In 1816, Joseph Mohr, the assistant priest in the parish of Oberndorf, wrote the lyrics to Stille Nacht! (Silent Night). The music for the poem was composed by Franz Xaver Gruber for a Christmas Eve service in 1818. The organ in the church was broken, and the music was composed for two voices and a guitar. The song was translated into English in the 1850’s. Most of the translations translate only three of the six stanzas of the song.

The song played a role in the Christmas truce of 1914.

According to The Conversation:

At least as famous as the story of the carol’s origin is that of its role in the Christmas truce of 1914. In his book on the truce, historian Stanley Weintraub identifies the singer as Walter Kirchhoff, a German Officer and sometime member of the Berlin Opera. Kirchhoff’s singing of the carol in both German and English is credited with encouraging the exchange of songs, greetings and gifts between the opposing soldiers.

While there is debate among historians about the nature and scope of the truce, Silent night is firmly established in popular imagination as the soundtrack for this remarkable event….

The contrast between the carol’s message of tranquillity and hope and the violence of war is obvious and compelling, but the intimacy and simplicity of Gruber’s music is important too in providing an antidote to the grimness of trench warfare.

The depth of significance attached to Silent Night is summed up its inclusion on UNESCO’s intangible cultural heritage list in 2011. Words, music and contextual narratives combine to create its aura and reputation, making it one of the most striking examples of the ways in which musical associations shape our experiences of the Christmas season.