Child upon these maps do heed This black stain to be effaced
Omitting it you would proceed Yet better it in red to trace
Later, whatever may come to pass
Promise there to go you must
To fetch the children of Alsace Reaching out their arms to us
May in our fondest France Hope's green saplings branch
And in you, dear child, flower Grow, grow,
France awaits its hour
We have a one and only enemy
Who digs the grave of Germany
Its heart replete with hatred, gall and envy
We have a one and only enemy
The villain raises its murderous hand
Its name you know, it is England
Two more minutes, Mr. Sprink.
I have been ordered to read this message from our beloved Kaiser:
This is a dark hour for Germany.
Our land is besieged
and we must brandish the sword.
I hope that with God's help we shall use it well,
so we may re-sheathe it with dignity.
Two more minutes, Lieutenant!
We're going out!
100 meters to the German trenches.
We've been shelling their machine-gunners,
so we should be alright.
We take their front line, then the farm just behind!
The 134th will relieve us tonight
and we can rest up in the rear.
We'll have back-up from the Scots on our left.
You'll recognize their black caps. Don't worry about them,
pay close heed to what I tell you to do.
I'm like you.
I too want to go home.
So do what you must and we'll all be home for Christmas.
Right.
Come what will.
Fix bayonets!
Load rifles!
Forward!
Up along the sap!
Get down!
That was a stretcher-bearer. - What?
You shot a stretcher-bearer.
How do you know?
You fired first?
A Scots marauder, Sir!
Think I got him. - Good.
Stay vigilant. At the slightest move, sound the alert.
Yes, Sir!
Sprink!
Come with me.
Yes, Sir!
Attention all!
Deposit the enemy weapons in the Friedrichsstrasse trench!
Go help them. - Right.
Have to rebuild it.
Relax, no one saw me.
Get hurt?
Christ! What happened?
You were barely 15 mins in there.
Reinforcements didn't... - Machine gunners in the sap.
Lost a third of my men in 5 mins.
When you saw the Scots retreat on your left
you gave up on the farm.
So, any word?
I tried the Red Cross, but no go.
No news from the enemy-occupied zone.
The Germans appear to be treating civilians correctly.
Your wife is most likely at her parents' with the baby.
During the shelling, a faulty canon exploded.
Killed the officer and his 5 men outright.
I asked you be drafted in to replace him.
Artillery, a fine corps. You'll move up fast.
No.
Keep your gunner's career, I stay here with my men.
Find another Lieutenant, no shortage.
I'm Major General here, I'll do as I see fit.
You'll do as I say.
I'll let you spend Christmas in your unit.
Then you go to Poitiers for training. That's an order.
If you want your visit to remain secret you'd best leave,
my orderly's coming.
You rest up here for 3 days.
Then, the front line by the Delsaux farm.
The sector should be quiet for Christmas.
Get some rest.
See you before you leave for Poitiers.
Goodnight.
Goodnight, Sir.
Lieutenant, found some blankets for tonight.
What's wrong, Lieutenant?
My wallet! I've lost my wallet.
The wallet with the photo you showed me?
Yes.
What a shame...
But you hardly need photos of your wife's face.
I'd a mishap too.
Look at that, Sir.
Two centimeters higher and I was a goner!
And it still rings!
Unstoppable, just like me! Eh, Lieutenant?
It means placing one every five meters.
Every five meters?
How many is that in all?
About 100,000.
Or 20 trains for Lille via Brussels.
Incredible!
Christmas trees!
It'll take me longer to send these trees to the front than our canons.
Show Miss Sörensen in!
How is he?
Well.
His regiment came under surprise attack four days ago.
But they drove back the enemy.
As regards your proposal...
I'm afraid to say, I cannot accept it.
As a Dane, I feel the gravity of the situation escapes you.
For five months now,
two million of our men have fought unrelenting.
We have neither the time nor the urge to organize recitals.
It took me a while to realize I'd approached the wrong person.
So I contacted the Kronprinz,
who'd be delighted to have a recital at his HQ on Christmas Eve.
I was told you were responsible not just for canons and convoys,
but also the soldiers.
So if you would kindly sign here,
next to the Kronprinz, before informing your men.
You'll only see him one night. What's the point of that?
It'll be much more than one night.
Our minutes are longer than yours.
Well? - Nothing.
Just a rifle shot. It's dead calm.
Be wary, they'll stop at nothing, even on Christmas Eve.
