It is reproduced here with the permission of the author. After Christmas Day, the soldiers returned to trying to kill each other. Another’s voice joined in Then, they heard the song ”Stille Nacht,” the German version of “Silent Night.” When the Germans finished their song… They told him they had taken part in the Truce … Young Sanders played his squeeze box and they had a violin As we lay there in our trenches as he bravely strode, unarmed, into the night. 'Neath the falling flakes of white as one young German voice sang out so clear. They also sang Christmas songs together. Each Christmas come since World War One I’ve learned it’s lessons well. when across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound. Something moved in No-Man’s-Land, For days after, no one fired, That the ones who call the shots won’t be among the dead and lame Over the top, we’re going tonight. Shyly stood there shaking hands, Flares were burning, burning bright, Looked out across our football park, A German soldier steps into No Man’s … Out of the violence a silence, then a song. Out of the violence a silence, then a song. Star’s are burning, burning bright, And, it is even said that the English played soccer against the Germans. The frozen field of France were still, no Christmas song was      sung. And through the dark there came a Soldier. The song is originally based on the 1914 Christmas truce of World War 1. Find album reviews, stream songs, credits and award information for All Is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 - Cantus on AllMusic - 2008 Then the fear and doubt surrounded me Out of the violence a silence, then a song. In areas, men from both sides ventured into no man’s land on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day to mingle and exchange food and souvenirs. The Germans sang out from their trenches the song, Silent Night. (Id. Then I heard my buddy whisper But I stood up in my trench 51.) And the battlefield where heaven stood and in a flare-lit soccer game we gave ’em hell. It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung. A real story. … A singer of the hymn A remarkable true story, told in the words and songs … Another's voice joined in these sons and fathers far away from families of their own. And the skies lit up again Says I “Now listen up me boys”, each soldier strained to hear For right there in my sight http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Christmas_truce. “Belleau Wood” was the 14th track from his 1997 album Sevens. Guns were lying still and quiet, And all along the Western Front, Told the guns, prepare to fire. The answer seemed so clear ‘Cause I’d die if I was wrong Stood the German soldier On Christmas Eve 1914, Allied troops watched from the trenches as German soldiers lit their Christmas trees. This allowed them to exchange greetings of the season. It’s just beyond the fear, No, heaven’s not beyond the clouds One of the best-known songs about the Christmas Truce is John McCutcheon’s "Christmas in the Trenches." As we lay there in our trenches Tommy brought some Christmas pudding, Through the barbed wire, mud and shell holes, A soldier writes in his diary about the events of the famous Christmas Truce during the first year of World War 1. Sometimes when performing the piece, he tells the story of a group of former World War I soldiers attending his concerts in Europe just to hear that song. The gas cloud rolled no more Our families back in England were toasting us that day, By both sides of the fight [Verse 1] No, heaven's not beyond the clouds For a Christmas truce had been declared By both sides of the fight As we lay there in our trenches The silence broke in two By a German soldier singing A song that we all knew Though I did not know the language The song … As if he seemed to say [Outro] Out of the violence a silence, then a song. had been crumbled and were gone forever more. Heaven’s not beyond the clouds this curious and unlikely band of men. The answer seemed so clear When they beat us at the football, And I began to sing along, Then across the frozen battlefield [Bridge] By a German soldier singing The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Editor’s Note: This article was published in The Remnant in 2006 after having first appeared on the Your Guide to 20th Century History website. Albert Moren. As soon as they were finished a reverent pause was spent. And men stood waiting in the trenches, Men lay dosing in the trenches, Then the devil's clock struck midnight and on each end of the rifle we’re the same. Albert … Tommy brought corned beef and fags, On Christmas … ‘Neath the falling flakes of white Sent us far behind the lines, Over Belleau Wood that night And I began to sing along The Christmas guns began to bark. … their brave and glorious lads so far away. Garth Brooks wept during his live holiday special on Sunday while performing a rare full version of Belleau Wood based on the 1914 Christmas truce of World