Hi gang,

I managed to get a copy of the latest WW I movie (2005), the title is JOYEUX NOEL (Merry Christmas), the story is based on the famous Christtmas eve truce in 1914 between the German, British and French. It seems that there are not many Great War movies compared with WW II movies.
The story centered on an Anglican English Priest, a German soldier who was also a Tenor singer, a French LT and a German LT.

It’s a touching movie and it begin with chilling and scary sentences read by 3 small kids:

French Kid: Children, look at this map, the black mark of which, must be erased. You hide it with yr little fingers and mark it with red. Then, whatever happen, promise to go and find the children of Alsace who are spreading their hands to us. Let the green branch of hope to blossom in our beloved France. Blossom from you, dear child. Grow up! France is waiting for you!

English Kid: To rip the map of every trace of Germany and the Hun, we must exterminate that race, we must not leave a single one. Heed not their children’s cries, slay all now, the woman too. Or else some day, they will rise, which if they are dead, they cannot do.

German Kid: We have one and only enemy, who is digging Germany’s grave. With a heart full of gall, hate and envy, we have one and only enemy, who raises his murderous hand. You know the enemy’s name, is England.

It seems that hatred was sown on a very early age. Were these what they were taught back then?? The English Kid statement was particularly creepy and frightening……

Nevertheless, it’s a moving movie, does anyone know more abt the that Christmas Truce in 1914? Was it the only truce in the Great War?

Enjoy and cheers,
Mush

Does anyone knows which German Rgt that was involved in the fraternizing/Christmas Truce?

Was it the IR 93 as depicted in the movie? RGt 93 was the Anhalt.Infantry -Rgt 93, it was an Infantry Rgt from the Duchy of Anhalt.
And.....did the allies swap any haubes with the Germans? If they did and still keep it, boy, these Anhalts haubes are rare and expensive.

Check this Anhalt officer:
http://ageofkingsmilitaria.com/Sell_4_Link4.htm

Cheers,
Mush

Hi Musashi.

As always, I really appreciate your work here on MCF. Great movie, indeed. Congrats on having a copy.

The true story behind is much more interesting instead of the movie. I would recommend you the book

`Silent Night` by Stanley Weintraub. Published by ´The Free Press`, NY, 2001.

A Princess Mary Xmas tin from 1914 is in my collection. http://www.militariacollecting.com/index.php?showtopic=20795

For the real story see:
http://www.worldwar1.com/heritage/xmast.htm or http://www.firstworldwar.com/features/christmastruce.htm

BTW. Mostly NON prussian german troops were involved in this inofficial truce. It happened all over the western front until the beginning of January 1915.

Regards;
Jerry

Ironic...

I was JUST about to post about the book "Silent Night", which I also recommend. I have always been fascinated with The Christmas Truce ever since I saw a Paul McCartney music video about twenty or so years ago that was along the same subject line...

I wish I could remember the song...

Back to the book, I got the impression that the Saxons were the friendliest. The Prussians, well...

Musashi, where did you abtain your copy of the movie? I looked on ebay and on Amazon and could not find it. I NEED to see it.

Richie C

Richie,

could it be `Pipes Of Peace` by Paul McCartney ??

There is a really great book on the market:

`Michael Juergs, Der Kleine Frieden Im Grossen Krieg`. Published by Bertelsmann. Unfortunately in german...

Best;
Jerry

The inclusion of the french in this movie is probably some sort of EU/PC crap. As I recall my readings the spontaneous truce was pretty much limited to non Prussian German units facing British units. No french or Belgians.

Hi Jerry,

Thank you for the kind words. Thats one very neat Princess Marry tin you have there! Where on earth did you get it? Its still in a pristine consition and with the cigaretttes intact, too!
According to the Christmast truce site that you paste, this was the very same tin that was distributed to the British and perhaps some Germans also received them as part of the swap, "On top of this came gifts care of the state. Tommy received plum puddings and 'Princess Mary boxes'; a metal case engraved with an outline of George V's daughter and filled with chocolates and butterscotch, cigarettes and tobacco, a picture card of Princess Mary and a facsimile of George V's greeting to the troops"

And I really love the german metal cigarette case, thats very neat! It has the haube on the cover, where did you get that?

