“Ins Gelobte Land – Eretz Austria” by “teatro caprile” is a unique interactive theater conducted outdoors. Presented in Krimmler Achental, Austria, it tells the incredible story of 5,000 Jewish refugees, who after the holocaust, crossed the 2,634m Krimmler Tauern mountain pass, on their way to the Land of Israel.
After the end of WWII, about 250,000 surviving Jews from Eastern Europe were gathered by “HaBriha” organization into zones controlled by Allied forces. They lived as “displaced persons” in camps, such as “Givat Avoda” in Saalfelden, with the aim of fleeing to Palestine – “Eretz Israel”.
The teatro caprile follows, on a day hike in Krimmler Achental, the emigration of 5,000 Jewish displaced persons in the summer of 1947. Since the British mandate over Palestine put a pressure on French authorities to close the official borders for Jewish people, “HaBriha” organization had to scout a way through the mountains for refugees to cross into Italy and from there, by, ships, to Israel. The adventurous exodus took place in groups of up to 200 people on foot over the 2,634m Krimmler Tauern pass in summer 1947.
In outdoor scenes on the way from Krimml (1,067m altitude) to Windbachalm (1,880m altitude) the theater traces the route of the survivors, and addresses their feelings – memories from their former homeland, Nazi concentration camps, anti-Semitic resentments even after the Holocaust, and great hopes to reach “The Promised Land” and found a Jewish state.
Research, texts and direction: Andreas Kosek
Choreography: Julia Maria Leiter
Actors: Katharina Grabher, Heide Maria Hager, Andreas Kosek, Céline Nerbl, Astrid Perz, Ralph Saml, Ivana Stojkovic, David Jarju u.a.
Narrator and alpine coach: Hans Nerbl
The video footage and photos were taken during a show on June 22nd, 2017, part of the 11th Alpine Peace Crossing commemorating 70 years to the Jewish exodus over the Krimmler Tauern mountain pass.
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