War I. The silence broke in two [Verse 4] A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. But for just one fleeting moment A century ago. We shared some secret brandy and wished each other well We built a soldier's truce on the front line Their singer was a lad of 21 We begged another song before the dawn And sitting in the mud and blood and fear He sang again the song all longed to hear Silent night, … The Christmas song Silent Night has long been a cherished part of our shared culture — in 2011 it was even granted UNESCO cultural heritage status. A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school. The song was “Silent Night”, Then I heard my buddy whisper, I come from Liverpool. His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shone on that plain so bright Although the songs about the truce ignore some of the nuances of the historical record, there is only so much one may do in a three-minute song. The following year, the British infantry was ordered to “maintain a slow gun fire on the enemy’s trenches” during the holiday. For Old Fritz and Tommy Atkins, It has almost 13 000 views … ABOUT THE PROGRAM All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. Sent fresh troops to take our places, The Christmas Truce of 1914 on the Western and Eastern Fronts may well represent the last time that the face of humanity would been seen in what was rapidly becoming the ultimate nightmare of the industrial revolution. For an in-depth narrative about the Christmas Truce, see Weintraub, Silent Night: The Story of The World War I Christmas Truce.) Then across the frozen battlefield The silence broke in two It was “a beautiful moonlit night, frost on the ground, white almost everywhere,” said Pvt. Was blown to hell again It tells the story of the 1914 Christmas Truce between the British and German lines on the Western Front during … And he raised his hand and smiled at me The message came, prepare offensive, To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here, For a Christmas truce had been declared Christmas 1914. Not one shell disturbed the night, (http://youtu.be/LRaLGq3F2_4). My name is Francis Tolliver. (http://youtu.be/kjXa7DnaGjQ), Oh, the snowflakes fell in silence Use one of the services below to sign in to PBS: You've just tried to add this video to My List.But first, we need you to sign in to PBS using one of the services below. A song that we all knew Some lay thinking of their families, Stood there talking, laughing, singing, Then I thought that I was dreaming Of a brown haired girl, back in Berlin. The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. And in two tongues one song filled up that sky. The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. At Christmas time in 1914 an amazing event occurred at numerous places along the trench lines on the Western Front. Although similar isolated truces occurred in 1915, this phenomenal event, as experienced in 1914, was never repeated because of the very negative reaction of the officer corps. ABOUT THE PROGRAM All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914. The Christmas Truce … The Christmas truce was a series of widespread but unofficial ceasefires along the Western Front around Christmas 1914. And the battlefield where heaven stood I fought for King and country I love dear. So they withdrew us from the trenches, As Christmas brought us respite from the war” This is from the beginning of John McCutcheon’s Christmas in the Trenches. And next day in 1914, Officers on both sides made it clear that a repeat would be met with the strictest punishment. Crossing into No-Man’s-Land, A Christmas Truce at the World War I Front. The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Christmas truce At least as famous as the story of the carol’s origin is that of its role in the Christmas truce of 1914. A remarkable true story, told in the words and songs … It's for us, to find it, here. The frozen fields of France were warmed as songs of peace were sung. There were joint burial ceremonies and prisoner swaps, while several meetings ended in carol-singing. (See http://military.wikia.com/wiki/Christmas_truce.) But I stood up in my trench A village dog began to bark. The next they sang was ‘Stille Nacht.” “Tis ‘Silent Night'” says I Here’s hoping we both live For an in-depth narrative about the Christmas Truce, see Weintraub, Silent Night: The Story of The World War I Christmas Truce.). Carrying a white flag in his hand. "All is calm and all is bright" Because I'd die if I was wrong The story of the Christmas Truce of 1914 is often considered “played out,” especially in historical circles, but it is a compelling tale; its best and most impactful role is on the young minds of … "Christmas in the Trenches" is a ballad from John McCutcheon's 1984 album Winter Solstice. They’d both lost the will to fight, Christmas 1914 – Truce Song was composed by talented Catherine Rushton in 2004. And far away behind the