A big thank you to Frederik Mayet, who not only believed in this book straight away, but also told me so much about Oberammergau and the Passion Play in many conversations both short and long. Christian Stückl also always took the time to talk, even if he never actually had the time. Between the Münchner Volkstheater moving to its new home, rehearsals and a well-deserved summer break, he talked to me for one Saturday afternoon in the theatre café about his path to the Passion, the past and the future. Merci beaucoup.

Without this openness, which so many other Oberammergau residents extended to me, I would never have been able to write this book. Many thanks to David Bender, Ulrike Bubenzer, Kilian Clauß, Stefan Hageneier, Cengiz Görür, Markus Köpf, Monika Lang, Carsten Lück, Florian Maderspacher, Anton Preisinger, Anton Preisinger Jr., Eva Reiser, Andreas Richter, Andreas Rödl, Rochus Rückel, Scholler Toni, Sophie Schuster, Alexander Schwarz, Christoph Stöger, Lorenz Stöger, Peter Stückl and Markus Zwink for all the anecdotes and a glimpse behind the scenes. And to Ludwig Mödl, who helped me clarify some theological questions.

Jenny Greza and Franziska Seher answered all of my questions, measured the Cross for me...