How the lyrics Silent Night cast a spell on the world

The lyrics of the song Silent Night Holy Night from Oberndorf

The lyrics Silent Night is not only known in German-speaking countries. In the meantime, he has conquered the whole world. There is hardly a country that does not have that Christmas time "Silent Night, Holy Night" resounds from the speakers. No matter whether in shopping centers or at home. The song text Silent Night has successfully made its triumphal march around the world. The lyrics weren't exactly in the cradle. Its author, Joseph Mohr, was a simple pastor from Oberndorf. His life path from Salzburg had led him there. Here he wrote the text of the song on December 24, 1818, which is sung all over the world for Christmas today.

This is the complete Silent Night text

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Everything is asleep, lonely wakes
only the faithful sacrosanct couple.
"Gentle boy in curly hair,
sleep in heavenly peace,
sleep in heavenly peace!"

Silent Night! Holy Night!
God's son, oh how laughing
love from your divine mouth,
since the saving hour strikes us:
Jesus in your birth.
Jesus in your birth.

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Brought to the world salvation,
from the sky golden heights
let us see the mercy of abundance:
Jesus in human form.
Jesus in human form.

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Where all power is today
fatherly love,
and graciously embraced as a brother
Jesus the peoples of the world.
Jesus the peoples of the world.

Silent Night! Holy Night!
Long thoughtful,
as the Lord, freed from the wrath,
in the fathers' early hours
promised protection to all the world
promised protection to all the world.

Silent Night Holy Night,
Shepherds first announced!
by the angel Halleluja
it sounds aloud from far and near:
Jesus, the Savior is here!
Jesus, the Savior is here!

 

The text Silent Night has six verses

I didn't know beforehand that there are six verses in the text of Silent Night. However, usually only the first two and the last verse of the song are sung. After Joseph Mohr had finished his text for Silent Night, he took it to the Arnsdorf village school teacher and organist Franz Xaver Gruber. Gruber wrote a melody for it that same day. This is how the song Silent Night, Holy Night was born.

 

 

Oberndorf – place of origin of the lyrics of the song Stille Nacht

The St. Nikolai Church, where the song was first sung, no longer exists. Instead, Oberndorf has built a small chapel on the site to commemorate the two creators of the world's most famous Christmas carol. The chapel is just a few steps from the banks of the Salzach. This separates Oberndorf in Austria from Laufen in Bavaria on the other bank of the river. On the other side of the chapel there is also a small museum that tells the story of the lyrics of Silent Night and its two creators. In 1818, the chapel housed the sexton's house.

 

Hard childhood Joseph Mohrs in Salzburg

Joseph Mohr was the author of the lyrics of Silent Night. As an illegitimate son, he was an outcast from the start. His mother and father were prevented by the Napoleonic Wars from getting married before the birth of their son. Instead, the father went to war and only returned years later. In the meantime, the mother fought to offer her son a somewhat bearable life. He came under the care of the cathedral vicar of Salzburg, who sent him to grammar school. It was he who also ensured that Joseph Mohr was able to study theology. Completing his studies did not, however, entitle the young Joseph to enter the service of the church. This required a special permit from the Pope. Only after he had received this was he able to take up a position as an assistant pastor in Oberndorf. More about the Life story of Joseph Mohr you will learn in this article.

 

 

An impression of Oberndorf and the memorial chapel to the two creators of the most famous Christmas carol in the world will be provided by Petar's video. From here, the lyrics Silent Night began its triumphal march around the world. Check it out. It's worth taking a look:

The lyrics Silent Night made Joseph Mohr famous

At least after his death. Because during his life Joseph Mohr did not have much of it. The song with the lyrics Silent Night was performed for the first time in the church in Oberndorf at the end of the midnight mass on December 24, 1818. It did not take long before it was sung in other places too. The master organ builder Karl Mauracher probably got the ball rolling. He heard the song and took it with him to his home town of Fügen. It was sung there at Christmas the following year. It was printed for the first time in 1833 on a leaflet in Dresden, where it was one of four songs that supposedly came from Tyrol. At that time no one knew the assistant pastor or the composer of the song, Franz Xaver Gruber. It was finally spread by the Strasser siblings, who traveled through the country singing Tyrolean songs.

 

 

Franz Xaver Gruber - The composer for the song text Silent Night

Conrad Franz Xaver Gruber came from the small town of Ach on the Salzach, just a few kilometers from Burghausen. He was originally supposed to become a linen weaver like his father. However, his teacher recognized the young Franz Xaver's musical talent. He convinced his father to allow him to train as a teacher. As such, he ultimately had to devote himself intensively to music. In 1805 he began his musical training with the parish organist Georg Hartdobler in neighboring Burghausen. He trained as a teacher in Ried im Innkreis and in Salzburg. He then got his first job as a teacher in Arnsdorf. To improve his financial situation, he took on the role of organist and cantor in St. Nikolai Church in Oberndorf from 1816 to 1829. There Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber met and became friends. They became world famous through the lyrics of the song Silent Night.

Premiere in Oberndorf - the lyrics of the song Silent Night inspire the world

On December 24, 1818, the two finally performed the song in St. Nikolai Church, for which they had written the lyrics and composed the music on the same day. Gruber accompanied on the organ and Mohr played the guitar. In memory of this, the Silent Night historical plays are held during Advent, which commemorate this remarkable evening. Even today, the lyrics and the music that go with them fascinate people all over the world. The song is now part of Austria's intangible world cultural heritage. Singers, missionaries and clever promotion helped to make the song known around the world. Today it is sung in 330 different languages ​​and dialects at Christmas time.

Travel Arrangements:

Parking at the airport

Here you can reserve your parking space at the airport.

Arrival by plane, train and bus

Compare and book flights here* (Advertisement). Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines and other airlines fly to Salzburg. There you can then rent a car for the onward journey. You can also travel to Salzburg by train. There are also long-distance buses to Salzburg.

Rental car:

Cheap rental cars – book here!

Accommodation in Salzburg

Hotels in Salzburg * For example, you can easily book online via booking.com. Accommodation in Oberndorf * You can also find this link.

If you book via a link marked *, we receive a commission, which we use to run this blog.

Our travel tips for Salzburg

This  Travel Tips We tested it ourselves. Maybe there is something there for you?

---

 

 

 

 

Do you know anything else?

• Advent in Salzburg
• Experience silence in Bavaria
• Glockenspiel Ottawa: Schubert's Winter Journey
• Miami in December / January: Enjoying winter in Florida
• Comfortable winter boots
• Packing list winter vacation
• Where can you stay overnight with your motorhome?

 

Slow Travel Tips and recommendations too Customs & way of life you can also find it here.

Source of the Silent Night lyrics: Research for the article about the Silent Night lyrics on site. We would like to thank Salt and the City, Salzburg Tourism and Salzburg Lake District Tourism for their support in this research. However, as always, our opinion remains unaffected.

Text Lyrics Stille Nacht : © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Photos Lyrics Silent Night: © Copyright Monika Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline
Video lyrics Stille Nacht : © Copyright Petar Fuchs and TravelWorldOnline