Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops
engaged in World War I cease firing their guns and artillery and commence
to sing Christmas carols. At certain points along the eastern and western
fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, and Britain even heard brass bands
joining the Germans in their joyous singing.
At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerged from their
trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out
“Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied
soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed
out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men
exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and
songs. There was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides
playing a good-natured game of soccer.
-
A sculpture commemorating the World War One Christmas truce was unveiled in 2014 in Liverpool.
