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The Monmouth Inquirer
Freehold, Monmouth County, New Jersey
What is this article about?
In the western theater of war during Christmas, British and German soldiers fraternized and played football, temporarily forgetting the war. This led to a German army order from Berlin prohibiting such games and friendly contacts to refocus on enmity.
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British and German Soldiers Fight on the Gridiron—Kaiser Upsets the Schedule.
Berlin.—A general order issued by the German army authorities prohibits football games in the field between German and English soldiers.
At Christmas time men from both sides in the western theater of war fraternized and played well-contested games of football. Officers and men laid aside their arms and watched the players and cheered them on.
The rivalry became so intense that war was forgotten and the men who kicked the most goals received more applause than is usually given heroes on the fighting line.
At one place where the Germans and British played the game was a draw and the players agreed to suspend fighting for two days more in order to decide the issue on two games out of three.
News of this reached the military authorities and it was decided that football was interfering too much with the business of warfare, aside from the complications arising from too friendly contact between the advance guards.
The order was issued forthwith and there will be no more athletic contests between the soldiers, who also are forbidden to fraternize or meet on any terms except those of bitter enmity.
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Where did it happen?
Foreign News Details
Primary Location
Western Theater Of War
Event Date
Christmas Time
Outcome
prohibition of football games and fraternization between german and british soldiers; no more athletic contests or friendly meetings allowed.
Event Details
British and German soldiers in the western theater fraternized at Christmas, playing football games where officers and men laid aside arms to watch and cheer. Rivalry intensified, with war forgotten and players receiving more applause than heroes. In one match, a draw led to agreement to suspend fighting for two more days for a best-of-three decision. Military authorities issued a general order prohibiting such games due to interference with warfare and friendly contacts.