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.