"Christmas Truce" Plugstreet
- Last weekend before Christmas
The magic of Christmas 1914
The air is cold and the ground frozen. The flickering light of candles illuminates the German trenches. ‘It’s Christmas’, ‘es ist Weihnachten’, ‘c’est Noël!’ Words of peace resound and Christmas carols are sung. A few soldiers dare to go over the top and venture into no-man’s land. It is the magic of Christmas. The Christmas Truce has just begun, an unheard-of event amid hostilities.
A memorable rapprochement at Saint-Yvon
Spontaneous fraternisation is reported in various places along the front, notably in the hamlet of Saint-Yvon in the heart of Comines-Warneton. The Christmas Truce will last for a week here! Gifts are exchanged, the dead are buried, trenches are repaired … and a game of football is even improvised in no-man’s land!
A growing notoriety over the years
The 1914 Christmas Truce was first re-enacted by the Comité de la Bataille du Canal in 2007. This re-enactment gradually gained importance to include a bivouac, permanent trenches, a football match, public support and a peace candle ceremony … A great tribute to the incredible Christmas Truce that took place at Saint-Yvon more than a century ago! Wreathes, poppies, footballs and other emotionally charged souvenirs are regularly left at both sites.
Visitor info
Date
- Last weekend before Christmas
Location
- Chemin du Mont de la Hutte • 7782 Ploegsteert
Address and contact
Comité de la Bataille du Canal
- +32(0)56 55 80 81 ou +33(0)6 81 20 51 16
- f.maekelberg@gmail.com
