This Christmas Eve, my thoughts turn to our troops as they wage war on foreign battlefields. For those, seeing little reprieve in conflict with our current enemy – Islamic extremists – the joy of the season must be tinged bittersweet as they think of their loved ones, keeping the hearth fires warm, waiting for their return. I thought, then, of another war where the unimaginable happened… voluntary and unofficial truces all across Europe on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day during WWI in 1914. While the stories that have passed thru the years may have morphed almost into myth, they are, indeed, true.
“We don’t want to fight today…. we will send you some beer”.
The website, The First World War, notes the reality of this unofficial truce was less romantic than it was just a down to earth simple story of a shared misery, and a longing for home. The enthusiasm for war had waned, and both sides knew it would be a long time before they marched for home…. and that many would never see home again. The frontlines were still in view of nearby villages and civilization, and conditions for both sides were equally hard.
As Christmas approached the festive mood and the desire for a lull in the fighting increased as parcels packed with goodies from home started to arrive. On top of this came gifts care of the state. Tommy received plum puddings and ‘Princess Mary boxes’; a metal case engraved with an outline of George V’s daughter and filled with chocolates and butterscotch, cigarettes and tobacco, a picture card of Princess Mary and a facsimile of George V’s greeting to the troops. ‘May God protect you and bring you safe home,’ it said.
Not to be outdone, Fritz received a present from the Kaiser, the Kaiserliche, a large meerschaum pipe for the troops and a box of cigars for NCOs and officers. Towns, villages and cities, and numerous support associations on both sides also flooded the front with gifts of food, warm clothes and letters of thanks.
The Belgians and French also received goods, although not in such an organised fashion as the British or Germans. For these nations the Christmas of 1914 was tinged with sadness – their countries were occupied. It is no wonder that the Truce, although it sprung up in some spots on French and Belgian lines, never really caught hold as it did in the British sector.
With their morale boosted by messages of thanks and their bellies fuller than normal, and with still so much Christmas booty to hand, the season of goodwill entered the trenches. A British Daily Telegraph correspondent wrote that on one part of the line the Germans had managed to slip a chocolate cake into British trenches.
Even more amazingly, it was accompanied with a message asking for a ceasefire later that evening so they could celebrate the festive season and their Captain’s birthday. They proposed a concert at 7.30pm when candles, the British were told, would be placed on the parapets of their trenches.
The British accepted the invitation and offered some tobacco as a return present. That evening, at the stated time, German heads suddenly popped up and started to sing. Each number ended with a round of applause from both sides.
The Germans then asked the British to join in. At this point, one very mean-spirited Tommy shouted: ‘We’d rather die than sing German.’ To which a German joked aloud: ‘It would kill us if you did’.
The accounts across the various skirmish sites are varied… from tales of the soccer games to singing contests, shared meals, and banners with greetings messages raised on bayonets. Others used the time to recover the bodies of the fallen, and many joint burial ceremonies were held. For a few hours, on a day held holy by many, enemies shared all they both held dear… life, and a longing for home, families and peace.
This spontaneous breaking out in peace has been honored both in song (Paul McCartney, Garth Brooks, and folk singers John McCutcheon and Mike Harding) and modest memorials. Below are two descendents of WWI – Peter Knight and Stefan Langheinrich – reenacting the truce in 2008 during the unveiling of the Truce Memorial at Frelinghien… a village on the border of Belgium and France.
And to the right, the Khaki Chum’s Christmas Truce Memorial near Ypres, Belgium. The text reads: 1914 – The Khaki Chum’s Christmas Truce – 1999 – 85 Years – Lest We Forget.
From Flanders, kneel and say:
God speed the time when every day
Shall be as Christmas Day.
To our troops everywhere, and our own Old Trooper… stashed somewhere not far from these memorials… a Merry Christmas. Plus a prayer that all our warriors will find themselves in moment of quiet and joy this holy day. And to all of you in the FA forum, may the joys of Christmas, and optimism of the New Year live in your hearts forever.
UPDATED: Also recalling the events of the 1914 Christmas Truce is Oliver North in his article today, A Christmas Wish for our Troops. He, too, realizes that such an event – already rare in history – would never happen with our current enemy.
Five years ago, as I prepared to leave Iraq so I could be home for Christmas, a young Marine approached me with a question I’ll remember this year and every Christmas as long as I live. “What do you want for Christmas?” he asked.
I told him, “I want you to get home safely.” That was my Christmas wish then and will remain my wish until the War on Terror is won.
But I have another wish. It’s said today only 2 percent of Americans know the name of someone serving in the armed forces. My second wish this Christmas is that the men and women who comprise our armed forces – the bravest, most-committed, and most selfless young people I’ve ever known – will receive the recognition and thanks they deserve.
I’ve made it a goal to spread their stories through my Fox News Channel show and my book, “American Heroes in Special Operations.” I hope you’ll join me during this season of joy in giving thanks for – and to – our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Guardsmen, and Marines.
