95 years ago...

Stealth Hunter · 12-24-09, 09:13 PM

*from an old At the Front article*

On Christmas Eve, 1914, the sounds of rifles firing and shells exploding faded in a number of places along the Western Front in favor of holiday celebrations in the trenches and gestures of goodwill between enemies.

At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, several German soldiers emerged from their trenches with their commanding officers and approached the Allied lines across no-man's-land, calling out "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongues, French and English. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a clever ruse, but seeing the Germans unarmed they too climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with their previous enemies. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and rations, sang carols and told stories of home. There was even a case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a friendly game of soccer.

Some soldiers used this short-lived ceasefire for a more somber task: the retrieval and burial of the bodies of fellow combatants who had fallen within the no-man's land between the line.

The Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of the war in Europe, which would go on for another 4 years. It was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare.

Such acts of peace were only ever repeated once more throughout world history, in 1915.

12-24-09, 09:27 PM

Here's of YouTube video. Jul i ingenmandsland (Christmas in no man's land) by Lars Lilholt.
It's in danish, but the musik still sets the proper mood for the images shown.:

12-24-09, 09:13 PM	#1
Stealth Hunter Silent Hunter Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Y'ha-Nthlei Posts: 4,262 Downloads: 19 Uploads: 0	95 years ago... from an old At the Front article On Christmas Eve, 1914, the sounds of rifles firing and shells exploding faded in a number of places along the Western Front in favor of holiday celebrations in the trenches and gestures of goodwill between enemies. At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, several German soldiers emerged from their trenches with their commanding officers and approached the Allied lines across no-man's-land, calling out "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongues, French and English. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a clever ruse, but seeing the Germans unarmed they too climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with their previous enemies. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and rations, sang carols and told stories of home. There was even a case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a friendly game of soccer. Some soldiers used this short-lived ceasefire for a more somber task: the retrieval and burial of the bodies of fellow combatants who had fallen within the no-man's land between the line. The Christmas Truce of 1914 came only five months after the outbreak of the war in Europe, which would go on for another 4 years. It was one of the last examples of the outdated notion of chivalry between enemies in warfare. Such acts of peace were only ever repeated once more throughout world history, in 1915.

12-24-09, 09:27 PM	#2
Snestorm Stowaway Posts: n/a Downloads: Uploads:	Here's of YouTube video. Jul i ingenmandsland (Christmas in no man's land) by Lars Lilholt. It's in danish, but the musik still sets the proper mood for the images shown.: