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made exposure deadly. Men lived, fought and died in the trenches on both sides.

On Christmas of 1914, the first Christmas of the war, one group began singing “Silent Night” which was answered by the other side in unison.

“Stille Nacht,” was written in German nearly a hundred years before.

Someone ventured out unarmed and soon others followed. They offered greetings, simple gifts of cigarettes, beer, and used the time to recover their dead in “no man’s land.”

German bands cranked up, they chose sides and played soccer, took photographs, swapped hats.

It was impulsive, spotty along the 466 mile front separating the armies.

The next day they killed each other.

The higher ups were not impressed and put a stop to it. It was not repeated.

joenphillips@yahoo.com