THE CAROL THAT PAUSED TWO WARS By Mary Davis

By Mary Davis

On Christmas 1914, in Europe, the guns went silent and voices in German, French, and English rose in the stillness singing Silent Night. For a short time, enemies found common ground in a nearly one-hundred-year-old carol.

 

ChristmasTruce1914

But long before WW1, another set of enemies set aside their weapons to sing Silent Night. During the US Civil War, the Union and Confederate troops halted fighting on Christmas day each year and could be heard singing this holiday classic. If only the soldiers on both sides of these wars could have held onto that brief peace after the last strains had been sung.

 

If Father Josef Mohr, of Austria, had known the power of his simple poem, he might not have tucked it away for two years, only to be brought out because of a Christmas crisis.

 

Stained-glass rendering of Mohr

In 1816, in the aftermath of the Napoleonic war, Mohr was in Mariapfarr, Austria. Appreciating the quiet after the war, he penned a six-stanza poem titled Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht. A year later, he was transferred to Saint Nicholas parish in Oberndorf in the state of Salzburg in Austria. Then in 1818, after the Salzach River had flooded, the head priest tasked young Mohr with putting together the Christmas Eve midnight service. Mohr was thrilled to finally be given some responsibility.

 

He put the program together with the hymns the choir had practiced. On Christmas Eve day, Mohr went to the church to make sure everything was in order. As an afterthought, he sat at the organ to play through the songs to be sung. The instrument didn’t make a peep, probably damaged by the flood. He tried everything he knew to get it to utter a note, but nothing worked. How could they have a Christmas Eve service without music?

 

Author Photo

Mohr braved the snowy streets by walking three kilometers to a nearby town to get help from a friend, Franz Xaver Gruber, schoolmaster and organist. Gruber was at a loss for what to do but offered to play his guitar during the service. Though the idea had merit, none of the pieces the choir had practiced would work with a guitar. Then, inspiration struck. Mohr remembered his poem, and if Gruber could put it to music, it could be played on guitar and sung.

 

Gruber

The young priest hurried home, found the poem, and returned. Gruber created a melody to fit the words. Mohr singing tenor and Gruber bass with accompaniment of the guitar along with the congregation joining in on the chorus saved the service in the little church.

 

Silent Night might have faded into the darkness of future silent nights if not for the broken organ. In January 1819, organ repairman Karl Mauracher came to Saint Nicholas. Mohr shared the story of having to use a guitar. Mauracher asked him to sing it. Impressed by the tune, Mauracher wrote down the words and learned the melody and took them back with him to the Ziller Valley. He then taught it to churches all across Europe. Thousands of choirs were singing it within a decade.

 

In 1832, the song was performed at a fair. In attendance was King William IV of Prussia. So moved by the piece, he insisted it be sung at his annual Christmas celebration.

 

Seven years later, this moving carol traveled across the ocean to the United States by way of the Rainer singing group who performed it at Trinity Church in New York. Silent Night became America’s favorite Christmas carol within a decade. From there, it has been recorded by numerous singers and groups.

 

Though today, we sing Silent Night slow and reflective, the original arrangement was at a more rapid tempo.

 

Silent Night Music-circa1820

Our contemporary version consists of stanzas 1, 6, and 2. Here are all six verses as translated from Mohr’s original, found on https://silent-night-museum.org/sounds/lyrics.htm. You may notice that some of the words are different. Modern translators changed some of the words to make it more relatable to people.

 

Silent Night! Holy Night!

All is calm, all is bright

Round yon godly tender pair

Holy infant with curly hair

Sleep in heavenly peace

Sleep in heavenly peace.

 

Silent Night! Holy Night!

Son of God, love's pure light

Radiant beams from thy holy face

With the dawn of redeeming grace

Jesus, Lord at thy birth

Jesus, Lord at thy birth.

 

Silent Night! Holy Night!

Brought the world gracious light

Down from heaven's golden height

Comes to us the glorious sight:

Jesus, as one of mankind

Jesus, as one of mankind.

 

Silent Night! Holy Night!

By his love, by his might

God our Father us has graced

As a brother gently embraced

Jesus, all nations on earth

Jesus, all nations on earth.

