IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 781 

Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the World War I Christmas Truce 

of 1914. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 11, 2014 

Mr. CROWLEY submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Commemorating the 100th Anniversary of the World War 

I Christmas Truce of 1914. 

Whereas by December 1914, World War I had left about 90 

percent of the highly trained members of the British Expeditionary Force in France with casualties, and about 

30 percent dead; 

Whereas the cries and moans of the injured and dying in no 

man’s land could be heard throughout the Western 

Front, and many of the dead had been lying unburied; 

Whereas, on December 7, 1914, Pope Benedict XV suggested 

a temporary hiatus of the war for the celebration of 

Christmas; 

Whereas despite this proposal, the warring countries refused 

to create any official cease-fire; 


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•HRES 781 IH 

Whereas, on Christmas Eve, which under German tradition 

has more celebrations than the day itself, German soldiers began to sing carols and place lantern-lit Christmas 

trees above their trenches; 

Whereas much of December had been wet, but on this night 

the temperature dropped and a sharp frost settled over 

the landscape, making both trench conditions more bearable and the air clear and still; 

Whereas Rifleman C H Brazier, Queen’s Westminsters of 

Bishop’s Stortford, claimed in his letters that the German soldiers said they would not shoot on Christmas Day 

if his fellows did not; 

Whereas another letter from Private Cunningham, of the 5th 

Scottish Rifles, to his friend Mr. James D Gray, in 

Carluke, Scotland, also reveals in more detail how such 

truces came about: ‘‘On Christmas Eve the firing practically ceased. . . .’’; 

Whereas, on Christmas Day, the soldiers of opposing forces 

emerged from their trenches and declared their own unofficial truce, and shook hands with their enemies; 

Whereas according to many letters, a good-spirited, impromptu football match between German and Allied soldiers took place in no man’s land on this day and is commemorated annually by English football teams; 

Whereas in recognition of the 100th anniversary this year, 

special Christmas Truce candles will be lit around the 

world, including by Archbishop Desmond Tutu in Cape 

Town, South Africa, and Pele ́ in Santos, Brazil; 

Whereas worldwide celebrations are expected to take place, 

including the unveiling of a sculpture by Andy Edwards 


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in Liverpool capturing the 1914 Christmas Day football 

match; and 

Whereas the lessons of this event are that the light of human 

empathy can dispel the darkness of despair, the possibility for future peace can still exist when at war with 

other nations, and that behind the clashing of weapons 

and trenches of indifference humanity essentially endures: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives — 

2 (1) honors the 100th Anniversary of the World 

3 War I Christmas Truce of 1914; 

4 (2) recognizes the Christmas Truce’s symbol of 

5 the triumph of the human spirit over adversity; and 

6 (3) commemorates the World War I Christmas 

7 Truce of 1914 and its legacy as a message of future 

8 peace and unity between all nations. 

Æ 


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