Follow me.
Know who had this brilliant idea?
No.
For you, Lieutenant.
Sprink!
You'll be leaving us for one night.
To go where?
Home, in a way, where you'd be better off.
Why do you dislike me, Sir?
After your regiment was disbanded I had to take you.
But I prefer masons, bakers, farmers.
Artists like you are a dead loss,
nothing but a millstone.
Now go. This officer's taking you.
Get a move on!
It's 10 o'clock and nothing's done!
Easy on there.
It's not too short?
I told you, Lieutenant, I'm the best barber in Lens.
Even the mayor used to come to my shop!
And Henri Hennebicque, was he a customer?
Hennebicque... Doesn't ring a bell.
My father-in-law,
deputy mayor, lives at 21 Cypress Alley.
You never told me.
Cypress Alley, I know it well!
Been a few times to have my bike fixed
at Narcisse Denoyelle's, number 43.
Right, I can see it now, a little blue gate.
I feel I can tell you, now...
Sometimes, of an evening, I head up along the embankment
towards the farm, softly softly, so not to get killed.
I sit down and I look...
I know the Delsaux farm well.
I'd cycle there for eggs and milk.
Just beyond the farm is the road to Lens.
Straight to Lens.
On foot, I'd be home in an hour.
No bother,
one hour!
My mother would be waiting at the door,
a full pot of coffee on the stove,
just like before...
What a nuisance, these damn lice!
There you go.
I think I'm done, Lieutenant.
Well?
Ponchel,
there's no mirror in front!
Christ, what an idiot!
But you're grand, Sir, tip-top for the party tonight.
If you say so! - I do...
Welcome, Miss.
My pleasure.
This way, please.
Miss Sörenson, most honored.
I will not tolerate mistakes! Clean that up at once!
Know where Nikolaus Sprink is?
He arrived about an hour ago.
Sprink? The tenor?
Yes.
Miss, though we've owned this house for 300 years,
it is no longer our home since September 23 last.
Ask elsewhere, if you would.
With any taste they'll have put him in my room on the top floor.
Thank you.
You poor thing! Good taste indeed!
Prussians with taste! You shouldn't even answer those people.
No! I have lice.
We'll sing again together, just like before.
I am not like before, Anna.
Sing for me! Sing for us!
Your Highness.
I'm glad to see the war has spared you.
That you volunteered as a private,
was most impressive.
I did not volunteer.
I was called up like all the others.
I congratulate you on your initiative, Miss.
It takes a woman to remind us that despite the war, it is Christmas.
Thanks to you and your voices,
tonight shall feel just like Berlin,
where I hope to return as soon as possible.
Perhaps next spring,
if all goes to plan.
Next spring!
You smoke?
Everyone smokes in the trenches.
You kill time as you can.
It's five years today since we met.
Oslo...
Five years already?
To have to brush with death to realize how time flies.
That's the terrible thing.
All these fat, sated men parading, swilling Champagne.
Anna, I must return to the front...
to sing for my comrades.
Tonight, above all.
For months I've dreamt of this and you want to go?
I don't want to leave you,
but I must go sing for them.
I'll return afterwards.
I'll come too.
Out of the question!
It's too dangerous. You don't realize.
When you left,
not a second passed without my wondering if you were still alive.
You are and I am with you. Nothing else matters.
I've too long awaited this night.
I'll not lose a single instant.
And without my pass from the Kaiser you'll not get far.
You have a pass from the Kaiser?
The Major General places his trust in you.
Hell, Lieutenant!
Couldn't they leave us be on Christmas Eve?
The dirty work always falls to the same!
I volunteer to go.
I want no trouble, Gueusselin.
Approach their lines, recce the machine guns and back.
Understood?
With this moonlight can I return fire if spotted?
Stealth and speed if you want a hot meal.
They seem to be having fun.
Wouldn't you like to as well?
This is Anna Sörensen.
Good evening.
What's all this?
Are you mad bringing this lady here?
Lieutenant,
I convinced the Kronprinz that a little music would do no harm.
Very well.
Fire away.
Lieutenant!
Come quickly, something odd is afoot.
I don't like this, Lieutenant.
Could be a diversion for some dirty trick.
Sprink.
Get down!
Good evening, Englishmen!
Very nice, but that's enough.
This is not the Berlin opera.
You're right.
It's better than Berlin.
Well I never! That beats the lot...
A summit meeting and we're not even invited!
