Oberammergau Nativity Trail
A foray into a very special folk art
Welcome to Oberammergau Nativity TrailThe route leads from the Protestant Church of the Cross through the center of Oberammergau to the Catholic parish church of St. Peter & Paul. A flyer with a route map is available at the Oberammergau Tourist Information Office. here for download.
On this page, we will highlight something interesting about each nativity scene and its figures.
"Now rejoice, you Christians, sing songs of joy and come, oh come to Bethlehem. Christ, the Savior, has descended to us. Come, let us worship the King, the Lord." – Based on the German version of the hymn “Adeste fideles.”
Four angels pay homage to the sleeping Christ child with a harp, organ, lute and cello. But it is not only angels who sing songs of joy in his presence: by setting up a home nativity scene, everyone can bring the baby Jesus into their own room and celebrate his birth.
Around 250 years ago, nativity scenes found their way from churches to people's homes, especially in the Alpine region. Oberammergau carvers responded to the enormous increase in demand and carved for the whole of Europe. The Oberammergau Nativity Scene Trail makes this long tradition visible with a large variety of nativity scenes.
“…and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger…” - Luke 2,7:XNUMX
The theological relevance of a diaper isn't immediately apparent. Why is this subordinate clause included in this otherwise sparsely embellished Christmas story? God became human on this night. Not in a human-like manner, or merely in appearance. He is human. He entered this world just as helpless as we all are. The diaper can be seen as a symbol of this helplessness; a divine power doesn't readily come to mind with this interpretation.
The Christ Child may seem helpless on his own, but he is not defenseless. We see the child. in the safety and security of a guardian angel. This angel can represent divine protection, or parental protection through Mary and Joseph.
Here we have two illustrations.
This wooden figure depicts St. Francis of Assisi. Born around 1200 AD, he's not someone you'd necessarily expect to find on a Nativity Trail. Yet without him, this trail probably wouldn't exist: St. Francis is considered the originator of the Nativity scene. His aim was to inspire people to devote themselves to the Savior. Thus, he prepared the first Nativity scene for Christmas in 1223. However, it wasn't made of wooden figures, but rather with actors, an ox, and a donkey from the region. This wasn't without controversy. Some feared that it would diminish the necessary solemnity and make the Christmas story appear too "playful." Nevertheless, the success of the Nativity scene continued unabated over the centuries.
Incidentally, Saint Francis is often depicted, as here, surrounded by doves. In traditional accounts, Francis is considered a nature lover who recognized God's creation in animals. This is evident in the story of the "Sermon to the Birds," in which he spoke to the doves about God's love.
The second nativity scene is a "lazy man's nativity scene." Can you guess why it's called that? The answer will be revealed later.
It always depends on the perspective: While many nativity scenes depict the poverty of Jesus, some artists choose a different approach. In this depiction, the incarnation of God's wisdom takes center stage. Looking directly at the viewer, Jesus has raised his hand in blessing. Above him, hovering in a halo of light, is a dove with a triangle: a symbol of the Trinity of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This further emphasizes the divinity of Jesus.
This depiction of the arrival of Christ comes from the Klucker woodcarving workshop.
Wait a minute. A pig? Animals play an important role in the historical depiction of the Nativity scene. Besides the ox and the donkey, a whole flock of sheep is often seen. Pigs, however, are rather unusual in the nativity scene.
Here we see no ordinary pig. This figure is crowned, winged, and depicted completely untouched by any tradition. Everyone can decide for themselves what exactly the pig means. Perhaps, as a lucky pig, it reminds us that God brought joy and hope into the world through his son.
“When the quiet time is over, things will calm down again.”
Karl valentin
In the middle of the annual Christmas rush, the nativity scenes are set up in the living room. Between baking, buying presents, putting up the Christmas tree, etc., at a time when one would actually be less happy about one or two tasks.
A so-called lazy crib saves the person setting it up the time-consuming task of designing the crib. All you have to do is go into the basement, get the box and place it in a nice place. The name of this type of crib says it all.
This nativity scene is by Tobias Haseidl.
Readers who don't speak Bavarian might be wondering what a Klubberl work of art could be. In Bavaria, clothespins are called Klubberl. And anyone who can't believe that attractive works of art can be made from these Klubberls can be proved wrong by looking at this nativity scene by Christian Mayr from Oberammergau and in his workshop "KünstlerEien".
