STILLE NACHT
A/N: I do not own any part of Hogan's Heroes. I am just borrowing them for this story.
"Shultz, please ask Colonel Hogan to come here." Klink yelled at Shultz while reading the paper in his hand.
"B-b-but Herr Kommandant. Have you seen how much snow fell last night? It is…"
"I don't want to hear your excuses. Perhaps you would prefer the winters in Russia better?"
Without another word, Shultz saluted and walked out the door.
HH HH HH
The men in Barrack two sat around the wood burning stove trying to keep warm. Suddenly, the barrack door quickly opened and closed.
"Look! Its Santa Clause!" Carter exclaimed
"Jolly Joker. Colonel Hogan, Kommandant Klink requests your presence in his office."
"You can't be serious. He wants me to leave this nice cold barracks to go into the freezing cold just to listen to him rant and rave about something?"
"Please Colonel, he isn't in a good mood. I think it has something to do with the letter he got from General Burkhaulter."
"Well why didn't you say so. Lead the way Shultz."
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Hogan knocked on Klink's door and then walked in. "You wanted to see me Sir?"
"Yes Colonel, please have a seat." After Hogan was seated, Klink continued. "I received a letter from General Burkhaulter. It says
To all Camp Kommandants
In lieu of the Christmas season, I am going to allow the prisoners and guards to celebrate. On the food supply truck, you will find extra rationing so the prisoners and guards can have one nice meal.
General Albert Burkhaulter"
"That's great Kommandant. Thanks." Hogan said excitedly.
"Not so fast Colonel. The bad news that due to the snowstorm, the food supply truck will not be coming until next week. For some more bad news, the cook said we don't have enough food to last until then let alone have a feast."
"Then why did you call me in here?"
"First I wanted you to know that an effort was made to allow the prisoners extra food. Second, I was hopping you could come up with a solution for the food shortage."
Hogan thought a moment and paced the office. The most logical answer would be to let the prisoners go hunting, but he would never go for it. There is no way he would allow the prisoners to have weapons. Maybe… "Kommandant, the woods outside of camp are full of wild game right." Klink nodded "I suggest that some people go hunting."
"If you are suggesting that I give prisoners weapons…"
Hogan laughed. "No Kommandant. I wouldn't ask such a thing. Your guards are already armed, let them do the hunting."
"Sure Hogan. I send out the guards to go hunting and then there is a mass escape. What kind of fool do you take me for?"
Do you really want me to answer that? "Come on Kommandant. There is two feet of snow out there, which would make tracking so easya blind person could find us. Then take in consideration that it is in the teens out there. I promise you, as an officer and gentleman, there will be no escapes."
Klink stared at Hogan and thought about his words. It would be foolish for anyone to think about escaping. "Okay Colonel. I will send out some guards to go hunting while your men chop wood."
"What? That wasn't part of the deal."
Klink grinded at Hogan, "The prisoners need warmth as well as food so do the guards. Since I am using my men to help feed you, the lease you can do is provide the warmth. I will also let you cut a tree down to decorate."
Now it was Hogan's turn to think about what Klink had said. I hate it when he is right and makes since. "All right Kommandant, your guards hunt, my men cut and we get no curfew on Christmas."
"No games, no escape attemps?"
"Even the fighting takes a brake for Christmas. Please Kommandant. We have been good prisoners." Mostly "We deserve it." Hogan gave his best pleading and innocent look.
"Alright Colonel. But at the first sign of monkey business, everyone will be confined to the barracks and you in the cooler until I change my mind."
"Agreed."
HH HH HH
Hogan walked back into the barracks with a big smile on his face. "Good news fella's, we will be allowed to celebrate Christmas tomorrow. Klink said we can go and cut down a tree to decorate and cut some more wood for the stove and we are going to have a wild beast feast."
"'Ow do you propose the feast. LeBeau said the Mess is low on food."
"Klink is going to have his guards go hunting and in exchange for the food, we are going to cut fire wood."
