Chrismukkah Truce

Chrismukkah Truce

by Tom H. Hastings

741 words

My name is Francis Tolliver, I come from Liverpool.

Two years ago the war was waiting for me after school.

To Belgium and to Flanders, to Germany to here

I fought for King and country I love dear.

—Christmas in the Trenches, John McCutcheon

When World War 1 was beginning between Christian nations, no major atrocities had occurred to cause the sides to dehumanize the Other. And so, at Christmas 1914, despite all battle orders, the Germans and British troops actually spontaneously held a Christmas Truce, a brief time when neither side fired on the other but instead cautiously sang Christmas carols across No Man’s Land, aka the Beaten Zone. 

I was lying with my messmate on the cold and rocky ground

When across the lines of battle came a most peculiar sound

Says I, “Now listen up, me boys!” each soldier strained to hear

As one young German voice sang out so clear.

“He’s singing bloody well, you know!” my partner says to me

Soon, one by one, each German voice joined in harmony

The cannons rested silent, the gas clouds rolled no more

As Christmas brought us respite from the war.

They very slowly, with aching hearts that overcame their trepidation, emerged from their respective trenches, not under orders, not because of a command-negotiated ceasefire, but from the hearts of the men from both countries, and exchanged gifts–tobacco, whiskey, cookies from home, schnapps, and even staged a pickup soccer game before command learned of it and ordered an immediate halt to such fraternization, under penalty of court martial. 

“There’s someone coming toward us!” the front line sentry cried

All sights were fixed on one long figure trudging from their side

His truce flag, like a Christmas star, shown on that plain so bright

As he, bravely, strode unarmed into the night

Soon one by one on either side walked into No Man’s Land

With neither gun nor bayonet we met there hand to hand

We shared some secret brandy and we wished each other well

And in a flare-lit soccer game we gave ’em hell

We traded chocolates, cigarettes, and photographs from home.

Still, such an event, which historians call the Christmas Truce, driven entirely from the bottom-up, could not be tolerated by those determined to exact penalties and concessions from the leadership of one side for the benefit of the leadership of the other.

I can only wish for an Arab-Israeli version of this peace initiative, right now, perhaps in honor of Hanukkah, which, for the first time in many years, falls on Christmas. A Chrismukkah Truce would be the right thing, right now, only make it indefinite, sustainable thanks to people power commitment. 

Muslim women, reaching out to Christian women who were beginning to meet amongst themselves for peace, made such an end to war in Liberia, against all odds, despite enormous cruel atrocities by both the Christian army and the Muslim insurgents. They gained the peace by persistent nonviolent action, in Christian/Muslim unity, and not only ended the war, but gained their democracy.

So yes, understand the trauma that propels many in Hamas to commit atrocities. Understand the trauma that impels the Israeli Defense Forces to commit genocidal campaigns in reaction to Hamas. 

Then look to the people for peace. Certainly no one was more traumatized than the women of Liberia, yet they took the nonviolent initiative and replaced the country’s leadership completely–neither warring side emerged in power–instead Africa gained its first modern woman leader, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. People power can overcome trauma. Look to Israeli citizens to stand up in noncooperation with Netanyahu’s overwhelming aggression. Look to US voters to demand a cessation of offensive weaponry from the US to Israel. 

Waiting for the commander class to initiate peace is an ahistoric fantasy unless one side crushes the other and a “peace” treaty is made that is actually a surrender deal. Doing it from the masses is what actually works if people want a peace that doesn’t require annihilation of one side. If the people can understand that, if they can develop a sense of their own enlightened self-interest, they can achieve that.

Is Christmas the right time? Any time is right. Does a ceasefire and outbreak of peace need to be connected to a religious holiday? Obviously not. An outbreak of real sustainable peace in the Middle East would create a new holiday we could all celebrate going forth.

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Dr. Tom H. Hastings is Coördinator of Conflict Resolution BA/BS degree programs and certificates at Portland State University. His views, however, are not those of any institution.

Published: Knoxville TN Daily Sun, Wilson County Texas News