 

Silent Night! Holy Night!

Long ago, minding our plight

God the world from misery freed

In the dark age of our fathers decreed:

All the world is redeemed

All the world is redeemed.

 

Silent Night! Holy Night!

Shepherds first saw the sight

Of angels singing alleluia

Calling clearly near and far:

Christ, the saviour is born

Christ the Saviour is born.

 

I find it fitting that a poem/song that was penned in the aftermath of one war brought temporary peace during two other wars. And if not for a broken organ, it may have remained in Mohr’s bottom desk drawer, forgotten.

 

Merry Christmas!

 

 
MRS. WITHERSPOON GOES TO WAR (Heroines of WWII series)
3rd Place 2023 SELAH Award

A WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots) flies a secret mission to rescue three soldiers held captive in Cuba.

Margaret “Peggy” Witherspoon is a thirty-four-year-old widow, mother of two daughters, an excellent pilot, and very patriotic. She joins the WASP (Women Airforce Service Pilots). As she performs various tasks like ferry aircraft, transporting cargo, and being an airplane mechanic, she meets and develops feelings for her supervisor Army Air Corp Major Howie Berg. When Peggy learns of U.S. soldiers being held captive in Cuba, she, Major Berg, and two fellow WASPs devise an unsanctioned mission to rescue them. With Cuba being an ally in the war, they must be careful not to ignite an international incident. Order HERE!

MARY DAVIS, bestselling, award-winning novelist, has over thirty titles in both historical and contemporary themes. Her latest release is THE LADY’S MISSION. Her other novels include THE DÉBUTANTE'S SECRET (Quilting Circle Book 4) THE DAMSEL’S INTENT (The Quilting Circle Book 3) is a SELAH Award Winner. Some of her other recent titles include; THE WIDOW'S PLIGHT, THE DAUGHTER'S PREDICAMENT, “Zola’s Cross-Country Adventure” in The MISSAdventure Brides Collection, Prodigal Daughters Amish series, "Holly and Ivy" in A Bouquet of Brides Collection, and "Bygones" in Thimbles and Threads. She is a member of ACFW and active in critique groups.

Mary lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband of thirty-seven years and one cat. She has three adult children and three incredibly adorable grandchildren. Find her online at: Books2Read Newsletter Blog FB FB Readers Group Amazon GoodReads BookBub

Sources

Stories Behind The Greatest Hits Of Christmas, by Ace Collins

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/silent-night-celebrates-its-bicentennial-180971044/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silent_Night

https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/the-history-behind-silent-night/

https://americansongwriter.com/behind-meaning-of-the-christmas-carol-silent-night/

https://theconversation.com/silent-night-the-story-of-the-carol-that-paused-a-war-108692

https://silent-night-museum.org/sounds/lyrics.htm

Merry Christmas to all . . .

Merry Christmas and Happy 2020 to each and every Heroes, Heroines and History reader.

I love this time of the year. People just seem happier—nicer. I’m not sure what it is that makes them that way.

I wish I knew.

I wish we could all get along as if it were Christmas every day of the year. But human nature keeps us at odds for an abundance of reason.

I pray one day that will change.

Throughout history there are examples of people coming together at Christmas and making amends—at least for a moment in time.

One of those Christmas miracles happened in 1914. During the first Christmas of WWI an unofficial truce took place in the middle of battle torn Europe.

One of the first known official, written accounts of a truce developing, was when an officer of the Royal Irish Rifles reported to headquarters that the Germans had “illuminated” their trenches, were singing Christmas songs, and wishing the opposing soldiers a happy Christmas. The British officers were guarded, but the soldiers were curious. And I’m sure desperate for a little Christmas spirit while they were away from family and friends.

Unrelated to this and a bit further down the battle lines, soldiers from both sides serenaded one another with Christmas carols. The German men sang Silent Night and the British, The First Noel. Soon, scouts were sent out to meet—very cautiously—in the shell-pocked, no-man’s land between the opposing sides’ trenches. These few brave men exchanged whisky, cigars, and a message saying, in short, if we don’t fire at them, neither would they fire at us. Then the real miracle happened. More men came out of the dank, dark, battle trenches and exchanged names, handshakes, hugs; traded gifts of cigarettes, candy and food; they played games together and sang. These men who were enemies just hours before—were having a Christmas party.     

