# A Silent Night in WWII: A Special Christmas Story

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ausa-s-army-matters-podcast-4430994/a-silent-night-in-wwii-a-special-christmas-story
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/ausa-s-army-matters-podcast-4430994/a-silent-night-in-wwii-a-special-christmas-story.md
Podcast: [AUSA’s Army Matters Podcast](https://stenobird.com/podcast/ausa-s-army-matters-podcast-4430994)
Published: 2025-12-17T09:26:00+00:00
Episode link: https://podcast.ausa.org/e/a-silent-night-in-wwii-a-special-christmas-story/
Audio file: https://dts.podtrac.com/redirect.mp3/mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/ieiqt57y28bjr44a/ChristmasSpecial_20251216.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/ausa-s-army-matters-podcast-4430994/episodes/a-silent-night-in-wwii-a-special-christmas-story
Duration seconds: 1671

## Resource

On Christmas Eve, 1944, Elizabeth Vincken and her twelve-year-old son, Fritz, sat down for a quiet Christmas Eve dinner, hopeful for a respite in the midst of deadly battles in the northern Belgian forest. Knocks on their door quickly turned their evening into a series of dramatic moments and standoffs, but Elizabeth’s bravery and compassion led to one of the most heart-filled – and unheard – stories of World War II. In this very special holiday episode, Army Matters senior producer Carrie Varouhakis and Army historian and writer Kevin Hymel unearth this story of a mother, a son, weary soldiers, warm food, a song, a fat goose and a lifelong quest, weaving it into a story that will fill your ears – and heart – with joy. Narrated by: Kevin M. Hymel, Historian, U.S. Army Carrie Varouhakis, Senior Producer, AUSA's Army Matters Podcast Music: The versions of “O Tannenbaum,” “Auld Lang Syne” and “Silent Night” found in this episode are performed by the U.S. Army Field Band. Has a member of the Army positively changed your life? Now is your chance to thank them publicly with a shoutout via our Hooah Hotline and have it possibly appear on an upcoming episode of AUSA’s Army Matters podcast! AUSA’s Army Matters podcast can also be heard on Wreaths Across America Radio on Monday at 8 pm Eastern. You can find Wreaths Across America Radio on the iHeart Radio app, the Audacy app, and the TuneIn app. Search the word Wreath. Donate: If you are interested in supporting AUSA’s educational programs, such as this podcast, please visit www.ausa.org/donate. Feedback: How are we doing? Email us at podcast@ausa.org. Disclaimer: AUSA’s Army Matters podcast primary purpose is to entertain. The podcast does not constitute advice or services. While guests are invited to listen, listeners please n…

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## Transcript

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