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Christmas truce in eRepublic


It is only a few weeks before it is Christmas time and who wants to go to war during this period of time? History teaches us that peace at Christmas can be possible. Let’s make a brief trip in memory lane.



In the lead up to Christmas 1914, there were several peace initiatives. The Open Christmas Letter was a public message for peace addressed "To the Women of Germany and Austria", signed by a group of 101 British women suffragists at the end of 1914 as the first Christmas of World War I approached. Pope Benedict XV, on 7 December 1914, had begged for an official truce between the warring governments. He asked "that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang. This attempt was, though, officially rebuffed. Even without a cessation of war for Christmas, family and friends of the soldiers wanted to make their loved ones' Christmas special. They sent packages filled with letters, warm clothing, food, cigarettes, and medications.



One reason Christmas truces were negotiated was in order to bury the dead, many of whom had been there for several months. Along with the revelry that celebrated Christmas was the sad and somber job of burying their fallen comrades. On Christmas day, British and German soldiers appeared on No Man's Land and sorted through the bodies. In just a few rare instances, joint services were held for both the British and German dead.



The fraternization on Christmas Eve and again on Christmas was in no way officially sanctified nor organized. Yet, in numerous separate instances down the front line, German soldiers began yelling over to their enemy, "Tommy, you come over and see us!" Still cautious, the British soldiers would rally back, "No, you come here!" In some parts of the line, representatives of each side would meet in the middle, in No Man's Land. Some of those who went out to meet the enemy in the middle of No Man's Land on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day negotiated a truce: we won't fire if you won't fire. Many soldiers enjoyed meeting the un-seen enemy and were surprised to discover that they were more alike than he had thought. They talked, shared pictures, exchanged items such as buttons for food stuffs. An extreme example of the fraternization was a soccer game played in the middle of No Man's Land between the Bedfordshire Regiment and the Germans. A member of the Bedfordshire Regiment produced a ball and the large group of soldiers played until the ball was deflated when it hit a barbed wire entanglement.



Some ended the truce at midnight on Christmas night, some extended it until New Year's Day.



Ever since world war I there has been a call for Truce on the eve of Christmas. I’m a bit more optimistic in my request to the eRepublice community. Let this be an attempt to silent the guns during the Christmas holidays. From the eve on the 24the of December until the 2nd of January. Wouldn’t it be nice that we can exchange Christmas gifts go celebrate life without the worry of a PTO or a RW? Just enjoy the company of our friends in the eCommunity , work a little and train to keep in shape!!
Pleace vote and subscribe this article if you like this idea of a peaceful eChristmas holiday!!