What is particularly striking about this nativity scene is the cheerfulness of the figures. You will look in vain for solemn seriousness here, the joy of the birth of Jesus is felt everywhere: accompanied by music and a feast, the happiness is written on the face of every figure. Oh, you merry Christmas time!
This nativity scene comes from the “KünstlerEien” group, Christian Mayr.
The star served as a sign to the three wise men that the King of the Jews had been born, whom they now wanted to search for. The fact that there were three of them is not mentioned directly in the Gospels. It is deduced from the fact that they brought the three famous gifts: gold, frankincense and myrrh.
“Nations will wander toward your light, and kings toward your splendor.” – Isaiah 60,3:XNUMX
Old Testament verses like this one helped turn the Magi mentioned in Matthew's Gospel into kings. The fact that kings made pilgrimages to the manger of a child makes it clear that this child is the "Rex Regum," the King of Kings.
Many early Christian theologians see the three Magi as representatives of the three continents known at that time: Caspar from Africa, Melchior from Europe and Balthasar from Asia.
This nativity scene was created by Theo Zunterer.
The Oberammergau Museum is home to various nativity scenes, for example paper nativity scenes by the Oberammergau Lüftlmaler Franz Seraph Zwinck, the creator of the paintings on the Pilatushaus. The heart of the exhibition, however, is the historical church nativity scene: In 1760, the nativity scene consisted of just a few figures, but over the next 100 years it was continually expanded by local carvers. In this way, a Christmas nativity scene became a part-year nativity scene that was adapted to suit the festivals of the church year. The figures are articulated dolls. This means that the limbs are attached with ball joints and are therefore movable. The joints are hidden under the figures' costumes. These costumes are, by the way, based on the Passion Play costumes of the time. Thanks to this nativity scene, we know what the Passion Play costumes looked like at the time.
A visit to the museum is always worthwhile. In addition to the nativity scene exhibition, there is an exciting exhibition on the ancient Romans and Raetians in Oberammergau, on local woodcarving and a special exhibition by the Garmisch-Partenkirchen Artists' Association.
This Christmas scene emerges directly from the tree trunk. We see Mary and Joseph with a shepherd and his sheep sleeping in the stable. The Christmas story is only hinted at here in its outlines. And the central element of the story, the Christ Child, remains completely hidden from the viewer.
This artwork is by Konrad Saal.
Joseph is standing at the manger on which Jesus is lying. The lantern in his hand illuminates the dark stable with dim light. A few months ago he learned that his fiancée Mary was pregnant. She became pregnant without them having been together before. Joseph then wanted to leave Mary quietly, without exposing her. However, an angel stopped him, saying that the child was from the Holy Spirit and would redeem the people. (Mt 1,18:25-XNUMX)
Now he stands at the side of Mary and Jesus in the city of his ancestor, King David. Soon he will have to flee with them to Egypt to escape the violence of King Herod. After returning to his hometown of Nazareth, he will raise Jesus and teach him his trade, carpentry.
Just as the star once led the three wise men to Bethlehem, so too does it accompany us through the Christmas season. It appears not only in nativity scenes, but also on most Christmas trees and in decorations of all kinds.
Since early Christianity, the star has been a central symbol of the Christmas story. Like the star for the three wise men, it serves as a point of orientation. But it is also proof of Jesus' universal divinity. As it says in a prophecy in the Book of Numbers (24:17):
A star that emerged from Jacob becomes the leader.
This prediction has now come true. The star makes the birth of Christ visible throughout the world, thus turning it into a cosmic event.
This star was created by Florian Stückl.
"From Heaven High I Come" - Christmas carol by Martin Luther
Two angels stand on the ground below and receive the Christ Child, who descends to us via the Star of Bethlehem with the remarkable effort of another angel. The child wears a royal red cloak and an imperial orb, symbols of his rule.
Next to the angels, a reindeer is already waiting to bring the children presents. In addition to the very present Christmas tradition of giving gifts, this can also be understood as an emphasis on Christ as God's gift to mankind. A gift that emphasises God's love for mankind.
“And in the bright song of joy,
In the organ and harp sound
Has now
A deep voice o'g'set,
By force,
As the bell rings:
»Come together everyone!
You don't need to be afraid!
The highest joy is announced to you,
The Christ child lies in the stable there.
So the night
The Savior brought
At this hour.
Glory to God in the highest
And peace to the people!”
