Given recent findings, historians know that Joseph Mohr created the text to "Silent Night!" in the form of a poem in 1816 while serving in Mariapfarr in the Lungau region of the province of Salzburg. Two years later, Franz Gruber added the melody to the lyrics. During the years 1815-1817, Mohr held the position of assistant priest in Mariapfarr. The house of his grandfather, called the "Scharglerkeusche" is located at Stranach Nr. 21 not far from Mariapfarr. A reference to Mohr can also be found as part of a relief sculpture in the town's war memorial monument (World War I, 1914-1918).
The Silent Night Museum includes documentation on Joseph Mohr beginning with his family tree which goes back to the 17th century in Lungau. His origins from there and his stay in Mariapfarr from 1815-1817 as parish facilitator are not the only evidence of his relationship to Lungau.
Opening time
Monday and Thursday from 2 to 5 PM.
October:
Thursday from 2 to 5 PM.
April, May and November:
The museum is closed.
For exact opening information and booking of special tours by appointment Tel. +43 (0) 6473 8766
Abguss der von Pfarrer Bernhard Rohrmoser 2011 geschaffenen Büste von Joseph Mohr (c) Hand-in-Hand-Handwerker (2)
Silent-Night-Museum and Museum of Local History
Joseph-Mohr-Platz 1
A-5571 Mariapfarr
http://www.stillenachtmuseum.at/