Contrary to popular belief, and the notes in countless hymbooks, "Away In A Manger" was not written by Martin Luther. In fact, the song is not at all in the style of Luther's songs, and is virtually unknown in Germany!

The words were, in fact, found in a Lutheran Sunday school book published in 1885, in Philadelphia. Whence the confusion? Apparently it began when James R. Murray published the songs in a children's songbook with the subtitle "Luther's Cradle Hymn (Composed by Martin Luther for his children and still sung by German mothers to their little ones)." The poem may have been written by Murray himself.

Luther did, of course, write a number of hymns, including the Christmas songs, "From heaven above to Earth I Come" ("Vom Himmel hoch"), "All Praise to Thee, Eternal Lord," and "Savior of the Nations, Come" ("Nun komm, der Heiden Heiland"[translated from a fourth century hymn by Ambrose of Milan]).

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