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