Kalß Nativity Scene in Bad Ischl

In the centre of Bad Ischl

The story of the Bad Ischl Crib goes all the way back to 1838 and a gentleman called Franz Oberleitner. Franz Oberleitner , an official at the local salt works, dearly wanted children but despite years of trying he and his wife had been unable to have a family. He vowed to build a crib in honour of Jesus, if the good Lord saw fit to grant him a child. His son was born in 1838 and Franz Oberleitner, good to his word, immediately began work on the Crib, Stable, Holy Family and Shepherds. Gradually he expanded his crib until, in the end it comprised about 300 figures.

In 1889 Franz Oberleitner sold the crib to the merchant Johann Kalß. Johann Kalß, also an avid crib builder, continued work on the Crib until his death in 1914. The Crib was passed to his son, who in turn passed it to his daughter upon his death in 1950. In 1952 Bad Ischl was lucky enough to be offered the chance to purchase the crib.

The museum curator from Bad Ischl displayed the crib in the Lehárvilla, until it was moved to the Museum of Bad Ischl in 1985. In 1993, the display was equipped with lighting and sound with a narrator telling her story as the spotlights highlight the individual sections and groups.