neither King nor Kaiser

international | anti-war / imperialism | opinion/analysis

Thursday December 25, 2003 14:03

by © Iosaf the ipsiphi O as if.

The songs that crossed no mans land this day in 1914 and 1915 must never be disregarded.

Not only did they stop firing, not only did they walk across the yet undecided Borders of their empires and play football, they sang.

The Lutheran Hymn book which had sung in the East met the 14 psalms and hymns that accompanied Calvin and Knox to the North and counterpointed with the dullest nineteenth century English songwriters and a lot of Latin in Irish accents.

Now we don't know their hymn sheets anymore.
And we mostly don't play international football.
But somethings never ever change.

Neither King nor Kaiser. but humanity. men whose average age was 19. men who were seperated from their families. men who were wearing uniforms. men who were housed in trenches. men who starved later in those trenches. men who played football.
Neither King nor Kaiser.
but humanity.
men whose average age was 19.
men who were seperated from their families.
men who were wearing uniforms.
men who were housed in trenches.
men who starved later in those trenches.

men who played football.

1914 -- All Quiet on the Western Front?: Just after midnight on Christmas morning, the majority of German troops engaged in WWI cease firing guns & artillery, & commence to sing Christmas carols.

At certain points along the Eastern & Western fronts, the soldiers of Russia, France, & Britain even hear brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing. At the first light of dawn, many of the German soldiers emerge from their trenches & approach the Allied lines across no man's land, calling out "Merry Christmas" in their enemies' native tongues. At first the Allied soldiers suspect it to be a trick, but soon climb out of their trenches & shake hands with the German soldiers. The men exchange presents of cigarettes & plum puddings & sing carols & songs & the Christmas Truce lasts a few days.

Documentation is fragmentary since it was contrary to direct orders & the legal penalty for such fraternizing with the enemy was death! But even in this brutal war, peace was found on this day by ignoring political & military authority.

for other events on this day see
http://www.infoshop.org
for the link to the daily bleed.
http://www.eskimo.com/~recall/bleed/1225.htm

This morning Mass was celebrated at the traditional Bethleham church of Cisjordania, as it was _not_ last year at the traditional birth place of Jesus known as Christ of the house of David.

He most certainly passed on his torch.

And so too did those men who disobeyed at pain of death orders to avoid the ultimate immorality, that of taking without just cause the lives of other fellow men.
They chose to play football exchange rations and humanity on 25/12/14 and again 25/12/15.

I today remember my family and loved ones, friends and comrades, and those men who unlike I never had a choice to avoid their poverty, conscription, military service and death for either King or Kaiser.

save preference

Comments (10 of 10)

George Frederick Handel. The Messiah. (not very american coz its blasphemous)

by © o as if - i can't make them go backwards!

Fri Nov 05, 2004 21:53

very popular with your mammy's generation.
first performed in Dublin. Very traditional in the Bewleys Irish culture way. Pain in the ass to teach to amateur choirs but sure they love it and it gives them a chance to get out of the house.
after a jolly good orchestral overture the amateur musician gets to hear the local tenor squawk-

Comfort ye, comfort ye My people, saith your God; speak ye comfortably to Jerusalem; and cry unto her, that her warfare is accomplished, that her iniquity is pardoned. The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness:-Prepare ye the way of the Lord: make straight in the desert a
highway for our God.
Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill made low, the crooked straight and the rough places plain.

This keeps the older types happy and out of harm's way and still sort of active at the same time, and is made possible by the
Absence of ©

velvet Elvis Weird Al Yankovitch.

by sue me. suzy Q.

