On Christmas Eve of 1914, enemy combatants lay down their arms for a few hours. If you haven’t heard this beautiful story before, I hope you enjoy it. You can read more through the Smithsonian or other sites.
The first signs that something strange was happening occurred on Christmas Eve. At 8:30 p.m. an officer of the Royal Irish Rifles reported to headquarters: “Germans have illuminated their trenches, are singing songs and wishing us a Happy Xmas. Compliments are being exchanged but am nevertheless taking all military precautions.” Further along the line, the two sides serenaded each other with carols—the German “Silent Night” being met with a British chorus of “The First Noel“—and scouts met, cautiously, in no man’s land, the shell-blasted waste between the trenches. The war diary of the Scots Guards records that a certain Private Murker “met a German Patrol and was given a glass of whisky and some cigars, and a message was sent back saying that if we didn’t fire at them, they would not fire at us.”
Read more: http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/the-story-of-the-wwi-christmas-truce-11972213/#2iz2l6o4T2Bd4jmx.99
Love and peace to you and yours.
Bee I have heard this story and each time it both reduces me to tears and inspires me with hope for our sometimes sad world.
Merry Christmas, dear friend Love Ethel and Hank Ethel Lee-Miller Tucson Arizona USA Enhanced Life Management- Author, Public Speaker, Writing Seminars http://www.etheleemiller.com h 520.638.7343 c 973.460.4192 Author: Seedlings, Stories of Relationships ( 2014 NM-AZ Book Awards finalist) Author: Thinking of Miller Place: A Memoir of Summer Comfort Toastmasters Int’l – DTM. 1997-2017 Amazon Author Central Connect with me on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google +
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Well said, my friend. And a Merry Christmas to you both.
Very interesting details to a story I was only vaguely familiar with. It sort of emphasizes the stupidity of wars, doesn’t it.
It truly was a remarkable moment in time.
And a joyous Christmas to you, Jeanne. I’m sorry you had difficulty trying to post a comment. Thanks for being persistent.
Merry Christmas Bee. I have read that story several times thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Mary, and I hope you had a wonderful Christmas too. And thanks for your comment. I always enjoy reading this bit of history.
I gave my dad a movie about this: Joyeaux Noel about the truce. Heartwarming in that the soldiers spontaneously reached out to each other creating a moment of peace — but sad in that their commanding officers and religious superiors punished them afterwards. And heartwarming again that with time, that moment of reaching out with an olive branch was seen as something to be treasured.
Yes, MNL, there was much that was bittersweet about the events of that night. Thanks so much for sharing.