Humanity in War: “Once more or: Christmas in captivity” by Hermann Kuhlmann (Published on 17/12/2024)

In a publication by Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge, Hermann Kuhlmann reports on an experience from his time as a prisoner of war (Hermann Kuhlmann, “Once more oder: Weihnachten in der Gefangenschaft”, from: Volksbund Deutsche Kriegsgräberfürsorge e.V., Weihnachtsgeschichten aus schwerer Zeit (8th ed., 2017), p. 69 ff. [translation from German language]):

 

“During the last war, I was taken prisoner in France as a young soldier. We lived in a large tent camp that was heavily guarded. There was high barbed wire around the camp. The guards were constantly walking up and down, making sure that no one escaped. If we had to work outside the camp, we were also closely guarded by soldiers.

Among the guards was one who was constantly pushing us, shouting at us and making our lives even harder than they already were.

One day – it was just before Christmas – we were waiting for the truck to take us back to the camp. We were tired, hungry and impatient when the truck was late. A quiet grumble began to spread. Christmas was just around the corner and most of us were probably thinking of our loved ones at home. In this mood, one of us began to sing quietly – a Christmas carol. After a few bars, some of us joined in. Suddenly a second voice could be heard and then a third. After a short time, when everyone was singing along, the singing swelled like a church organ. It sounded very solemn and got under our skin. Hunger and tiredness were forgotten.

The song rang far and wide through the silent night, as if it was to be carried away to our homeland. We stood in an open circle around a small lantern and sang as if everything wanted to come out of us: our homesickness, our longing for freedom and our yearning for home.

For a moment we forgot our situation and the evil sentry. Our thoughts had changed. But something changed in the sentry too. He was as quiet as a mouse and listened to us with great devotion. When the song was over, he applauded and said: ‘Once more’. We sang again, and again he said: ‘Once more’. Then we sang another Christmas carol and the guard even hummed along. His cheeks reddened. Every time a song ended, he applauded. And it was always followed by: ‘Once more’.

Finally the truck arrived. The driver was in a hurry because of the delay. But the guard persuaded him to at least listen to a Christmas carol. After some hesitation, the driver agreed – but only for one song! But when the song had faded away, the driver also said: ‘Once more’. This request was heard many more times. At the end, we sang the chorale ‘Macht hoch die Tür, die Tor macht weit’.

If these words mean that we should open our hearts, they must have had an effect on the sentry. After that evening, he was a changed man. He no longer urged us on and no harsh words came from his lips. From then on, he was the friendliest of all the sentries.

On Christmas Eve – two days after our night-time concert – the guard even gave me a cigarette. It’s easy to imagine what a cigarette meant to a smoker in that situation. But what meant even more to me was the fact that the once so evil guard suddenly gave up his prejudice against the prisoner through our singing of Christmas carols, and that a warm relationship even developed.”

 

(Head picture: Pasture fence with spider web
near Vossenack, October 2019)

 

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