Opening of the Oberndorf special post office "Silent night, holy night"
Every year during Advent – from 8th to 24th December – there is a special post office in the Bruckmannhaus in the Oberndorf Silent Night district where Christmas mail can be sent. Special postmarking is also available.
This year marks the 160th anniversary of the death of Franz Xaver Gruber, the composer of the Christmas carol "Silent Night, Holy Night", to whom this year's special Christmas stamp is dedicated. Franz Xaver Gruber, born in 1787 in Hochburg in the Innviertel as the son of a linen weaver, received his musical training in Burghausen and then worked as a teacher and organist in several places, including Oberndorf near Salzburg. The melody of the Silent Night carol was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber, and the lyrics were written by the then assistant priest of Oberndorf, Joseph Mohr, with whom he closely collaborated. At the Christmas Midnight Mass in the then Oberndorf St. Nicholas Church on Christmas Eve 1818, the carol "Silent Night, Holy Night" was heard for the first time. Today, the Silent Night Memorial Chapel stands in its place, commemorating the two creators of this simple Christmas carol. The song started its victorious journey into the world from Oberndorf, is now sung in over 300 languages, and has become a symbol of peace in the world. On the occasion of the annual Silent Night Memorial Ceremony on Christmas Eve in front of the Silent Night Chapel in Oberndorf, which thousands of guests from all over the world attend, "Silent Night, Holy Night" can be heard in its original version.
New special exhibition: postal history of Laufen and Oberndorf
As part of the celebrations for the 1275th anniversary of Laufen-Oberndorf, the Silent Night Museum is dedicating itself to an important aspect of Oberndorf and Laufen history: post and philately. The "Postal History of Laufen and Oberndorf" exhibition will open in the Leopold Kohr Hall of the museum, coinciding with the opening of the special post office. In collaboration with the city of Laufen, this remarkable exhibition was conceived and compiled by Horst Hieble. On display will be, among other items, the commemorative stamps of the Silent Night post office and many, some very valuable, stamps related to the beautiful sister cities. The special exhibition can be visited from 8th December 2023 in the Silent Night Museum during the respective opening hours.
What?
Special post office "Silent night! Holy night!" 160-year anniversary of the death of Franz Xaver Gruber
When?
8 December 2023, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., opening 1:00 p.m.
Where?
Special post office Oberndorf "Silent night, holy night" Bruckmannhaus
Group picture 1, left to right: Martina Prinz, (Head of Philately POS Österreichische Post AG), Mayor Georg Djundja, Günter Veichtlbauer (postmark designer)
Pictures: © Österreichische Post AG
