3-038-948 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Germans' Christmas Eve in France, 1871. 'Our Special Artist, Mr. Landells, at the Prussian headquarters at Versailles...was invited, in company with the correspondent of the Daily Telegraph, and with an American military officer, to the Christmas-Eve party given by Count von Alvensleben, Captain of the fifth company of the second battalion of the 2nd Regiment of Prussian Guard Landwehr, in the village of Fontenay-le-Fleury...A great Christmas-tree had been erected in the chief salon of the house...the host conducted his English visitors to the Fest-Saal, where they found the company of soldiers assembled in its full strength, and a small group of officers gathered round the blazing tree. A large silver-gilt tureen...contained the numbers to be drawn, and was greeted with a buzz of interested expectation...Count von Alvensleben called out each man's name in alphabetical order...As each number was called, the Lieutenants in charge of the prize-list responded, and the men either got their prizes or faced about ruefully to the disappointing announcement, "'S ist nichts!" ("It is nothing!") When all the names had been called, and all the good things distributed to the winners, plumcakes and huge mugs of punch were brought in and handed round'. From "Illustrated London News", 1871.