From the Holy Night by Ludwig Thoma (Taken from: Project Gutenberg)
Ludwig Thoma, born in this house in 1867, emphasises the poverty and modesty of the Holy Family in his Christmas story “Holy Night”. This enabled the poor, war-torn population of Bavaria to identify with them.
In this section of the epic poem, the angels announce the good news to the shepherds.
These angel figures are by Marion Jochner.
Let's consider the beginnings of nativity scene construction: This beginning cannot be precisely dated. Depictions of the Christmas story (for example, in altarpieces) in the High Middle Ages can be seen as precursors to the nativity scene we know today.
The art of nativity scenes in southern Bavaria began in the 17th century and was strongly influenced by the Jesuits, who used the nativity scene as a means of communicating the faith. The first nativity scenes were found mainly in churches. They were inspired by Italian nativity scenes, especially from Naples, which were brought to Bavaria by traders and clergy.
The Holy Family, shepherds, angels and often regional figures were depicted in an Alpine setting. This fusion of faith and local culture had a lasting impact on the development of nativity scene art.
During the Enlightenment in the late 18th century, the art of nativity scenes in southern Bavaria came under increasing pressure. The reforms under Emperor Joseph II viewed religious folk customs such as nativity scenes as unnecessary and superstitious. Many church nativity scenes were removed or banned in order to promote "reason" and sober religious practice.
But the population held on to the tradition. Nativity scenes moved from the churches to private homes, where they continued to be maintained as "house nativity scenes". This gave rise to a new variety: Nativity scenes increasingly reflected people's everyday lives, with local costumes and alpine landscapes. This development saved the art of nativity scenes from disappearing and laid the foundation for their current popularity.
Here we see a humorous depiction of the journey of the Three Wise Men. Unlike most other portrayals, however, this one emphasizes their designation as astrologers or magicians, rather than their royal status. On the contrary, the fact that the three of them have to share a camel as a mount, which is also pulling a small and overstuffed trailer, doesn't seem at all regal.
And the star they had seen when it rose went ahead of them until it stopped over the place where the child was. (Matthew 2:9)
In Matthew's Christmas story, the star doesn't simply rise over Bethlehem and serve as a fixed star for the Magi. It leads the way before them.
The third astrologer on the camel in this depiction holds the star in his hand. His position is therefore also linked to the position of the other astrologers in this representation.
This nativity scene was created by Michaela Müller-Unruh.
In more recent times, the nativity scene art from Oberammergau has gained a worldwide reputation, particularly due to the region's outstanding wood carving. The tradition of carving, originally promoted by the Passion Play, was expanded from the 19th century onwards to the production of nativity figures. Oberammergau carvers produce figures of the highest quality craftsmanship, often showing detailed facial features and lively body postures.
With the growing interest in traditional Christmas art, these nativity figures are exported worldwide and decorate private homes, churches and museums. Alpine scenes with shepherds, angels and the Holy Family are particularly in demand. Oberammergau remains a center for high-quality, hand-crafted nativity scenes that carry the spirit of Bavarian folk art to the world.
These depictions are typical Alpine nativity scenes from the workshop of Hermann Biermeier.
The Christ Child stands there with a loving and benevolent gaze. The victor's wreath, symbolizing his role as Redeemer, encircles his head. In one hand he holds the orb, representing Christ's dominion over the world. His other hand is formed in a gesture of blessing. Jesus thus becomes "Salvator Mundi," the Savior of the World.
This figure was created by Herbert Köpf
The New Year is welcomed just one week after Christmas. During this time, three kings can be seen on the streets of Europe: the star singers.
Oberammergau also has the tradition of carol singing, although it is very different here. During the "Great Star Walk" locals and guests follow a star through the village on New Year's Eve. The carols, composed especially for this purpose, are sung at 12 stations. Some of these songs were even written by the composer of the music for the Passion Play, Rochus Dedler (1779 - 1822). At the end of each song, the wish "A guats nei´s Johr!" is heard.
In this nativity scene by the carver Martin Müller, the Oberammergau star singers can be seen with the star. The original of this star is illuminated during the tour and its wooden halo rotates around the Christ child depicted in the middle.
We conclude our Nativity Trail with, as one would expect, a classic Oberammergau Nativity scene. This Nativity scene features articulated figures, dressed in the Neapolitan tradition. Numerous shepherds stream with their sheep to the manger in the simple stable. Above it all hovers a dove in a halo of rays, a symbol of the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Thank you for visiting the Oberammergau Nativity Trail. We hope you have a wonderful time here in town, Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2026!
Impressions
