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A statue of Allied and German soldiers joining hands during the Christmas ceasefire of 1914 has been erected in Belgium. It is called the 1914 Christmas Truce Memorial.
By December 1914, 5 months had passed since the beginning of the First World War. A dangerous war was going on between the troops of Britain, France and Belgium and the troops of Germany and Italy.
War Before the start, both sides had given the slogan ‘We will be back home by Christmas’ to instill enthusiasm among their soldiers. But by now everyone had understood that the war was not going to end so soon.
The conditions of the soldiers on both sides, who were living in dilapidated conditions in dilapidated barracks amid the freezing cold, were pitiful. In such a situation, something unique happened on the night of 24th December i.e. Christmas Eve.
Soldiers from both sides decided not to indulge in bloodshed on Christmas Day and firing from both sides was stopped from the night itself.
This incident is remembered all over the world, but no one knows how this historic ceasefire started? Today, on Christmas day, let us know the whole story…
Soldiers of Germany and Britain spending time together after stopping the war in Belgium on Christmas Day in 1914.
The ceasefire started with a song
According to the New York Times, historians believe that the ceasefire began with German soldiers singing carols on Christmas Eve. Actually, while celebrating Christmas, Christians around the world sing some songs which are called carols.
According to Graham Williams of London’s Fifth Rifle Brigade, the singing started first from the German side, in response to which the British soldiers also started singing. Then within no time the soldiers from both sides sang Christmas songs in their respective languages.
The next day, on Christmas morning, German soldiers came out of their barracks and greeted and hugged the Allied soldiers, saying ‘Merry Christmas’ in English.
Soldiers of the 1st Battalion of the London Rifle Brigade sit together after dinner on Christmas Eve in Belgium. This is a picture of that time.
Gave cigarettes to enemy soldiers, gave caps as gifts
Another story of Christmas day is that on the morning of 25 December 1914, a sign board was shown from the German side. It was written on it, ‘You don’t shoot, we also won’t shoot.’
After this, throughout the day, soldiers from both sides gave gifts of cigarettes, food and caps to each other. During this time, the last rites of those soldiers who were lying in ‘No Man’s Land’ after dying in the war were also performed. Actually, ‘No Man’s Land’ is the area between the barracks of both sides in the war.
A small brass button seen in the picture was given as a gift by a German soldier to a British soldier on Christmas Day.
German barber cuts hair of British soldiers on Christmas day
There are many interesting stories about this day. One of them is that a British soldier took advantage of the temporary ceasefire to get his hair cut.
In fact, before the war started, that British soldier used to get his hair cut by a German barber. After the war started between the two countries, he was not able to get his hair cut from that barber. But, as soon as the fighting stopped for some time on Christmas day, he immediately called the German barber and got his hair cut.
Soldiers from both sides also played football together in ‘No Man’s Land’. Many teams were formed in this. However, there is no record on what basis these teams were formed.
British and German soldiers were seen playing football on the battlefield.
The war stopped just for one day on the occasion of Christmas
This ceasefire did not hold everywhere on Christmas Day in 1914. According to the Times Magazine, there is evidence that firing was continuing in many places in the world. There were some such incidents related to this day, in which an attempt was made to establish a ceasefire from one side but the enemy army opened fire from the front.
The peace that began on Christmas Eve amid the war did not last long. At many places, soldiers from both sides took up arms the very next day. However, in many places peace continued till the New Year.
Alfred Anderson, of the 5th Battalion of the Black Watch Regiment, told The Observer that the peace was too short for a dangerous war. However, he also said that there were times when fighting would stop in the middle of a war, but what happened on Christmas Day in 1914 had never happened again. Commanders on both sides never again allowed a Christmas truce in the years to come.
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Also read this news related to Christmas….
Christmas celebrations in the country and the world: Special prayers were held in churches; The Church of the Nativity, the birthplace of Jesus in Bethlehem, is not even decorated
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