Fri May 14, 2004 19:59

"Velvet Elvis"

My life, it used to be incomplete
'Till I saw what I was looking for at a drive-in swap meet
My life it won't be the same again
Now I'm proud to say the king lives on inside my den

Oh, it's all I live for, it's all I need
My velvet Elvis
My velvet Elvis
My velvet Elvis means the world to me

Although he may not be worth much dough
He means much more to me than some old Rembrandt or Van Gogh
Check out those sideburns, there's nothing greater
You can tell that he's no velvet Elvis imitator

Oh, it's all I live for, it's all I need
My velvet Elvis
My velvet Elvis
My velvet Elvis
Oh, now you can't you see
My velvet Elvis
My velvet Elvis
My velvet Elvis means the world to me

In my own private Graceland
In my own little shrine to the king
I don't want nothin' else
No, I don't need anything
Don't need no lava lamp
Don't need no soap on a rope
No pictures of Mexican kids with those really big eyes
Or dogs playing poker

When I'm at home watching my TV
I know the king is always looking down on me
He looks so handsome, he stands so tall
So glad he's big enough to cover up that hole in the wall

(Velvet Elvis) He's so fuzzy
(Velvet Elvis) He's so great
(Velvet Elvis) Never ages
(Velvet Elvis) Never puts on weight
(Velvet Elvis) Look at those rhinestones
(Velvet Elvis) He's just so fine
(Velvet Elvis) You can look but don't touch now
(Velvet Elvis) 'Cause he's mine all mine

in copyright.
i accept full resonsibility for my breach of U.S. Copyright law.
it's worth it.
ask the chinese workers comrade.

there were many other tribes-

by organgrinder

Fri May 14, 2004 18:29

some day the Kaddish will be sung enough.

Kaddish

Yithgadal vyithkadash shmeh raba b'alma di-vra chir'utheh
vyamlich malchutheh bkhayechon uvyomechon uvkhaye
dchol-beyt yisra'el, ba'agala uvizman kariv, v'imru: amen.

Yheh shmeh raba mvarach l'alam ul'almeh almaya.

Yithbarach vyishthabach vyithpa'ar vyithromam vyithnaseh
vyithhadar vyith'aleh vyithhalal shmeh dkudsha, brich hu.
L'eyla (ul'eyla) min-kol-birchatha vshiratha tushbkhatha
vnekhematha da'amiran b'alma, v'imru: amen.

Yheh shlama raba min-shmaya vkhayim aleynu v'al kol-
yisra'el, v'imru: amen.

Oseh shalom bim-romav, hu ya'aseh shalom aleynu v'al
kol-yisra'el, v'imru: amen

(A.W. Tüting)
out of copyright.

=
Kaddish

Glorified and sanctified be God's great name throughout the world which He has created according to His will.
May He establish His kingdom in your lifetime and during your days, and within the life of the entire House of
Israel, speedily and soon; and say, Amen.

May His great name be blessed forever and to all eternity.

Blessed and praised, glorified and exalted, extolled and honored, adored and lauded be the name of the Holy
One, blessed be He, beyond all the blessings and hymns, praises and consolations that are ever spoken in the
world; and say, Amen.

May there be abundant peace from heaven, and life, for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen.

He who creates peace in His celestial heights, may He create peace for us and for all Israel; and say, Amen !

but who are the Edomites? remember wisdom, know your blocks.

by ©

Sat Dec 27, 2003 13:20

Edom sounds like the Hebrew word for 'red' and is an alternative name for Esau. How he gained this name is explained in the Book of Genesis 25:29-34 where Esau trades his birthright to his younger twin brother Jacob in exchange for a meal of red stew.

Thus, the land of Edom is the land of Seir in which the descendants of Esau settled, displacing the Horites, and the Edomites are the people of the nation they formed there.

The land of Edom is generally believed to be the hill country immediately to the east of Wadi Arabah, which is today part of the Kingdom of Jordan.

so there, Solidarity with the post diluvian Reds of Antiquity.
(But we don't really trust them you know)

Solidarity with the Edomites!

Thu Dec 25, 2003 14:37

we are all Edomites.

whilst our Calvinist great grandfather sons of Ulster sang

by © ulster heritage

the Psalter from number 137 through to 144.

here's number 137.

a traditional Xmas favourite you may like to sing a long at home, but the melody is copyrighted as you won't be able to invite paying guests.

