Oberndorf bei Salzburg

Oberndorf bei Salzburg, province of Salzburg, market town in the district of Salzburg Land, alt. 401 m, pop. 4,786 (1981: pop. 3,836), area 4.55 km², north of Salzburg on the River Salzach, in the Flachgau region, at the Austrian-German border. - District court, customs office, hospital, commercial college (HAK); 1,489 gainfully employed persons (1991), service industry (personal, social and public services), meat and meat processing plant, small and medium-sized businesses, Oberndorf bei Salzburg printing house (municipality of Göming); museum and armoury of the Guild of the Shipper´s Guard (Schifferschützengilde, established in 1278). - Independent town since the River Salzach became a border between Austria and Bavaria and detachment from the town of Laufen; from 1900-1906 elevation of the town because of floods, at the same time reconstruction of the parish church. In the old church (taken down, 1924-1936 memorial chapel) the song "Silent Night, Holy Night" sounded for the first time in 1818. Calvary with Maria Bühel pilgrimage church (1663-1677), with high altar (1722) by A. Beduzzi and 2 altar paintings by J. M. Rottmayr (1722); Boatmen´s Chapel. Local customs: Himmelbrotschutzen (on Corpus Christi blessing ceremony of the River Salzach commemorating the river´s importance as transport route for salt in the Middle Ages. A boat with a few men and little boys carrying a cloth with a wreath and four hosts symbolising the four points of the compass is blessed by the parish priest and then heaved into the water with the rudder blade), Pirates´ Battle, every 4 years (commemorating the attacks of bandits on boats transporting salt, simulation of an attack and rescue by the choir of the Guild of the Shipper´s Guard), Schifferstechen on the River Salzach each year in August (game of skill especially popular during the late Middle Ages among guild members. Standing on light boats, the aim of the game is to push the opponent into the water by the use of tilting lances or long poles).

Literature: A. Mairoll, Aus der Landesgeschichte von Salzburg mit besonderer Berücksichtigung von Oberndorf-Laufen, 1972; A. Stockklauser, Oberndorf, Festschrift zur 150-Jahrfeier der Gemeinde Oberndorf bei Salzburg 1816-1966, 1966.