There ws a Time Capsule 2000 spot on TV the other day, sponsored by the History Channel, in which they told a similar story. In this case the British and German soldiers made their own truce on Christmas, shared food and songs, and even played a game of soccer in the "No Man's Land"! They said it was the only battle of the war that was fought with a ball. Very touching story. I wonder if this was the same incident? Dorie ----- Original Message ----- From: <[email protected]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, December 22, 2000 10:43 PM Subject: [GERMAN-LIFE] First World War > Merry Christmas to All. this was sent to me, and I thought it was worth > sharing: Judy > --- > << Christmas 1914 > > The war in Europe was only four months old, yet it had > already reached a savagery unknown until that time. After > the initial success of the German army, the war became a > desperate trench struggle with a very high casualty count. > The promise of early success seemed like a far away dream. > The snow and the cold of 1914 made things even worse, but as > the darkness fell on Christmas Eve something happened that > would never occur again. > > Sir Edward Hulse, a 25-year-old lieutenant, wrote in his > diary about this strange occurrence. "A scout named F. Marker > went out and 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." > That night, where the fighting only five days earlier had > been fierce, suddenly just stopped. > > The following morning, Christmas day, German soldiers walked > towards the British lines while the British came out to greet > their enemy. They exchanged souvenirs with each other and the > British gave the German soldiers plum pudding as a Christmas > greeting. Soon arrangements were made to bury the dead British > soldiers whose bodies were lying in no man's land. The Germans > brought the bodies over and prayers were exchanged. > > The sprit of Christmas overcame the horror of war as peace > broke out across the front. The Germans, who previously were > viewed as demonized beasts by the British and French, almost > always initiated it. This contact was followed by song. The > Germans sang 'Die Wacht Am Rhein' and the British soldiers > sang 'Christians Wake.' It was in many ways a miracle. Sapper > J. Davey, a British soldier, wrote this in his diary. "Most > peculiar Christmas I?ve ever spent and ever likely to. One > could hardly believe the happenings." Hate, for a moment, > disappeared along the Western front. > > Another British soldier, Second Lt. Dougan Chater wrote, > "About 10 o?clock this morning I was peeping over the parapet > when I saw a German, waving his arms, and presently two of > them got out of their trenches and came towards ours. We were > just going to fire on them when we saw that they had no rifles > so one of our men went out to meet them and in about two > minutes the ground between the two lines of trenches was > swarming with men and officers of both sides, shaking hands > and wishing each other a happy Christmas." This continued for > nearly an hour before their superiors ordered the men back to > their trenches. > > The powers to be objected to this display of humanity by the > common soldier. For a brief moment, their gesture ended a war > that the leaders of both sides would continue to fight for > nearly four more years. Millions more would die, indeed many > of the men who greeted each other would perish, but their > sprits live on in history as an example to all of us. We have > much more in common with each other than the differences that > divide us. Peace is better than war. Understanding is more > important than division. Love can overcome hate. Always > question our leaders. Happy Holidays! > > Sources: The First World War, Martin Gilbert