1 By the rivers of Babylon--
there we sat down and there we wept
when we remembered Zion.
2 On the willowsa there
we hung up our harps.
3 For there our captors
asked us for songs,
and our tormentors asked for mirth, saying,
"Sing us one of the songs of Zion!"
4 How could we sing the LORD's song
in a foreign land?
5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem,
let my right hand wither!
6 Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth,
if I do not remember you,
if I do not set Jerusalem
above my highest joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, against the Edomites
the day of Jerusalem's fall,
how they said, "Tear it down! Tear it down!
Down to its foundations!"
8 O daughter Babylon, you devastator!b
Happy shall they be who pay you back
what you have done to us!
9 Happy shall they be who take your little ones
and dash them against the rock!

by Father Joseph Mohr

Thu Dec 25, 2003 14:27

Mariapfarr, Austria

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht!
Alles schläft, einsam wacht
nur das traute hochheilige Paar.
Holder Knabe im lockigen Haar,
schlaf in himmlischer Ruh',
schlaf in himmlischer Ruh'.

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Hirten erst kundgemacht
durch der Engel Hallelujah,
tönt es laut von fern und nah,
Christ, der Retter ist da,
Christ, der Retter ist da!

Stille Nacht, heilige Nacht,
Gottes Sohn, o wie lacht
Lieb' aus deinem göttlichen Mund,
da uns schlägt die rettende Stund',
Christ, in deiner Geburt,
Christ, in deiner Geburt!

Father Joseph Mohr in Mariapfarr, Austria - 1816;
Melody added by Franz X. Gruber in Arnsdorf, Austria - 1818;
First performed in Oberndorf, Austria - 1818

This is out of copyright, you may freely sing this version for charitable and public purposes with or without invited and paying guests. You may also burn the music unto Mp3 and distribute it on open streets but be a bit careful of Galway. if you write a better translation you may have a comercially viable product for 21st century seasonal music sales.

3rd verse copyright unestablished. you may freely sing this verse for public or charitable purposes.

by © loopholes

Thu Dec 25, 2003 14:22

Silent night, holy night!
Son of God love's pure light.
Radiant beams from Thy holy face
With dawn of redeeming grace,
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.
Jesus Lord, at Thy birth.

Thu Dec 25, 2003 14:20

Silent night, holy night!
All is calm, all is bright.
Round yon Virgin, Mother and Child.
Holy infant so tender and mild,
Sleep in heavenly peace,
Sleep in heavenly peace.

Silent night, holy night!
Shepherds quake at the sight.
Glories stream from heaven afar
Heavenly hosts sing Alleluia,
Christ the Savior is born!
Christ the Savior is born.

Thu Dec 25, 2003 14:15

God rest ye Bleeders/Bibliomaniacs/Moocheads, let nothing you dismay
Remember there's no evidence there was a Christmas day.
When Christ was born just is not known, no matter what they say,
Glad tidings of reason & fact, reason & fact,
Glad tidings of reason & fact.

There was no star of Bethlehem, there was no angel song,
There could have been no wise men, for the journey was too long,
The stories in the Bible are historically wrong,
Glad tidings of reason & fact, reason & fact,
Glad tidings of reason & fact.

Much of our Christmas custom comes from Persia & from Greece,
From solstice celebrations of the ancient Middle East,
Our so-called Christmas holiday is but a pagan feast,
Glad tidings of reason & fact, reason & fact,
Glad tidings of reason & fact.

(this ran in sci.archaeology in 1994, with a credit to "author unknown")

© copy it.
© © © © pacman christmas 1986
© © © © © © © @@@scary ghost
© © © © @@@© ©

Number of comments per page

Upcoming Events

New Events

Other Press

User Preferences

Feeds

Blog Feeds

Public Inquiry

Human Rights in Ireland

Lockdown Skeptics

Voltaire Network

neither King nor Kaiser

Comments (10 of 10)