Fraternisation Collection

Christmas Day 1914
Fraternisation between German and English soldiers on Christmas Day 1914 on the Western Front in France during World War I

The Graphic, 23rd January 1915, Christmas truce
Page from The Graphic, 23rd January 1915 - the Power of Peace in the Time of War. The Christmas 1914 truce, and a crucifix in a shell-torn area of war. Date: 23rd January 1915

Christmas Truce 1914
British and German officers pictured in No Mans Land on the Western Front during the unofficial Christmas truce of 1914 which saw both sides fraternising at various points along the line

Band of the 3rd French Regiment playing in H.M. Naval Yard, at Deal, 1854. Creator: Unknown
Band of the 3rd French Regiment playing in H.M. Naval Yard, at Deal, 1854. Crimean War: French military band in Kent....a deputation of gentlemen from Deal waited on the Colonel of the...French line

French Soldiers and English Sailors Fraternising at Calais, 1854. Creator: Unknown
French Soldiers and English Sailors Fraternising at Calais, 1854. Allied personnel in France before leaving to fight in the Crimean War....the soldiers crowded the cafes with which Calais abounds;

Fraternisation of the French and English at Deal (engraving)
1607624 Fraternisation of the French and English at Deal (engraving) by English School, (19th century); Private Collection; (add.info.: Fraternisation of the French and English at Deal)

All Germans love children, so even these tough soldiers, invading Belgium, find time to fraternise with the kiddies... and fortunately there is a photographer to record it... Date: 1914

British and French troops fraternising, France, August 1914

Japanese and Russian soldiers fraternising, Russo-Japanese War, 1904-5

Christmas Truce by Bruce Bairnsfather
A memory of Christmas, 1914: " Look at this blokes buttons, arry. I should reckon e as a maid to dress im." A picture by the famous wartime Bystander cartoonist and creator of Old Bill

WW1 - Eastern Front - Russian and German soldiers fraternise - Christmas 1917 Date: 1917

Inter-Allied Fraternisation - British and French in Flanders
WW1 - Inter-Allied Fraternisation - The Friends of Today, not the Foes of Waterloo - British and French soldiers fraternising in Flanders. Date: 1915

Inter-Allied Fraternisation - Paris Cafe - WW1. British Tommies chat to their French counterparts and colonial French troops from Dominique. Date: 1915

Silhouettes from the Rhine by H. L. Oakley
Light-hearted scenes from the Rhineland area in Germany, occupied by the British following the end of World War One showing the good manners

Russian German fraternisation WWI
Russians and Germans socialising during break in fighting in World War I

Russian German fraternisation WWI
Russian and German soldiers socialise during World War I break in fighting

Christmas Day 1914
Fraternisation between German and English soldiers on Christmas Day 1914 in Ploegsteert on the Western Front in France during World War I

Fraternisation
In Seville, army officers fraternise with the insurgents - whatever their political views, almost all are glad to see Isabela go

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"Fraternisation: Uniting Enemies in Extraordinary Circumstances" In the midst of war, humanity prevails. Christmas Day 1914 witnessed an extraordinary event that defied the boundaries of conflict. Known as the Christmas Truce, soldiers from opposing sides laid down their weapons and embraced a momentary peace. The Graphic, on 23rd January 1915, captured this remarkable occurrence with its depiction between British and German troops during that fateful truce. The engraving showcased scenes of camaraderie amidst the trenches, where enemies became friends for a brief respite from battle. But fraternisation was not limited to just one conflict or nation. In France during August 1914, British and French troops found solace in each other's company as they faced the horrors of war together. This display of unity demonstrated that even amidst chaos and destruction, bonds could be formed across borders. Similarly, occupied Paris in June 1940 saw German soldiers engaging with French women outside the iconic Moulin Rouge. Despite being on opposite sides politically and militarily, these encounters revealed a shared appreciation for love and beauty transcending nationalities. Fraternisation extended beyond Europe's borders too; it reached far-flung places like Japan during the Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905). Japanese and Russian soldiers momentarily put aside their differences to connect on a human level – proving that compassion can arise even amid conflicts rooted in territorial disputes. Even amidst World War I's Eastern Front battles between Russian and German forces emerged instances where adversaries set aside animosity to find common ground. These acts showed that beneath uniforms lay individuals capable of empathy towards one another despite orders dictating otherwise. Inter-Allied Fraternisation further exemplified how alliances could foster connections among nations at odds with each other.