Josef Mohr
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Josef Mohr (december 11, 1792 - December 4, 1848) was an Austrian priest and composer, who wrote the words to the Christmas carol "Silent Night".
Biography
Mohr was born in Salzburg to an unmarried mother.As his musical talent was recognized, he found a sponsor to open him the path to higher education. As an illegitimate child he even needed the pope's special permission to become a priest in 1815. He was sent to the remote mountain village of Mariapfarr, where in 1816 he wrote a poem that was once to become the world's most popular carol. Mohr was moved to Oberndorf in 1817 to stay there for two years. When Franz Gruber agreed to compose a tune to the carol to be sung at midnight mass on December 24, 1818, 'Silent Night' was born. Only years later the song became popular. Mohr, a generous man who donated money to charity, was moved from place to place and finally became parish priest in Wagrain, where he initiated a new school for the children there. He also created a fund to allow children from poor families to attend school.
He died of a pulmonary disease in 1848. The village school was named after him and his grave has been kept in honour in the village cemetery nearby.
See also
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