Opening of the special post office "Silent Night! Holy Night!"

Every Advent season – from 8 to 24 December – a special post office opens at the Bruckmannhaus in the Silent Night district of Oberndorf, where visitors can post their Christmas mail. Commemorative cancellations are also available for collectors and visitors.

What began as a simple Christmas carol, first performed in Oberndorf in 1818, has become one of the most famous songs in the world – and a quiet yet powerful message of peace. With its simple melody and moving lyrics, “Silent Night! Holy Night!” stands for hope, humanity and the quiet strength of peace – beyond borders, nations and ideologies.

The 4th and 5th verses in particular carry a profound message of peace. They present a clear counter-narrative to war and national division. Jesus embraces the peoples of the world – not individual nations, but all humanity, regardless of origin, language or borders. The anger of the world gives way to love.

This message has also had political resonance. In 1941, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill sang “Silent Night! Holy Night!” together at the White House in Washington. This moment inspired the Oberndorf-born philosopher Leopold Kohr, who had emigrated abroad, to interpret the song as an expression of cultural independence and as a symbol of a small, peace-loving Austria.

In 2011, “Silent Night! Holy Night!” was added to the national list of intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO. As such, it is far more than a Christmas song: it is a call for humanity – then as now.

The Silent Night Chapel is a major attraction, especially during the Christmas season, drawing thousands of visitors from near and far who come to commemorate the creators of the song. “Silent Night! Holy Night!” is regarded as a message of peace for the world and is sung in more than 300 languages and dialects. At the annual Silent Night commemorative ceremony held in front of the chapel on Christmas Eve, the carol can be heard in its original version.

When? 
8.12.2025, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., presentation at 1:00 a.m.

Where? 
Special post office Oberndorf "Silent Night! Holy Night!", Bruckmannhaus 

Group picture:
Picture of presentation: © Bernhard Rieger

Group picture, left to right: Martina Prinz, (interim Head of Philately at Austrian Post), Mayor Georg Djundja, Günter Veichtlbauer (stamp designer)