Christmas Carols and Their Stories
Puzzle 37 · The Story of Silent Night · Page 57 in print
Arnsdorf
Gruber taught and lived in Arnsdorf’s schoolhouse, built in 1771 as a sacristan’s house. The Silent Night Association calls it Austria’s oldest school building still in use, and pupils still learn in the “Gruber Class.”
Jump to a word
The words
Abbot Nikolaus
Abbot Nikolaus III of Michaelbeuern, who kept Gruber from military service.
Flachgau
The northern Salzburg region that includes Arnsdorf.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab)
Glockenspiel
The Silent Night chimes on Arnsdorf’s church tower, blessed in 1968.
Gruber Class
The classroom still used for lessons and named after Gruber.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab)
Gruber Organ
The 1745 Arnsdorf organ Gruber played, restored in 2020.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab)
Josef Aigner
The headteacher who founded Arnsdorf’s Silent Night Museum in 1961.
Male Quartets
The men’s part-songs that make Arnsdorf a cradle of male singing.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab)
Maria im Mosl
Arnsdorf’s pilgrimage church, where Gruber was organist.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab) · Silent Night Association (opens a new tab)
Michaelbeuern
The Benedictine abbey that ran Arnsdorf’s church and school.
Silent Night Association: Franz Xaver Gruber (opens a new tab) · Stille Nacht Museum Arnsdorf: Gruber als (opens a new tab)
Mitterreiter
Andreas Mitterreiter, who built Arnsdorf’s organ in 1745.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab) · Silent Night Association (opens a new tab)
Pilgrimage
The centuries-old pilgrimages to Mary at Arnsdorf.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab)
Primary School
The village school that still meets in Gruber’s schoolhouse.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab)
Rettensteiner
Werigand Rettensteiner, the Arnsdorf pastor and friend of Michael Haydn.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab)
Sacristan
Gruber’s church caretaker role at Arnsdorf.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab)
Schoolhouse
The 1771 building where Gruber taught, lived and probably wrote the tune.
Silent Night Association: Lamprechtshausen/Ar (opens a new tab) · Silent Night Association: History of the Song (opens a new tab)
Sources
- Gruber als LehrerStille Nacht Museum Arnsdorf, on the official site of the municipality of Lamprechtshausen
- Stille Nacht - Lamprechtshausen/ArnsdorfSilent Night Association (Stille Nacht Gesellschaft), official site
- Franz Xaver Gruber-SchuleStille Nacht Museum Arnsdorf, on the official site of the municipality of Lamprechtshausen
- Silent Night Association (Stille Nacht Gesellschaft), official siteSilent Night Association
- Stille Nacht - Franz Xaver GruberSilent Night Association (Stille Nacht Gesellschaft), official site
- Stille Nacht - History of the SongSilent Night Association (Stille Nacht Gesellschaft), official site