They started to grumble. They didn't want to do anything nice for the guards. Newkirk spoke up. "I thought you said we were going to have a wild beast feast? If the guards are the ones doing the hunting, we are going to starve."
"Now come on guys." Carter spoke up "Its Christmas. Yes we are POW's and far from where we want to be. But lets make the best of it. This is the season for giving. Giving them firewood is the least we could do for them giving us the meat."
Those that grumbled hung their head in shame. Most of them had forgotten the real reason for the season and why we celebrate Christmas. "André is right. It is the time of the year to be nice. But only to those who are nice to us."
"As the Bible says, 'But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you and pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you.1 That includes Nazi's and Germans." Kinch commented. When he remembered all he had gone threw at the hands of the Nazi's, it was easier said than done.
"Alright Kinch. I will try to be nice to them. Just this one day though."
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While the guards were out hunting, the prisoners were out in the woods cutting firewood.
"I have an idea." Exclaimed Carter. "Why don't we have a bonfire tomorrow night. We could pull our left over chocolate bars together and make hot chocolate and sing carols. It would be fun and just like when we were younger."
"I don't know if Klink will let us have bonfire. But I'll ask" Hogan finished not wanting to disappoint such an excited fellow. " Maybe we can get Shultz to dress in a red uniform and put on a white beard."
Everyone laughed at the thought. "What so funny?" Shultz asked walking up to the laughing men.
"Just picturin' you dressed up as Father Christmas." Newkirk commented.
"Why is that so hard to imagine. Back when I use to run my toy company, I use to dress up as Santa Clause every year and pass out toys to the kids who were at the orphanage." Shultz hung his head " I miss those days."
"Well Shultz, after this war, you can go back to delivering toys again." Hogan comforted
"If I can get the company up and running again. The Nazi's took it over to manufacture weapons. Such a shame."
"It sure is." Kinch added shaking his head.
HH HH HH
They finished the cutting just after sunset and headed back to camp. To their surprise, they found out that the guards had killed fifty deer, thirty-one squirrels, twenty-five rabbits and fourteen geese. This was enough food for them to have a feast and to last them until the supply truck arrived. I guess the guards don't want to shoot us anymore than we want to get shot. I would have never thought they would have been able to kill all those animals. Thanks God for looking out for us. Hogan thought as she fell asleep.
HH HH HH
The next day after roll call, the prisoners started to decorate with some of the greenery they had collected in the woods. LeBeau started to make a grand feast for dinner. Hogan went over to Klink's office.
Hogan knocked on Klink's door and waited to be called in. "Come in." Hogan walked in and stood in front of Klink's desk. Klink looked Hogan up and down. "What do you want now Colonel?"
"How do you know I want something?"
"You knocked and then waited for me to call you in."
"Sir my men were wondering if we could have a bonfire and sing Christmas carols and drink hot chocolate tonight."
"A bonfire! You never give up. All you prisoners do is keep asking and taking." Hogan gave his best hurt look but didn't say a word. "Colonel, you and your men keep forgetting you are prisoners here. Is it because I have been to lax with you?"
Where is this coming from? "No Sir. You rule this camp with an iron fist."
"Stop playing games Hogan. You and I both know that prisoners in other camps don't have as many freedoms as you and your men do. I will let you have your bonfire, but starting tomorrow, the prisoners will be reminded that they are prisoners here and not guests at a resort."
Sheese! Talk about a Scrooge. Hogan hung his head and said faintly "Yes Sir. Thank you for letting us have the bonfire and everything else. We appreciate it." Hogan didn't look Klink in the eye, he just gave his sloppy salute and left.
HH HH HH
Before Hogan entered the barracks, he put on his best happy face. He didn't want to put a damper on the celebration by telling them what Klink said or letting on that there was a problem. As soon as Hogan opened the door, he was faced with his men staring at him. Hogan smiled and nodded his head.
"Yea!" They all cheered.
Those who were not getting stuff ready for the feast or decorating went to gather wood for the fire and to find the perfect Christmas tree.
