The power of music

riverflow

BeachHouseGuy

LOL, I before I clicked on this question, I was going to link this vid. That's truth right there.

genkaku

Here's a somewhat gussied-up vid of Marlene Dietrich singing the German love song that fellow played on the trumpet ... a heart-warmer (guy remembering his gal) in any language:

person

The truce began on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1914, when German troops began decorating the area around their trenches in the region of Ypres, Belgium, for Christmas. They began by placing candles on trees, then continued the celebration by singing Christmas carols, most notably Stille Nacht (Silent Night). The British troops in the trenches across from them responded by singing English carols.

The two sides continued by shouting Christmas greetings to each other. Soon thereafter, there were calls for visits across the "No Man's Land" where small gifts were exchanged — whisky, jam, cigars, chocolate, and the like. The artillery in the region fell silent that night. The truce also allowed a breathing spell where recently-fallen soldiers could be brought back behind their lines by burial parties. Proper burials took place as soldiers from both sides mourned the dead together and paid their respects. At one funeral in No Man's Land, soldiers from both sides gathered and read a passage from the 23rd Psalm: The Lord is my shepherd. I shall not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures. He leadeth me beside the still waters. He restoreth my soul. He leadeth me in the path of righteousness for his name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil.

The truce spread to other areas of the lines, and there are many stories of football matches between the opposing forces. The film Joyeux Noël suggests that letters sent home from both British and German soldiers related that the score was 3-2 in favour of the Germans.

DaltheJigsaw

Yes, music is truly a special "thing."

genkaku

Here's a little true history and song about The Christmas Truce of 1914 -- an event that drove the generals and politicians nuts.

zenff

I have shivers down my spine from this kind of stuff. Good shivers.