                   
Spontaneously, in other areas, the same types of trues were taking place. No one organized these events. No one spread the word that troops could come together and observe the holiday. And in fact, many officers discouraged the truce. So, what made these men—who, might I remind you, only hours before where shooting at each other—come together to celebrate Christmas, as friends, chums, mates or comrades?

Was it nostalgia or a want for tradition that brought them together or, perhaps a longing for family or home . . . We may never be able to explain it.

It was truly miraculous.

So, my friends, during this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could come together like these men in 1914 and forget our differences? Forget that we were recently “shooting” at one another. Forget the political mess our nation and world are in. Embrace the season and embrace unexplainable, unpredictable kindness.

Change begins with one person. I’m going to put forth an effort this year to be a person who makes change happen, who makes a difference.

Will you?

Make the impossible happen. Then make it Christmas all year long.

Blessings to each and every one of our amazing HHH readers, and may you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year. 

Multi award-winning author, Michele K. Morris’s love for historical fiction began when she first read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House book series. She grew up riding horses and spending her free time in the woods of mid-Michigan. Michele loves to hear from readers on Facebook, Twitter, and here through the group blog, Heroes, Heroines, and History at HHHistory.com.

Michele is represented by Tamela Hancock Murray of the Steve Laube Agency.

A Christmas Miracle in 1914

By: Michele K. Morris

Merry Christmas and Happy 2018 to each and every Heroes, Heroines and History reader.

I love this time of the year. People just seem happier—nicer. I’m not sure what it is that makes them that way.

I wish I knew.

I wish we could all get along as if it were Christmas every day of the year. But human nature keeps us at odds for an abundance of reason. I pray one day that will change.

Throughout history there are examples of people coming together at Christmas and making amends—at least for a moment in time.

Newspaper account of 1914 Christmas Truce

One of those Christmas miracles happened in 1914. During the first Christmas of WWI an unofficial truce took place in the middle of battle torn Europe.

One of the first known written accounts of a truce developing, was when an officer of the Royal Irish Rifles reported to headquarters that the Germans had “illuminated” their trenches, were singing songs, and wishing the opposing soldiers a happy Christmas. The British officers were guarded, but the soldiers were curious.

Soldiers during the Christmas Truce

Further down the battle lines, soldiers from both sides serenaded one another with Christmas carols. The German men sang Silent Night and the British, The First Noel. Soon, scouts were sent out to meet—very cautiously—in the shell-pocked, no-man’s land between opposing sides’ trenches. These few brave men exchanged whisky, cigars, and a message saying, in short, if we don’t fire at them, neither would they fire at us. Then the real miracle happened. Men came out of the dank, dark, battle trenches and exchanged names, traded gifts of cigarettes, candy and food, they played games together and sang. They had a Christmas party.

Playing soccer

Spontaneously, in other areas, the same types of trues were taking place. No one organized these truces. No one spread the word that troops could come together and observe the holiday. And in fact, many officers discouraged the truce. So, what made these men—who only hours before where shooting at each other—come together to celebrate Christmas, as friends, chums, mates or comrades? Was it tradition that brought them together or, perhaps a longing for family or home . . . We may never be able to explain it. It was truly miraculous.

During this week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, wouldn’t it be wonderful if we could come together like these men in 1914 and forget our differences? Forget that we were recently “shooting” at one another. Forget the political mess our world is in.

Change begins with one person. I’m going to put forth an effort this year to be a person who makes change happen, who makes a difference. Will you? Make the impossible happen. Make it Christmas all year long.

Blessings to each and every one of our amazing HHH readers, and may you all have a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year.

                     ___________________________________________

    

                                                                                                             

 Multi award-winning author, Michele K. Morris’s love for historical fiction began when she first read Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House book series. She grew up riding horses and spending her free time in the woods of mid-Michigan. Married to her high school sweetheart, they are living happily-ever-after with their six children, three in-loves, and eight grandchildren in Florida, the sunshine state. Michele loves to hear from readers on Facebook, Twitter, and here through the group blog, Heroes, Heroines, and History at HHHistory.com.