Did this extraordinary event really happen?

[Alma]

I just saw a movie about that Christmas night during World War I back in 1914 when there was a miraculous truce between enemy soldiers who sang Christmas songs, held a religious service together and even helped each other bury their death the next morning.
:grouphug:

What a wonderful thing, to let their love of Jesus be greater than their hatred against each other!

I talked about it with a friend of mine and he does not believe that really happened. He says those soldiers would have faced a severe punishment if they had done such a thing.

But I am sure I read somewhere that it was true.

Any comments on this would be very much appreciated!

:tiphat:

Alma

 

[Lujack]

The Christmas Truce of 1914 did happen. There were even soccer games, and the trees in No Man’s Land were decorated as Christmas trees. Unfortunately, the British and German commanders on that front noticed a drop in morale after the next fight, and vowed never to let a truce happen again.

Fortunately, though, the commanders on the French front were not prepared for such an event, and there was another, less extensive truce along the Vosges in 1915. Another famous 1915 was the German singing of Silent Night along the trench line, leading to the British responding with Good King Wenceslas, and starting an impromptu soccer match. That game was broken up by artillery fire.

 

[FickleFreckled]

Here’s a link to the lyrics of a song written about it, Christmas in the Trenches, by John McCutcheon:

folkmusic.com/record/r_live.htm#Christmas

And here’s the You Tube recording, along with John’s introduction. It’ll give you goose bumps, I guarantee:

youtube.com/watch?v=s9coPzDx6tA