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Frankenmuth's Silent Night Memorial Chapel at Bronner's
by Nancy Sajdak Manning
The Silent Night Memorial Chapel, at the south entrance of Bronner's CHRISTmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, is a remarkable 1:1 replica of Oberndorf, Austria's octangular-shaped Silent Night Chapel, built to commemorate the origins of the beloved and popular "Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night") Christmas hymn. Visitors to Frankenmuth's chapel (not for services), may walk along its lamppost-lit walkway, see a life-size Nativity, listen to music, and read plaques of Wally Bronner's collection of over 300 different translations of "Stille Nacht."
Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Alles schift, einsam wacht. . . .
Silent Night, Holy Night
All is calm, all is bright. . . .
—Joseph Mohr and Franz Xaver Gruber (1818)
The original Austrian chapel was build in 1937 and stands on the former altar site of St. Nicholas Church where "Stille Nacht" was first sung on December 24, 1818. The church was moved after flooding.www.silentnight.info
"Stille Nacht" was written by St. Nicholas' Pastor Joseph Mohr, with music composed by teacher/organist Franz Xaver Gruber. The hymn was designed for soprano, tenor, and choir with guitar accompaniment, since legend is that the church organ was broken. Translated into more languages than any other Christmas hymn, the song was first sung in the United States in 1839 by the Rainers, in front of the New York Trinity Lutheran Church on Wall Street.
Bronner's founder Wally Bronner was inspired to build the sanctioned Frankenmuth replica Silent Night Chapel in 1976 after seeing the original in Oberndorf. The Oberndorf mayor and other Austrians joined in the Frankenmuth chapel's dedication.
Decorations inside the Frankenmuth chapel include a replica of the Oberndorf hand-crocheted altar cloth, an 1818 crucifix, pews, stained glass windows, and information about the original chapel and composers. The Luke 2:1-19 biblical passage of Christ's birth is displayed in 30 languages: "Now it came to pass in those days, that a decree went forth from Caesar Augustus that a census of the whole world should be taken. . . ."
Silent Night Memorial Chapel, 25 Christmas Ln, Frankenmuth. Hours: Monday-Saturday (9 a.m.-9 p.m.); Sunday (Noon-7 p.m.); 989-652-9931 or www.bronners.com/silentnightchapel. html