During World War I in 1914, on Christmas Eve, British and German soldiers in the trenches along the Western Front declared an unofficial truce. In some areas of the front, soldiers continued fighting, but in many places they stopped fighting and began to sing Christmas carols and exchange gifts in No Man's Land between their trenches. Soldiers met there and talked to each other, gave each other gifts, shared food, sang carols, and even played soccer games together briefly forgetting the war. The Christmas truce lasted only through Christmas Day in most areas before the soldiers returned to fighting, though it extended a few days in some places.

1. CHRISTMAS TRUCE 1914CHRISTMAS TRUCE 1914
DURING WORLD WAR ONEDURING WORLD WAR ONE

2. Incredulity and joy – these are feelings which appeared among
soldiers during Christmas Truce on 24th
December 1914 during
World War One.
British and German troops meeting in no man's land during the unofficial truce.

3. On December 7, 1914, Pope Benedict XV suggested a temporary hiatus of the
war for the celebration of Christmas. The warring countries refused to create
any official cease-fire, but on Christmas the soldiers in the trenches along the
Western Front declared their own unofficial truce.

4. The truce took place along the western front in France where the Germans
were fighting both the British and the French. Since it wasn't an official cease
fire, the truce was different along different points of the front. In some places,
the soldiers continued to fight, but in many areas they stopped fighting and
agreed to a temporary truce.

5. In many areas, the truce began when German troops began to light candles
and sing Christmas Carols. Soon British troops across the lines began to join
in or sing their own carols. Brave soldiers began to make their way into the
area between the two lines called "No Man's Land." They met up with
enemy soldiers to exchange gifts and souvenirs.
British and German officers posing for a photo in the middle of no man's land.

6. All along the western front, the soldiers behaved differently. It probably depended
on what their local commander allowed them to do. In some areas, the soldiers just
stopped fighting for the day. In other areas, they agreed to let each other recover
their dead. However, at some points along the front, it almost appeared like the war
was over. Soldiers from each side met and talked to each other. They gave each
other gifts, shared food, sang Christmas carols, and even played games of soccer
with each other.

7. For the most part, the Christmas Truce only lasted for Christmas Eve and
Day, though in some areas it was extended through Boxing Day and New
Year's. The war was going on...
A cross, left in Saint-Yves (Saint-Yvon -
Ploegsteert; Comines-Warneton in
Belgium) in 1999, to commemorate the
site of the Christmas Truce.

8. Below see what witnesses said about Christmas Truce 1914
"Altogether we had a great day with our enemies, and parted with much hand-shaking and mutual
goodwill." Percy Jones of the Queen's Westminster Regiment.
"It was a curious scene - a lovely moonlit (Christmas) night, the German trenches with small lights on them,
and the men on both sides gathered in groups on the parapets. It is weird to think that tomorrow night we
shall be at it again. If one gets through this show it will be a Christmas time to live in one's memory."
Captain R Armes of the 1st North Staffordshire regiment.
"It was absolutely astounding, and if I had seen it on a cinematograph film I should have sworn that it was
faked." Lieutenant Sir Edward Hulse, 2nd Scots Guards.
"What a sight; little groups of Germans and British extending along the length of our front. Out of the
darkness we could hear the laughter and see lighted matches. Where they couldn't talk the language, they
made themselves understood by signs, and everyone seemed to be getting on nicely. Here we were
laughing and chatting to men whom only a few hours before we were trying to kill " Corporal John Ferguson
of the Seaforth Highlanders.

9. Made by
Pupils: Mela, Dawid, Robert
Szkoła Podstawowa nr 9
im. Mikołaja Kopernika
Dzierżoniów, Poland
January 2015

10. http://www.ducksters.com/history/world_war_i/christmas_truce.php
http://www.history.com/topics/world-war-i/christmas-truce-of-1914
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christmas_truce
http://militaryhistory.about.com/od/worldwari/p/xmastruce.htm
http://www.historylearningsite.co.uk/christmas_1914_and_world_wa.htm
https://sites.google.com/site/mrmooreswhsemesterii/historical-pictures/world-war-i/the-
christmas-truce---1914
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