United Nations, New York, USA, December 05 2014 – The Permanent Missions of the United Kingdom and of Germany to the UN hosted an event to commemorate the centenary of the Christmas Truce of 1914. The Truce was characterized by a series of spontaneous ceasefires between British and German troops, during which soldiers on opposing sides exchanged gifts, sang carols and played an iconic game of football. The commemoration included readings from letters recording the events of 1914, carol singing, remarks by the Secretary-General and a football penalty shoot-out between Permanent Representatives, refereed by the Secretary-General.
On the Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon (centre left), flanked by Harald Walter Braun (left), Permanent Representative of Germany to the UN; and Mark Lyall Grant, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom, poses for a group photo with participants of the penalty shoot-out.
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
Harald Braun, Permanent Representative of Germany to the United Nations:
“Between the trenches the bitter and hated enemies were standing around the Christmas tree singing Christmas songs. I will never forget this sight for as long as I live. One could see that the man, the human being lives on even if he knows nothing more in these days than killing. Christmas 1914 will be unforgettable to me.”
United Nations, New York, USA, December 05 2014 – The Permanent Missions of the United Kingdom and of Germany to the UN hosted an event to commemorate the centenary of the Christmas Truce of 1914. The Truce was characterized by a series of spontaneous ceasefires between British and German troops, during which soldiers on opposing sides exchanged gifts, sang carols and played an iconic game of football. The commemoration included readings from letters recording the events of 1914, carol singing, remarks by the Secretary-General and a football penalty shoot-out between Permanent Representatives, refereed by the Secretary-General.
On the Photo: Singing of carols during the event. On the platform, starting second from left: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Mark Lyall Grant, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the UN; and Harald Walter Braun, Permanent Representative of Germany.
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
Mark Lyall Grant, Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations:
“I got back to the trench. The Germans began to sing Stille Nacht, it sounded well. Then our men sand Silent Night, it sounded so well too. It was a curious scene. A lovely moonlit night, the German trenches with small lights on them, and the men on both sides gathered in groups parapets.”
United Nations, New York, USA, December 05 2014 – The Permanent Missions of the United Kingdom and of Germany to the UN hosted an event to commemorate the centenary of the Christmas Truce of 1914. The Truce was characterized by a series of spontaneous ceasefires between British and German troops, during which soldiers on opposing sides exchanged gifts, sang carols and played an iconic game of football. The commemoration included readings from letters recording the events of 1914, carol singing, remarks by the Secretary-General and a football penalty shoot-out between Permanent Representatives, refereed by the Secretary-General.
On the Photo: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaking at the event.
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
Ban Ki-moon, Secretary-General of the United Nations:
“This spontaneous ceasefire during which British and German soldiers sand Christmas Carrols and even played football with one another were quite extraordinary, unchoreographed events. Some 100,000 troops were involved in this unofficial truce all around the western front.”
Photo: SG Ban Ki-Moon at the penalty shoot-out.
Credit: Luiz Rampelotto/EuropaNewswire
The Secretary-General and the ambassadors then sang Silent Night both in English and in German and recreated the football match played by the soldiers 100 years ago.
Source: UNTV and EuropaNewswire
