Watch history come alive!
Join us for Winter on the Front 1914 -1918. Learn what the soldiers experienced as they fought not only the enemy but also the brutal elements during the Winters of the Great War. But the Winter of 1914 differed because the war paused for Christmas. You will watch enemies come together as friends during our Christmas Truce presentation in the morning, followed by the realities of a world at war in the afternoon.
December 9, 2023
Saturday 11 AM – 4 PM
$20 Adults, $12 Kids (5-17)
Price Includes admission to the museum
Credit cards accepted (with convenience fee)
Free Parking on-site!
What is the Christmas Truce?
The countries of Europe went to war in the summer of 1914 with enthusiasm and the belief that the conflict would be over by Christmas (December 25) of that year. Within months, however, hundreds of thousands of soldiers had been killed in heavy fighting. In September, the German advance into France had been halted at the Marne and the “Race to the Sea” between Germany and the Allies culminated at the First Battle of Ypres in October. The result was a bloody stalemate, where both sides had built continuous lines of trenches from the North Sea to the Swiss border.
By December 1914, the reality of trench warfare quickly settled in. Heavy rain soaked both the trenches and the No Man’s Land that separated them. For those on the Western Front, daily life was miserable, but it was a misery that was shared by enemies who were, in some places, separated by 50 yards. By Christmas Eve, a tenuous truce slowly started to take hold. The Germans placed Christmas trees and candles in their trenches and began singing Christmas carols. The British responded by singing carols of their own. As morning broke on Christmas Day, both German and British soldiers slowly emerged from their trenches, meeting in No Man’s Land to socialize, exchange gifts, and in some places play games.
After Christmas, violence returned to the Western Front. While there were punishments linked to the events of the Christmas Truce, British and German generals quickly took steps to prevent any further episodes of fraternization between their men. There were no subsequent widespread cease-fires on the Western Front until the armistice of November 1918.
How do you get tickets, and how do you enter the event
1) Upon arrival, you will first enter the museum to purchase your tickets for the Christmas Truce.
2) Next, you will proceed to the vehicle departure point, where you will ride a military vehicle to the WWI Demonstration field, where all of the Winter on the Front activities will take place.
3) The Gate will open at 10 AM on both days. Come early and stay all day! You will not want to miss anything.
4) It is that simple!
TENTATIVE Schedule of Events (times are subject to change)
Saturday – 10 AM – 4 PM
10:00 AM- Gates Open
11:00 AM – Christmas Truce Presentation
12:00 PM – Visit with Living Historians to learn about Winter on the Front
3:00 PM – Late War WWI Battle Skirmish
4:00 PM- Event Over