eleventh hour

I am posting this in preparation for the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month of 2010, in memory of the Armistice to end World War One–put into effect at the same time in 1918. (We're on French time.)

Today in France, we celebrate this Armistice Day and the peace it led to. Today in the States, my family celebrates Veteran's Day for the same reasons. It's nice to feel that I'm again sharing something with the people that mean the most to me.

While the armistice (defined as a temporary cease-fire agreement) didn't officially end the war, the document was renewed monthly until the Treaty of Versailles was signed to officially restore peace. The day of the armistice signing was chosen, then, as the day to commemorate the beginning of peace & the end of the first world war.

Really think about that for a second. The world as we know it at war.

Veteran's Day began the year after the war & slowly evolved into its current full-day of commemoration. The first full national holiday was in 1954 under Eisenhower, who said the day was necessary

...In order to insure proper and widespread observance of this anniversary, all veterans, all veterans' organizations, and the entire citizenry will wish to join hands in the common purpose.

Armistice Day became a national holiday in France in 1922, & this year it will be commemorated with the traditional two minutes of silence at 11 a.m. & a gathering at the hôtel de ville (city hall) this evening.

Being away from home has made me acutely aware of these holidays, shared across an ocean & across different nation's histories. If I were to pick my greatest blessing from my time in France, this would be it. For the first time, I'm not just going with what's happening–accepting my day off as a family picnic or a day away from teaching; preparing to light advent candles when I can't remember why one is pink. I'm dedicating myself to a lot more research, which is fun & much more meaningful.

For example... The Treaty of Versailles marked the beginning of the League of Nations*, without which we would not have established the United Nations–whom I think is robbed of their ability to be effective, & whom I would truly give a limb to have an opportunity to work for. The treaty also returned Alsace-Lorraine (the region we're living in) to France, so we literally could not be in France without it.

For example... I admit it. I can't keep WWI straight. I know the time frame. I know that we blame Germany, that Germany lost, that tons of young men died for us, that the conditions in trenches are something I feel guilty about never having to think about. But do I deserve this holiday, if I can't figure out who did what and why? Sure, I remember how it all started, but do I know what it did for my country, for my family who was lucky enough to already have immigrated from Germany to the States?

So today, I'm reading up on WWI, studying my maps & thinking of my family.

Other Sources:
Veteran's Day
The Armistice
An Armistice
Armistice Day