Merry Christmas!

Christmas, 1914, was a unique day. The world was in the midst of the first global war, which upset the pre-existing balance of power in Europe. When the war began, Germany sent most of its forces West as a part of a two front war. However, the Western front became a trench-warfare stalemate. 

Photo: uncp.edu

Christmas in 1914 saw sporadic and unofficial truces along the Western front between German soldiers and British soldiers. Where these truces occurred, Christmas carols were sung, small gifts were exchanged, the dead were buried and soccer matches were played between the two sides. 

Photo: liverpoolecho.co.uk

Christmas 1915 saw a similar phenomenon but not on the same scale. In fact, most of the men who took part in the 1914 Christmas truce died later in the war due to how deadly the war was. For this reason, not all of the details about the Christmas truce are clear, but despite this shroud of mystery, the Christmas truce did occur and it is a testament to the resiliency to the human spirit and the desire for friendship. Merry Christmas!

Photo: jeffbridgman.com