A Christmas Miracle at The Battle Of The Bulge

A Christmas Miracle at The Battle Of The Bulge

perryolsen.com

~ Fritz Vincken / wjpbr.com ~

A man now, Fritz Vincken, narrates this true story about when he was a small boy at the time in 1944. The Battle of the Bulge was at its height. A German cook who was with the German Army there had left his wife and the above mentioned little boy in a shack way in the woods seemingly from harm's way.

       

It was December 24th, Christmas Eve and it was a very cold night. Many soldiers on both sides became lost from their units and were looking for a place to stay.

Three American Soldiers were lost around the area where the shack was. They saw the light from the shack and the smoke from the chimney. They saw their chance to warm up. They knocked on the door and asked if they could come in. The German lady had a small chicken cooking for themselves but invited the Americans in to warm up and for the Christmas meal.

One of the American Soldiers was wounded and the lady tried to make him comfortable. There was a language barrier for a time till one of the soldiers found out the lady could speak French as well as German! So everything was going well and the Americans were feeling right at home!

Then suddenly there was a knock at the door. The American's went for their guns. The lady went to the door and answered it. There were four German soldiers who were lost from their unit and they asked the lady for shelter. The lady answered them with this, "Yes, you can come in for Christmas dinner but I have other guests." One German soldier remarked, "Americana?" She said, "yes and that this was Christmas and there would be no killing on this night." She also told the Germans that they would have to lay down their weapons while they came in. She instructed the Americans to do the same!

There they were all in the room together, soldiers who a little while ago were bent on killing each other. Now, they were in a room together with no weapons. Everyone could feel the tension in the air. It was so quiet for about ten minutes. Then one American soldier offered the Germans a cigarette. They obliged! Suddenly one of the Germans who had medical training asked about the wounded American. He then began to help the wounded American and made him as comfortable as he could be.

       

Suddenly, Christmas dinner was ready and before they ate the lady had a speech for them. She told them that war was wrong and told them the beauty of Christmas day and what it all meant. (Of course she said in German to the Germans and French to the Americans). All the soldiers had tears in the eyes, even the tough German Sergeant. So with that they ate and from an uneasy friendship was built a genuine friendship in Christ that night. Later on, the soldiers all sang Silent Night in their own native tongues.

So later on the former enemies all went to sleep under the same roof. In the morning the Germans built a stretcher for the wounded American and even gave directions to the Americans on how to get back to their lines. The Germans took the lady and her son back to the German lines to bring them to her husband.

       

So, for one night in a great battle, Christ's peace was in the hearts of these nine people. This shows that even when you think you’re in the worst possible situation you can possibly be in, Christ is there!

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Have a VERY Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, and a joyous Holiday season!!

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Note: In addition to writing my own blogs / stories, I also like to search for stories and other inspiring / motivating / encouraging things from around the World Wide Web. If you see an article or story that you have written and want it removed, please feel free to let me know. I do try to give credit to the people and/or web sites that I find the information when I can.

A Heartwarming Story of Friendship: The Jesse Owens Story

I decided that for the next few blog posts, which I am going to share some great stories of friendships that I have found. When you read this (and other forthcoming stories), try to envision yourself in the environment and situation that these people were experiencing at the time. Hopefully, it will give you a “feel” of how they felt and why their story of friendship is so special.

A Heartwarming Story of Friendship: The Jesse Owens Story

blog.smithsonianmag.org

The 1936 Olympics was held in Berlin, Germany. Adolf Hitler and the Nazi party had risen to power three years earlier and were already to spread their evil beliefs of racism and hate.  Hitler believed that the “perfect” person was from an Aryan race…a blue-eyed, blond haired, the perfect physique without any blemishes or handicaps.  

Hitler saw the Games as an opportunity to promote his government and ideals of racial supremacy to the world. The official Nazi party newspaper wrote in the strongest terms that Jews and Black people should not be allowed to participate in the Games. However, when threatened with a boycott of the Games by other nations, Hitler relented and allowed Black people and Jews to participate.

After much deliberation and debate whether or not to boycott the Olympics, the United States and other nations decided to participate in the Games.

One of the American athletes was a Track and Field star named Jesse Owens and he was black. Jesse Owens seemed sure to win the long jump at the 1936 games. The year before he had jumped 26 feet, 8 1/4 inches -- a record that would stand for 25 years.

As he walked to the long-jump pit, however, Owens saw a tall, blue eyed, blond German taking practice jumps in the 26-foot range. Owens felt nervous. He was acutely aware of the Nazis' desire to prove "Aryan superiority," especially over blacks. At this point, the tall German introduced himself as Luz Long. "You should be able to qualify with your eyes closed!" he said to Owens, referring to his two jumps. For the next few moments the black son of a sharecropper and the white model of Nazi manhood chatted. Then, Long made a suggestion. Since the qualifying distance was only 23 feet, 5 1/2 inches, why not make a mark several inches before the takeoff board and jump from there, just to play it safe? Owens did and qualified easily. In the finals Owens set an Olympic record and earned the second of four gold medals.

The first person to congratulate him was Luz Long -- in full view of Adolf Hitler. Hitler was furious and embarrassed. Owens never again saw Long, who was sent out to the front lines and was killed in World War II. "You could melt down all the medals and cups I have," Owens later wrote, "and they wouldn't be a platting on the 24-carat friendship I felt for Luz Long."  

~ David Wallechinsky in The Complete Book of the Olympics ~

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This is an amazing story of how a friendship trumped the hatred and racism of a nation and a crazy man’s ideology! How thankful are you of the friends that you have? Could your friendship(s) withstand the “storms” of life and the hard times that might come your way? How much can you go out of your way to be a friend to someone in unpleasant situations? REALLY good friends are hard to find…and if you have one…Be THANKFUL!

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“Prosperity begets friends, adversity proves them.”  ~ Unknown ~

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Note: In addition to writing my own blogs / stories, I also like to search for stories and other inspiring / motivating / encouraging things from around the World Wide Web. If you see an article or story that you have written and want it removed, please feel free to let me know. I do try to give credit to the people and/or web sites that I find the information when I can.