Shut it, Ponchel!
What the hell's going on?
What the devil are they up to?
Maybe the Germans are fed up.
They want to surrender.
I doubt it.
Give me a bottle of champagne and my beaker.
Thank you.
Merry Christmas!
What idiot did...
Merry Christmas!
You first... Go ahead.
Felix! Where have you been?
No, his name is not Felix, it's Nestor.
It's Felix... - No, Nestor.
It's the cat from the Delsaux farm. No, I know better than you.
It's Felix... - No, Nestor.
Here, I've had enough.
It's Felix... - No, Nestor.
See? It's Nestor. - It's Felix.
Nestor's heading for the French side.
My wife.
A little hotel on Rue Vavin.
Spent a week there with my wife, two years ago.
For our honeymoon.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Hold on, that's Gueusselin's bottle!
Who cares, he's turned in.
I doubt it.
Thank you, very much... Sirs.
It's good!
How many months pregnant was she there?
Five months.
That was in Lens, at her parents'
last July...
Then there were complications, she was confined to bed...
I asked to stay by her side, but no go.
Called to war, I'd to leave her there.
But... Don't you write?
How is she?
I've had no letters since September.
The front is impassable.
I don't even know if it's a boy or a girl.
Hey, Scotsman!
Don't go for the piety either?
The French gave me some champagne.
Like some?
Come.
Sing for us.
Sing for them.
Please... Make way.
Thank you, thank you.
You were wonderful.
I'm Jewish. Christmas means nothing to me.
But I'll never forget tonight.
Thank you.
So what about the young lady?
Yes, I wanted to ask you.
Could she spend the night in your shelter?
I meant: when is she leaving?
Tomorrow morning.
Fine.
Alas, you cannot sleep in my shelter.
I have company.
A big rat, for 3 days now, but I'll get him in the end.
We'll find a solution.
Good night, Lieutenant.
Good night.
Don't worry, Miss.
I'll find you a safe place.
Thanks, Jörg.
Merry Christmas.
Oskar!
Listen. Someone's digging out there.
Mines! Those damn Scots are digging a mine sap!
They'll fill it with explosives and blow us sky high.
No, they're not digging any sap.
They are, I tell you!
You just got too pally with them last night.
Yeah?
Look who's talking! - Look!
Get back down!
Down!
Ponchel!
Bring your coffee!
Thank you.
Thanks, Ponchel. You can leave us now.
GOD IS WITH US
Can you come, Father?
In a few days, their families,
their wives, will receive the terrible news...
What we'd rather not think about.
For them, nothing will ever be the same again.
You too,
one day they'll cover you and dump you in a hole.
Let us go, while there's still time.
I have my pass, Holland is not far.
It is at peace, we'd have a future.
Impossible! That'd be to desert.
It's not desertion, it's staying together.
I'm a soldier. Like all the others.
I have duties, like everyone here.
Holland is quite a way.
We'd get caught. Even with your pass.
There's another solution.
The French border is 100 m away. We only have to cross it.
I've made tea. Perhaps you'd like some.
Come.
By the way...
The others asked me to give you these letters.
We don't trust the military post
and as you're going back to Berlin, we thought...
Sure.
Come on, Morallec!
Go for it!
Looks like trouble for the Jerries.
I heard last night, about your wife...
If you like...
I can get a letter through to her.
Why would you do that? If you got caught...
One letter won't stop us winning the war!
And anyhow when we'll have taken Paris, and it's over,
you can invite us for a drink in Rue Vavin.
You don't have to invade Paris to drop round for a drink.
How many cartridges have you to fire per day?
How many?
Ah, eight!
What? - Eight.
Oh, eight.
And you?
- Seven?
Seven and eight.
Us, five! Doesn't surprise me!
Still here? Weren't they sending a car?
We waited, but no one came for her.
I guess the party dragged on at HQ, they're not awake yet.
HQ called me 5 minutes ago.
They told me you'd vanished.
They thought you'd deserted, Sprink.
I told them you were here with Miss Sörensen,
that you came to sing for your comrades.
That really impressed them!
I was asked to keep an eye on you till they arrive.
Miss Sörensen will return to Berlin
and you will be put under arrest.
Two weeks.
For disobedience on the front.
Disobedience?
I'm not sure I understand?
So what's the plan for tomorrow?
A little football match
and an aperitif with those across the way?
Or will you shoot them like rabbits having shared champagne?
Well, Lieutenant?