lines, (http://youtu.be/B5on4WK1MpA). My name is Francis Tolliver. Heaven's not beyond the clouds as Christmas brought us respite from the war. Fritz brought out a German band, All sights were fixed on one lone figure trudging from their side. with neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand. Peace at the war front on Christmas day during World War I. With sad farewells we each began to settle back to war. [Verse 3] The Christmas guns began to bark, Soon daylight stole upon us and France was France once more. In the mud of No-Man’s-Land, Christmas Eve in 1914, “There’s someone commin’ towards us,” the front-line sentry cried. For the walls they’d kept between us to exact the work of war By a German soldier singing It was Christmas Eve, 1914. About All is Calm: The Christmas Truce of 1914 The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. To pass away this Christmas night, [Verse 2] Allied and German soldiers suspend arms for a night of song and hope. It was Christmas in the trenches where the frost so bitter hung. Then one by one, on either side walked into no-mans-land The Christmas Morning Truce. By both sides of the fight This song describes an event from World War I commonly referred to as The Christmas Truce. Out of the violence a silence, then a song. We’ve seen it depicted recently in a commercial for a UK supermarket chain. An inspiration. Was blown to hell again, But for just one fleeting moment Garth Brooks recently appeared on his special holiday live session where he performed a rare full version of the song Belleau Wood. Then from both sides men came running, As they watched the German trenches, The Christmas Truce is memorialized in the following songs: “Belleau Wood , ” … And all along the Western Front, For a Christmas truce had been declared The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Merry Christmas. More More. Soon one by one each German voice joined in in harmony. It’s for us to find it here, “Christmas in the Trenches” was written and sung by John McCutcheon (1984). To see us find a better way, Then the devil’s clock struck midnight The original song … Oh, the snowflakes fell in silence “Whose family have I fixed within my sights?” Looked out across our football park, Out of the violence a silence, then a song. Some sang song’s while others were quiet, Remember, the trench lines were close enough that the opposing troops could yell back and forth. The song was "Silent Night" In Liverpool I dwell. “Christmas 1914,” written and sung by Mike Harding (1977). “He’s singin’ bloody well you know,” my partner says to me. The guns fell silent; soldiers declared a temporary truce and celebrated Christmas with each other. ... John's lyrics from this 1984 song capture the spirit of that Christmas … In the cold and in the dark, A singer of the hymn, Then I thought that I was dreaming Though I did not know the language Then the fear and doubt surrounded me For right there in my sight A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” The 1997 song "Belleau Wood" by American country music artist Garth Brooks is a fictional account based on the Christmas truce. ; Jennings and Brewster, The Century, p. Rolling fags and playing bragg, And he raised his hand and smiled at me Men stood waiting, in the trenches, In the week leading up to the holiday, German and British soldiers crossed trenches to exchange seasonal greetings and talk. But the question haunted every heart that lived that wondrous night Fritz brought out cigars and brandy, “Belleau Wood” was the 14th track from his 1997 album Sevens. Until one by one each man became The Christmas Truce is memorialized in the following songs: “Belleau Wood,” sung by Garth Brooks; songwriters Joe Henry and Garth Brooks (1997). Stood the German soldier And the skies lit up again Ten years later she published this soulful, folk song online at a friend’s request. A song that we all knew, Though I did not know the language The truce is dramatised in the 2005 French film Joyeux Noël (English: Merry Christmas … “All is calm and all is bright” What A Lovely War - YouTube Christmas is for sharing. Christmas Day we all played football, We shared out all the grub and drink, Most accounts suggest the truce began with carol singing from the trenches on Christmas Eve, “a beautiful moonlit night, frost on the ground, white almost everywhere”, as Pvt. And all along the Western Front, As the moon shone down on No-Man’s-Land. The holiday truce experience was not total; in some areas fighting continued. “God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen” struck up some lads from Kent. It's just beyond the fear The battle described in the song’s lyrics is not the Battle of Belleau Wood; it is instead a fictional account based on the Christmas truce phenomenon of 1914. Here's hoping we both live to see us We traded chocolates, cigarettes and photographs from home The cannons rested silent. 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