Silent night comes as a reminder to mankind that amidst all the hatred we harbour against each other, there is love beneath that conquers it all… if only we let it.
Renowned military historian, Stanley Weintraub, brings to life a powerful Christmas story set in the horrors of World War I, where for one night, on Christmas Eve, men on both sides laid down their arms and joined together to celebrate in “No Man’s Land”.
Despite orders from the seniors to continue the warfare, despite language barriers, despite the stinging cold and stench of death in the air, the frontline men exchanged gifts and food, drank and sang carols, and even played soccer. They exchanged letters and addresses in the hope that the war would soon end, and that they were creating a brotherhood for the future. It all began when German soldiers placed candlelit Christmas trees on trench parapets, and soon the French, British, and Belgian troops spontaneously joined in to bring in a temporary yet peaceful truce bringing to life this extraordinary moment in time. The men broke bread and buried the dead as is the age-old custom of truces, even as angry superiors barked orders to commence shooting.
Stanley Weintraub’s moving re-creation of the forgotten Christmas Truce reinforces the truth that ordinary men can create extra-ordinary history, and that there is harmony to be found under layers of political turmoil and agendas… if we only let it find its way.
