American Soldier’s Heartwarming Christmas Story from 1918

On December 25, 1985, the Grand Forks Herald published a touching story from a Christmas long ago, recounting the experiences of American soldier Arthur Tweet during the aftermath of World War I. In 1918, while stationed in Germany, Tweet’s encounter with a local family transformed his understanding of goodwill and humanity during a time of conflict.

A Unique Christmas Invitation

After the armistice on November 11, 1918, Tweet was part of the American Expeditionary Force assigned to occupation duties in Germany. He was billeted in the home of a German family in Neuwied, where he began to forge a bond with them. Despite the tensions of war, he felt no animosity towards the German people, a sentiment that was reciprocated. “We won the love of the German people by the way we acted,” Tweet recalled.

The household included a mother, three children, grandparents, and two servant girls, while the father was still serving in the German army. When he finally returned home, Tweet described a charged moment as he met the soldier in the living room while wearing their respective uniforms. Despite their previous roles as enemies, they managed to connect through conversation about shared experiences and hopes for the future.

As Christmas approached, Tweet grew increasingly homesick. Sensing this, the family extended an invitation for him to join their Christmas Eve festivities. He visited the town to buy small gifts for the children and was welcomed into a warm, festive environment. Their Christmas tree was adorned with decorations reminiscent of those he knew from home, and the family gathered around to celebrate.

A Lesson in Humanity

During the evening, the father read the Christmas story from St. Luke, followed by the singing of traditional songs, including “Stille Nacht, Heilige Nacht” (Silent Night, Holy Night). The children distributed gifts, one of which was for Tweet. “That German soldier taught me a lesson,” he reflected. “When the spirit of the Christ child enters the human heart, you don’t see an enemy uniform; you see a brother, another human being.”

This moment left a lasting impression on Tweet, fundamentally altering his perception of Christmas. He maintained correspondence with the family for several years, but the onset of World War II severed those ties, a reality that pained him deeply. He attributed the conflict to Adolf Hitler, expressing sorrow that another war had erupted between the nations.

In 1973, nearly 55 years after that memorable Christmas, Tweet returned to Neuwied. He walked the same streets he had traversed as a young soldier and visited a flower shop where he encountered the daughters of Hans Schultz, the German soldier he had met so many years before. “They went just out of their wits,” Tweet described, reminiscing about the visit and the emotional connection that had persisted over the decades.

Tweet’s journey also included a brief stop in Paris, where he witnessed history during the 1919 peace conference. Despite the weight of those events, it is the memory of that Christmas dinner that remains etched in his heart. “Christmas meant so much more to me after my experience over there in Germany,” he concluded, reflecting on the enduring impact of humanity amidst the backdrop of war.