The Silent Night
The soccer match played between enemies in the middle of a war
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Beschreibung
The true story of Christmas 1914, when soldiers laid down their guns, crossed the trenches, and played soccer with the enemy.
"The Silent Night – The soccer match played between enemies in the middle of a war" tells the poignant story of the Christmas Truce of 1914. Five months into World War I, ignoring the orders of their generals, British and German soldiers climbed out of their trenches. They didn't shoot; they shook hands, exchanged cigarettes and pudding, and famously played soccer in No Man's Land.
Historian Julian Peace chronicles this spontaneous outbreak of humanity. He details the letters home describing the surreal silence and the joint burials of the dead. He also explains why it never happened again: The High Command on both sides was terrified by the fraternization and instituted harsh penalties to ensure soldiers continued to hate each other.
"The Silent Night" is a testament to the fact that wars are started by politicians, not by the people fighting them. It is a heartbreaking glimpse of a peace that could have stopped the 20th century's greatest tragedy.
Autor*in
Julian Peace
Author
Themen in »The Silent Night«
Christmas Truce 1914 WWI Football Peace No Man's Land Humanity History