A Day Without War

The Brief

Christmas 1914. We are a few months into what would become the bloodiest conflict in history so far. On July 28, 1914, Austria-Hungary declared war on Serbia, while their ally Germany attacked Belgium and France in the west, and Russia attacked Germany in the east. At first, Germany rolled through Belgium and into northern France, where they were stopped at the Battle of the Marne. They entrenched themselves in the Aisne Valley, beginning what would become a full-scale trench war. By Christmas 1914, casualties on both sides had grown enormously. Pope Benedict XV pleaded in a letter to all parties “that the weapons should be silent at least on the night when the angels sing”—a proposal rejected by leadership on both sides, but still heeded by many ordinary soldiers. After soldiers on both sides sang Christmas carols and called greetings across the lines, something extraordinary happened: over 100,000 soldiers independently decided to observe a Christmas Eve truce. Military leaders attempted to suppress the event, but numerous letters document what really happened in many places along the front. “Joyeux Noël” (A Day Without War) became France’s Oscar candidate after winning audience awards at several festivals. In 2009, it was also adapted for the stage as the highly successful and award-winning opera Silent Night. Good to know: * Age 12+