Peace in Hell? Lessons From a WWI Christmas Truce

Merry Christmas to you all! I hope you are having, or will have, a wonderful day with family and friends.

We placed our tree in front of the door as usual with lots of gifts for the grandkids. But before those gifts can be opened, we eat a big dinner. While us women clean up the dishes, the men put away the extra tables and chairs so the room can be filled with the discarded wrapping paper after the annual paper battle.

But what of our families and friends who are not able to celebrate with us.  Those who live in another state or country. And those who serve in the Armed Forces—possibly unable to celebrate the holiday, especially in the traditional fashion. Upper Milford Township has several men and women currently overseas.

In 1914, a special event took place during World War I along the Western Front—a series of trench lines that ran from the Belgian coast to the Alps. This trench warfare had created a stalemate, and the soldiers, both sides being only 30-70 yards away from each other, were able to communicate back and forth.

On Christmas Eve, soldiers on both sides negotiated a cease-fire, even exchanging small gifts like whiskey, rum, cigars, and chocolates. They met in "No Man's Land"—the battlefield between the trenches.

One particularly solemn moment occurred in the trenches near Ploegstreet Wood, Belgium—at 11 p.m. a lone baritone voice was heard singing the beloved Christmas carol "Stille Nacht" ("Silent Night"). There were many Christmas carols sung that night, each hymn sending messages of peace among the soldiers, but "Silent Night" seems to be the one that stood out the most.

Soldiers sang Christmas carols again on Christmas morning. Soon, they emerged from their trenches advancing toward the opposing trenches armed not with weapons, but with gifts: tobacco products, chocolates, cakes, even sausages. The men met, exchanged gifts, and arranged for Christian burials of the dead who had fallen in what was no-man's-land only a few days earlier.  Miniature Christmas trees, decorated with candles, started appearing along the trenches. The informal truce, which included soccer games and beer drinking, lasted the entire day. 

But, at 8:30 that evening, after wishing each other a “Merry Christmas”, the war was on again. The Christmas Truce was over.

In 1967, the Royal Guardsmen recorded “Snoopy’s Christmas,” a fictional account of the truce. In the song, the Red Baron decides not to shoot Snoopy down, but forces him to land and gives him a Christmas gift.

In this age of uncertainty, I think it is comforting to believe, that soldiers and officers taught to hate and kill, could lower their guns and extend the hand of goodwill, peace, love and Christmas cheer.

Maybe we could all use their example—just one day at a time.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Information sources:

First World War—The Christmas Truce

The New American—Christmas Truce of 1914