On December 16, 1944,
at the height of the Battle of the Bulge, an American soldier, Ralph H. Blank of the 121st Infantry, 8th ID was shot in the upper leg and was bleeding to death. Two other soldiers tried to help him get behind the American lines to no avail. Starving, freezing and disorientated, they wandered aimlessly behind the lines for 3 days.
In the distance they saw a cabin and approached it. They knocked on the door and a German mother named Elisabeth Vincken and her 12 year old son Fritz answered.
She did not know English, nor did the Americans know German. But one of the Americans spoke some French, as did Mrs. Vincken. So in broken French and some sign language, they explained that situation and asked for any assistance in terms of shelter and food for the night, so that they could start in the morning to find the American lines.
She let them in.
While preparing supper, she heard another knock at the door. When she answered, 4 German soldiers, who too were in the same plight as the Americans, asked to come inside for food and shelter.
Vincken told the German soldiers that American soldiers were inside and said, “It is the Holy Night and there will be no shooting here.” She told them that they could eat as much as they wished and asked them to leave their weapons against the cabin outside. They agreed.
The fear and apprehension was very apparent once inside. Out of the silence emerged the voices of the German soldiers singing the German hymn “Silent Night” in Latin. Then their American joined in in English.
They had supper, laughed, cried, shared wine, bread and had communion. The Germans also began to help the wounded American.
In the morning, Mrs. Vincken gave them back their weapons and said she would pray for their safety. The German corporal showed the Americans on their own map how to get back behind American lines and gave them his compass. The soldiers shook hands and went in opposite directions.
Mrs. Vincken passed away in 1965.
In March 1995, Ralph Blank, along with another American soldier who was there were reunited with Fritz in Maryland. Ralph said, “Your mother saved our lives.” #xmas #stayzero #zerofoxtrot #ww2