Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1919-01-31
CHRISTMAS IN
GERMANY
Mr.. Virgil Cramer Former Member Of
WauseOn High School Faculty
Writes of Christmas in Germany
Experiences and Reflections.

ing extracts Mr. Cramer is now ad-
dressed as Private Virgil Cramer, Co.
C. 308th, Engineers, A. E. F. The
letter referred to is dated December
26th, 1918, with the Army of Occupa-
tion at Arzhem, Germany.
Yesterday was Christmas; and
such Christmas: 1t was my first one
spent in the army and my first in a
loreien land. In the first
place; Christmas eve was one of the
most unpromising and most folorn of
all Christmas Ewes. The American
Soldiers had put up Christmas tree
for the little village in the principal
square and we soldiers, either IN
groups, or one by one, each with his
own thot5 and memories perhaps of
other Christmases. or of home and
the dear ones there; wandered down
by the tree and looked at it for a
while and went quietly on. 1t was al
eve full of sentiment and yet so unlike
the real spirit; but the boys were real
boys and real boys are men. We all
did the best we could and so it WAS
Christmas eve, because we would
have it so. But the real background
that was lacking was "snow," which
we all associate with Santa Claus
and which in our Childish fancy must
be in order to have a real Christmas
that is this was all that was lacking
that we, all but few, cared to speak
Of.
That night, slept in bed-in a
Reai- Live-for-sure- bed; the first one
! had slept in since I have been in
France; That brings up my home,
where l stay and the people I am
with; strange to say, a real German
family of the kind one likes
to think of and which we did think
of before the war. This family
is hospitable and very friendly; in
their home l have room all my own
with places to put my things: even
my bed is made in the morning and
| am always asked to come into the
living room, which l do often, I get
along well enough in German to make
myself understood and to understand
them With these people is my home
and it is as near home as any l
have had since / left the states.
As l said in the evening there
was no sign of "Christmasey Christ
mas" but in the morning,-lo and
behold, as if by magic, there was
our mantle of snow and there was
our Christmas tree white with 1t.
We all went to "chow" and all were
in much better spirits than they were
the night before. The boys laughed
had their jokes and wondered what
they would have for dinner-for that
was the big event of the day. Well
the forenoon was spent as we wanted
to; many going to church or attend
ing service about the Christmas tree
and then came the 'big feed"
What did we have? This is what
we had and each. thought he was a
King that ate it:
First we had steak, a great big
piece; then we had gravy, potatoes,
Iried oni ms. coffee, bread, and
(what do you think p APPLE PIE!
-Arnla ME for $50 men! Apple pie for
men who had not tasted pie since
they left home. 1t was the biggest
christmas present we could have had.
And did we eateit? you should have
seen the fellows. Chateau Thierry was
nothing to the way the fellows attack
ed that pie and of course, as they did
at st. Mihiel, the enemy was soon
surrounded.
cards or "shot crap" or other games
that only army boys play and which
really may be excused under some
circumstances because the boys have
very few things to take up their time
or interest and of course do those
things for pass time.
l and a number of others, however,
went to a rehearsal for an entertain
Jnent that was to be given in the
evening on the hill back of the village
in the ''Turn" or Gymnasium. In the
evening was the concert or entertain
ment, as it was called. it was a min
strel; it was really good; many of the
Jokes were old and there were many
lolas but they listened good to US
/ md we all had good time. I played
little solo and after the entertain
ment we were given about one half
pound of chocolate a piece, that was
our Christmas present; few, not more
than ten got their boxes by Christ
mas, I among the number. They
will come later however.
After the concert I saw one of the
most beautiful sights, long to be re-
membered: 1t was view of the
Rhine and the Rhine Valley by night;
with all the history that it stands
for.
A friend of mine and were little
late in leaving the hall where the
concert was held and consequently
were alone. As we came from the
hall we stopped on the heights anc
looked for a moment down on the
| little village where we live; then be
yond over the snow covered fields
with their dark, trees standing out
in bold relief on the silken whiteness
of the landscape. Beyond this wa:
the Rhine with all its history anc
legend, flowing now, as in ages pas
slowly toward the sea and on its banl
like gem in its setting, was Coblent1
lit up by myriads of lights with its
great fortress the Ehrenbrietstein.
AS l looked upon this scene brie1
time as it was, the rush of understand
ing came over me; I was glad l haC
been in this war, that l had served
a part. small though it was, in thi'
the greatest of World events. Ye
1 was even glad 1 carried a gun tha
l had seen service and had been OF
the front. AS I looked upon th'
I fortress known as the Gibralter o
the Rhine the great Ehrenbrietsteil
that has been under construction anC
improvement for over century;
could not help but think of hov
strange and unforeseen the ways Of th'
world are.
How that great fortress, begun
during the time of Napoleon whel
Europe was supreme. should now b
the stronghold of America, the the
stripl;ng republic of the West. wa
glad l was an American.
TWENTY-FIVE YEARS
Arraigned before Judge Wolf II
Common Pleas Court last Monda
I x.,,;14x,