All that is now meaningless.
To die tomorrow is even more absurd than yesterday.
That'll do, Sprink!
Any coffee left?
Felix!
Damn that cat!
Here, Nestor!
What're you doing here?
We said each to their own camp.
I know, but...
Our artillery will shell you in 10 minutes.
So I suggest you come shelter in my trench.
Not a word, Sprink!
Bull's-eye!
Sorry.
Damn! Have to rebuild it all over!
By the way...
That letter for my wife...
This time, we leave it at that.
It was nice knowing you.
Perhaps, in other circumstances, we could have...
Perhaps...
Yet maybe a drink in Rue Vavin, as a tourist!
Yeh.
That would be smashing! Is that how you say?
Right.
Your French beats my German.
No merit in that. Your wife is not German.
Well...
Good luck.
You too.
Goodbye. - Good luck.
Lieutenant,
I managed earlier to recce their machine guns.
All there.
Jörg...
What are you doing here?
We want you to take us prisoner.
Prisoner? That's not possible!
How do I explain your presence to my superiors?
I can't do that!
Go back to your trenches, playtime's over.
Sir,
if we return to the German side they'll separate us.
Put us in whatever jail you like, but let us be together,
I beg of you.
Couturier. - Yes, Sir?
Take these two to the rear, to the village.
They're prisoners. Put them in the schoolroom,
I'll bunk elsewhere.
And stay with them, we're back tomorrow.
Lieutenant!
Can you give these to the Red Cross?
It's important.
Ponchel!
Where's Ponchel? Been calling him for the past hour.
Said he was going for nosh, Sir.
Nosh?
Dearest, I cling to your memory,
like a climber to his rope, so not to fall...
The poor guy died between our lines...
Let President Poincaré come take Lorraine himself for all I care!
Try as we did,
before we knew it, they'd scored six!
They admitted later that most of them play together
in a Munich club called Bayern...
Never will I forget her voice in the night...
I stayed in my trench, in peace.
Drink with those bastards? I'd rather die!
Better trenches, must admit...
The Scots photographer promised us pictures at New Year's.
Be a chance to get back together...
A Bavarian gave me his address, to visit when it's over...
We and the British decided to accept the Krauts' invitation.
We'll go spend New Year's Eve with them.
We'll sing that song the Scots taught us.
And above all, drink to the health of all those bastards,
who sitting pretty, sent us here to slug it out!
No, stay here!
What're you doing? Come back!
Be silly to die disguised as a German, eh Sir?
What the devil were you doing?
I had a German help me...
Saw my mother.
We drank a coffee, just like before.
You have a son.
Henri, his name is...
How did you let yourself...
If you came to preach, leave now!
Don't you realize the gravity of this?
It's high treason! Punishable by death.
Only, we can't execute 200 men.
That's all that saves you.
Not counting all the other cases of fraternization reported since.
If public opinion hears of this...
Have no fear, none here will tell.
I hope not!
Who'd want to! Want to?
The men involved feel no shame.
If they won't tell, it's because none would believe or understand.
Carousing with the enemy while the country's partly occupied!
The country? What does it know of what we suffer here?
Of what we do, without complaint?
Let me tell you, I felt closer to the Germans
than those who cry Kill the Krauts! Before their stuffed turkey!
You're talking nonsense.
No, you're just not living the same war as me.
As those across the way.
You and your men will rejoin the Verdun sector.
You're right about one thing.
I don't understand this war.
My corps was the cavalry.
You should've made a career of it, like I said.
Today, I'm asked to fight a war where the shovel outweighs the rifle.
In which people swap addresses with the enemy,
to meet when it's all over...
Plus the cat we found with a note from the Germans: Good luck, comrades!
I was ordered to arrest the cat for high treason...
Until further notice.
You're a grandfather, Dad.
His name is Henri.
What are you on about?
How do you know that?
You wouldn't understand.
Henri?
Not bad.
Henri Audebert!
Let's try and survive this war for him.
Chin up.
Be seated!
In two days' time you will be in East-Prussia
to take part in an offensive against the Russian army.
I hope you'll show pugnacity in the face of the enemy.
This train will cross the fatherland,
but it won't be possible for you to see your families.
Why?
I think you can guess.
Long live Kaiser Wilhelm!
Long live the Kaiser!
They hand it out to just anybody!
This film is dedicated to the soldiers
who fraternized on Christmas 1914 in several places on the front.