And thats a great pic that you posted!

Hi Richie,

My wife just came back from China and she bought me lots of DVDs, well, they are pirated actually.....The pirated DVDs are extremely cheap, $1 each (!).

And according to the story, it was the Saxon 134th Rgt that was involved in the Truce, and only the British/Scots on the Allied side, the French refused.

Like Habicht said, perhaps the French was just an addition, to make the movie more interesting. And was the IR 93 Anhalt involved in the truce?

And like Jerry said, it seems that the Truce happened almost on all front, I used to think that it only happened on a single front only. Will try to get the 'Silent Night'book, this is very interesting.

And abt the truce, did it go as far as in the movie? In the movie, the german LT invited the Scots and French to take shelter in the German's trenches from the bombardment, and the French returned the favor as it would be the French turn to shell the german after the german bombardment. What happened to the men involved in the real Truce? Were they transfered? Here are some vidcaps of the sheltering.

enjoy and cheers,
Mush

Hi guys,

these inofficial truces happened all over the western front in 1914. Also between french or belgium soldiers and germans. The difference was that the english newspapers published these events on the front pages. For example at Jan.15th, 1915. The french tried to hold them under the hand. Understandable. The germans had occupied french territory.

But indeed soccer matches and souvenir trades happened mostly between british and german troops.

It is one of the most impressive war time storys. And instead of the Angel of Mons it is true.

Best of all;
Jerry

Hi Jerry,

Do you have a larger version of the newspaper? I would like to read the content, I belive that pic must have caused an uproar and sensation, as the germans and the British were smiling!

Were the parties involved in the truce punished? In the movie, the german LT and his men were transfered to the eastern front, even tho the train which carry them would travel across Germany, they were nt allowed to disembark from the train.

Cheers,
Mush

I've read Silent Night and was put in contact with the Author so I could tell him what a wonderful book he had written.

The French though less thrilled with the idea did join in but in limited numbers. But no Colonial troops did. The thing you need to understand is that the front reacted differently in different areas. On some ocasions British Officer shot in cold blood German Soldiers and in those places everyone got back to their own trences in a hurry. Other places Brit troops would fire on the Germans as they came up with Xman tress. Killing some. And yet in other places the British officers would have the deceny to order both sides back to their trenches before any shooting started. Some places they all got along great. But I don't think any Prussians partook and no troops facing them bothered to test the holiday cheer of the Prussians. The Saxons told the Brits they hated the Prussians and warned the Brits the night they pulled out the Prussians would be taking over the line.

There were stories of officers being invited behind the lines to dine with the enemy. As well as troops drinking together in billets.

And some officers tried to use this time to get a look at the enemy trench layout. If they were found out they were politly told to join back in, in the center of things.

I wish the movie would come to my area.

Mike

Hi,

Germans bringing Xmast trees? Perhaps this movie is loosely based on the famous book itself. Rather than making several characters at different fronts/places, the producer put all together into 1 single story.
Well, the pics that I posted are abt the Xmast tree thing.
So, this incident did happen.

Scene 1 & 2, the germans sudenly put their xmast trees on top of their trenches, much to the surprise of the Allied soldiers opposing them.
Scene 3, the German tenor singer sang to the accompanying bagpipes of the Scotts
Scene 4 $ 5, the German tenor walked to the Scott's line bringing the Xmast tree.

What really happened to the men involved in the xmast truce? Were they transfered?

Btw, the movie is in French and German, with english subtitle.

enjoy and cheers,
Mush

The "History Channel" offers a DVD about the Christmas truce of 1914. It is very good. It can be purchased at the "History Channel" website (historychannel.com).

Compassion in a Horrific time of War



Speaking of Tenors... The German's had brought one of their own leading men (sorry his name escapes me) to their trench to sing. The English, recognizing who he was, cried out for an Encore from their parapets and clapped in admiration.. Interesting none the less.....



Regards,

Joel