"Over here Sir!" Baker yelled Hogan walked over to him. "Look Sir. Isn't it the most beautiful and perfect Christmas tree you ever saw?"
Hogan walked around the seven-foot Black Fir. "Yes Baker, I do believe you have found it. Okay start cutting."
It took most of theafternoon to get the wood needed for a good bonfire. When Hogan and the rest of the men arrived back at camp, it was time for the feast. In the mess hall, there were rows of tables with little greenery arrangements every so often with a candle in the middle of them. Over the doorway and windows were evergreen branches woven together to make garland. On the door hung a bigholly wreath. For a brief moment, the prisoners forgot they were prisoners and enjoyed the wonderful feast.
HH HH HH
After dinner, they made preparations for the bonfire and got the tree ready to decorate. This entire time, Klink stayed in his quarters. Every once in a while, he would look out the window and watch the prisoners.
Shultz brought Hogan a small container of oil to help get the fire started. After the oil was place on the wood, Newkirk took out his lighter and handed it to Hogan. Hogan shook his head "Na, you can do it Peter."
Newkirk grinned as he lit the oil. After the fire was going good, the prisoners took off their dog tags and started to place them on the tree. Carter brought out a box of paper snowflakes that some of the prisoners cut out and put them on the tree.
"Ya know this reminds me of the Christmas's back in Bullfrog. Dad, Katie and I would decorate the tree while mom played the piano and we would sing Christmas Carols. Deck the halls with bows of holly…" Carter started to sing quietly. Today, no one was going to correcthim for using a wrong word and sang along with him.
After the carol was threw, LeBeau started to make hot chocolate from the candy bars in the Red Cross packages. "In France, we call Christmas Noël. I remember my family setting the crèche, or nativity made out of clay on the mantel. It was the focal point of Noël. We would leave our shoes by the fireplace for Père Nöel, and in the morning they were filled with sweets, nuts and fruits. During the year, my papa would make each of us kids a small toy and hang it on the tree."
"How about you Newkirk, what was Christmas like in England?" Shultz asked
Newkirk scuffed his foot in the snow. "After me dad left, we didn't 'ave much. I worked as a murmur to earn extra money."
"What did a murmur do?" asked Carter
"Me and some other fellas would dress up and put on Christmas plays. We would 'ang our socks on the fire mantel in the hopes that Father Christmas would bring us somethin'. Even though we didn't have much, mum would make some delicious cookies and leave them in our socks."
"I remember on Christmas Eve all of the kids sitting at Grandpa's feet as he read us the true Christmas story from Luke 2. 'And there were shepherds in the same field keeping watch over the flock by night. And lo the angle of the Lord shown around them and they were afraid. The angle said fear not. I bring you greetings of great joy which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David, the Savior, Christ the Lord.This shall be a sign for you. You shall find the baby wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in the manger. There was with the angle a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, good will, toward men'."
HH HH HH
Klink stood in his quarters staring out the window. For prisoners, they are very happy. Look at them out there talking, laughing and singing. What are they decorating the tree with? It looks like dog tags and paper snowflakes. If that isn't dumb. There is snow everywhere and they put paper snowflakes on the tree.
Just listen to yourself Wilhelm. These prisoners are making the best of a bad situation. They are decorating the tree with what they have. What is Colonel Hogan and Sergeant Kinchloe doing?
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"There is just something missing from the tree." Kinch said in a thoughtful maner.
"Lights?" Hawkins asked.
"That but something else…"
"The topper." Carter answered.
Everyone looked around for something to be used as the tree topper. Nothing could be found that seemed to work.
"Kinch, lift me up." Hogan said. Kinch stood behind Hogan and held him up. Hogan took of his crush cap and put it on top of the tree. The light of the fire danced off the emblem.
HH HH HH
You can't use a hat a tree topper. But what else do they have. These prisoners are a good bunch most of the time and you want to punish them for that. You ought to be ashamed of yourself. You have decorations in your closet you could let them use if you weren't so stingy.
