In August 2006, I went to the Silent-Night Museum which primarily deals with the composer of the famous Christmas carol.
It was in 1818 as the song written by Joseph Mohr and set to music by Franz Xaver Gruber 'Silent Night' was performed the first time in St. Nikolaus in Oberndorf.
Since then numerous tourists come to the place Oberndorf near Salzburg every year in order to visit a museum about this famous Christmas carol there.
This is not the only museum on this topic, though. There is a another one in Hallein where the composer of the song, Franz Xaver Gruber, had worked for a long time.
On the occasion of my visit of the annually Italian Weeks in Hallein I took the chance to visit this small but fine museum.
It was situated opposite the city parish church of Hallein in which the composer of the famous Christmas carol had worked as choirmaster and composer for 28 years.
I went into the museum after a quick look into the church itself and a longer look onto the strange steeple made in a very modern style.
Inside the museum I saw a row of autographs and other originals telling me the emergence and distribution of the Christmas carol.
Besides the documents there were also some furniture from the estate of Franz Xaver Gruber displayed.
Outside the museum I was especially impressed by the grave of the composer which was placed next to the walls of the museums and the only one nearby.
People from all over the world annually meet there on December 24th in order to sing at the Grubergrab (grave of Gruber). A tradition which is organized by local societies like the Liedertafel and the Bürgergarde.
Perhaps I will spend a Christmas Eve singing there a carol. But at that day it was in the middle of August and so I went back to the Italian festival singing a different song: 'Azzurro, Il pomeriggio è troppo ...' ...
If you like this article you may want to visit
Website of the Silent-Night
Museum