The entrance area of the parish hall is now towering man-high, scenery after scenery. Attached to a steep wall, huts are lined up next to houses and figures of various kinds are scattered throughout the entire complex. In the centre is the stable in Bethlehem, where the Child of Christ is still covered by straw, which is only removed on Christmas Eve. By then the nativity scene builder will already be sitting at home in Naples in front of the family nativity scene, which is even more magnificent than his Bonn version.

For a few days now, the Neapolitan, who is happy to have found a job as a Catholic caretaker in the Protestant community, has been back in Naples to celebrate Christmas with his family, where artistically decorated nativity scenes have a long tradition. An entire old town street consists only of crib shops that can be visited all year round.

In Via San Gregorio Armeno there are detailed reproductions of vegetable stalls, exotic animals and nativity figures of every size. In the artistic landscape, small pumps ensure that water falls down the cliffs and fountains ripple. The cribs of Naples show mainly the everyday life of its inhabitants in the 18th century, the religious scenes are rather in the background.

This is also the case with D'Addio: A laundress seems to be having a chat, while a pizzaiolo takes a pizza out of a flickering wood oven. "In Naples, nothing works without a pizza," says D'Addio explaining his new favorite character. And nothing seems to work without the hams hanging from the ceiling in a trattoria or the wine stored in barrels. A Sicilian Adonis offers ripe oranges and everywhere fruit, pasta, wine or even chickens and geese are transported in bowls and baskets. The festive preparations seem to be in full swing. "The children are standing in front of it in amazement and all of them want to live in the little houses at the top of the crèche landscape", says Lena Steib from the neighbouring day care centre.

D'Addio is delighted with the enthusiasm of the children, which reminds him of his own childhood. In the meantime he has bought his figures in Via San Gregorio Armeno himself. As an adult, he was gripped by the passion for collecting. New ones are added every year. "It's no problem," says D'Addio, "to have a 3-D printer there to create an image of yourself." In this way the Neapolitan cribs always remain up to date with the latest developments in social life. In addition to the classical figures of salvation, new ones are added every year.

Whole armadas of Angela Merkels or Silvio Berlusconis are available in all sizes and shapes in the Nativity Street of Naples. You can meet politicians of all stripes, soccer players or well-known stars and starlets, as well as the classic figures who tell of a long gone and transfigured "good old time". While today's figures are mostly made of plastic, the historical figures of the Neapolitan cribs are still with heads made of clay and the hands and feet carved out of wood.

The bodies, arms and legs were made of wrapped wire mesh, which allowed the figures to be moved into ever new positions. What used to be made by hand and took many years to complete can now be purchased in a short time, depending on your wallet. This does not detract from the joy of collecting. On the contrary: D'Addio already knows exactly what he wants to buy this year in Via San Gregorio Armeno.

Original text: Stefan Hermes

Translation: Mareike Graepel