Those are my decorations, which I am not using.
HH HH HH
Hogan was drinking a cup of hot chocolate and sitting on a log watching everyone have a good time. I wonder what Klink has planed for us starting tomorrow? We will just have to wait and see. I guess I will have to curb the complaints and tell everyone to be on their best behavior to try and get him to ease up.
"Colonel Hogan, I was wondering if your men would like the use of these Christmas decorations." Klink asked setting the box down. Hogan turned around and look at Klink and then at the box.
Hogan opened the lid and saw many hand carved wooden ornaments and some that were really shiny. "Thanks Kommandant." Hogan took the box over to the tree where they started to hang up the new decorations.
"As I was watching the prisoners decorate the tree, I was reminded of the Christmas's with my family. My mom and sister and grandmother made those ornaments. They are called Christbaumgeback. They were my favorite. I like the way the candlelight would dance off the broken pieces of mirror in them. The Christmas tree was locked in a room and us children were not allowed to see it until midnight Christmas Eve. Our presents would be on a small table in the room. Before we could open our presents, we had to find the pickle on the tree. Whoever found the pickle first would receive an extra gift. They say it was to teach us to observe all the work that went into decorating the tree."
"Colonel, would you care to put the star on top?" Kinch asked with the star in his hand.
"I would be honored." Hogan walked over to the tree
LeBeau walked up to Klink with a cup in his hand. "Hot chocolate Kommandant?"
Klink smiled. "Thank you Corporal."
Kinch lifted Hogan up and he put his crush cap on his now cold head and placed the star on top. When Kinch set Hogan down, the clouds made a small opening in the sky and the light from the full moon shown down on the tree. The way the moonlight and firelight danced off the Christbaumgeback's, the tree appeared to be illuminated.
Everyone was silent and stared at the tree. There was not a sound to be heard. No bombs dropping. Nothing exploding. In the distance you could hear the faint sounds of the church bells.
"Silent Night!" Hogan started to sing.
"Holy Night/ A minuit!" LeBeau and Hogan sang.
"All is calm, all is bright/ Le Hameau, dort sans buit/ Alles Schläft; einsam wacht" Hogan, LeBeau and Klink saing.
The rest add in singing the song in their own language.
"Round yon virgin mother and child/ Dans Lètable repose un enfant/ Nur das traute hoch heilige Paar."
"Holy infant so tender in mild/ Que sa mer comtempleen priant/ Holder Knab' im Lockigten Haar,"
"Sleep in Heavenly peace/ Elle a vu le Sauveur/ Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!"
"Sleep in Heavenly peace/ Dans l'enfant de Son Coeur/ Schlafe in himmlischer Ruh!"
"Glory to God in the Highest, and on earth, peace, good will, toward men." Hogan heard faintly. It sounded like the wind was actually talking.
"Did you hear that?" Hogan asked Klink.
"Hear what Colonel?"
"I heard voices in the wind."
Klink looked at his watch; midnight. "They say that on the stroke of midnight, in honor of the animals that came to the manger when the Christ child was born, the animals can talk. If you are listening for them you will not hear them. Fröhliche Weihnachten Colonel"
"Merry Christmas Kommandant."
LeBeau came over to fill their cups with more hot chocolate and saw Klink walking away. "Joyeux Noël Kommandant."
Klink turned around "Fröliche Weihnachten Corporal"
As Klink walked back to his quarters and everyone started to head back to their barracks Hogan stared at the tree thinking about his own Christmas's at home. Dad, Mom, Thom, Lisa and I would all decorate the tree on December 23 every year. 'Son, its just tradition' he would answer when I asked why. Dad would read us T'was the Night Before Christmas just before we went to bed on Christmas Eve. When we woke up Christmas Morning, we would have a race to see who could reach the bottom first. Thom usually won. He was bigger and could take bigger steps. A smile played on Hogan's face. Maybe we can be home by next Christmas. In a quiet voice, Hogan commented "Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night."
1 Matthew 5:44