Vietnam era Navy wife, indy/conservative, and an official California escapee now residing as a red speck in the sea of Oregon blue.
Back in those days we were fighting an enemy that had clear designs. They had a country to back them, they had honor in their hearts. So did our soldiers it was a different time. NOW however; I couldn’t imagine a group of taliban/AQ fighting across the road against our guys and them accepting any kind of “Christmas truce” they don’t believe in Jesus as the son of God. I could believe they would feign a truce and send over a homicide bomber draped in santa gear…
Our enemy today is ruthless, mentally challenged and has NO HONOR. They kill babies intentionally. Any enemy like that needs to be killed in the most brutal way possible on EVERY day!
NO respite for the koranimals!
When you fight an enemy who follows no rules, and you follow rules, you lose before you begin…
Robert, Bayou and anticsrocks, I assure you that nothing in this post suggested I believed, or advocated, that such a Christmas Truce “grassroots” event could or should happen with our current enemy. Indeed, the only reason it did in WWI was because both sides of the conflict held a reverence for Christmas Day and all that was associated.
Not so with those I consider to be human cockroaches.
Rather this was a bit of uplifting history. A tidbit in honor of what we would all desire as the ultimate Christmas gift … Peace on Earth, Goodwill Towards Men. Even if impossible. However, the impossible became somewhat possible in 1914… if only for a few hours.
I was listening to Chip Davis read this story yesterday, didn’t get to finish listening because our guests started arriving. Thank you so much for doing this post Mata!
Merry Christmas to all at Flopping Aces!
God Bless our troops home and abroad as well as their loved ones waiting for their safe return. It’s always a long wait, a struggle to care for the children and homes, our military and their families have always sacrificed so much for us.
What a joyfull, uplifting tribute to our brave soldiers. Merry Christmas to all on Jesus Christs’ birthday.
@Mata – My apologies. I did not mean for my comment to be construed that I believed you thought it possible; rather I was merely pointing out that those we are war with now are cretinous barbarians.
A Missive from American Thinker that is On Target…
A Special Christmas Song
A Classic From One of Our Best, Ella…
I visited Bastogne and saw the fields where America’s Greatest Generation stopped the Axis Final Push in weather that was remarkably similar to 1944. This week. There are Monuments to those Brave Americans that had the courage and determination to WIN despite all odds. While America’s Second Greatest Generation is in the mountains and valleys of Afghanistan in small outposts now Bastogne serves as a reminder that small numbers of determined Men still fight for Someones Else’s Freedom. That makes Me very Proud and very Humbled by the significance of their Sacrifice. I can say that I have served in the Company of Heroes without reservation.
In both small town and big city America there are some empty chairs at the table for today’s Holiday Feast. Give a thought to those who are somewhere else today and a Prayer for their Safe return. I am grateful for their Service every day but especially today.
@anticsrocks, that’s okay. No apologies necessary. Made me go back and do a bit of editing, since perhaps the way I presented it, left that open to misinterpretation. I had read some of the comments on this post on Freep, and one mentioned his father told of similar stories in WWII. It is true that even post 1914, a few events similar happened. But what made 1914 so unique was the amount of combatants who engaged…. unordered, and much to the chagrin of many leaders.
The story of the Christmas Truce touches me deeply. While I know that war is necessary, and instrumental to our freedoms, one can still wish for “whirled peas”, so to speak… yes?
Missy… you are welcome. I’m glad to hear that, this Christmas Day, others remember this more endearing moment in history of mankind. KansasGirl, I’m very glad you also enjoyed the recap. A Christmas and New Years filled with blessings and joy to all.
My dad was still in a hospital in Appledorn, Holland during Xmas 44. The Regina Rifles were fortified on the north side of the Bulge. The 2 months that he was hurt from shrapnel wounds, kept him in the European Theatre until the summer of 46. Battle hardened ncos were the last to be demobilized. This must have really sucked. Uncle Amos told me this because dad never said much about Europe and especially Holland.
MATA, GREAT POST, AND GREAT TIMING, thank you,
best to you
MATA ,THERE WAS THE POWER OF PEOPLE AGAINST ALL ODDS LEADING THE MOMENT OF TRUCE, ANOTHER EXEMPLE OF THE FORCES FOR CHANGE ARE INVINCIBLE WHEN THEY MARCH
TOWARD CORRECTING THE WRONG DOING. BYE
CURT, I got your testing at gmail, and I click to end up at, we dont want to fight, and your testing has not appear, just thought you wanted to know, bye
Beautiful post. Thanks for sharing this bit of history.
God bless our troops and their families. May they all return safely, and may we all recognize their sacrifices and valor.
I hope everyone at FA had a great Christmas, and has a happy New Year!
MATA,
thank you again from 2013, THIS IS A KEEPSAKE, we must have it every CHRISTMAS,
so to clean up our eyes with tears resurging from the past OF OUR LIVES,
how can we not remember, the previous CHRISTMAS, and previous frienship,
I wish you all the best for the many years coming to you,