler was a keen advocate of the Passion Play, believing that it should be performed all over Germany. What better way to demonstrate the threat posed by the Jews to Aryan blood? Such views provoked fears in the foreign press that the 1934 production might be transformed into a Nazi extravaganza complete with Nordic Christ and Teutonic scenery. But although a number of villagers were seen in Nazi uniform, ‘looking very ill with their long hair’,36 to the relief of foreign enthusiasts the play’s text remained ‘pure’.
