A Moment Of Truce Amid The Carnage Of War
A remarkable truce, a moment of humanity, happened amid the carnage of war in 1944 during Operation Market Garden.
After the bridge at Arnhem was lost, the remnants of the 1st Airborne division formed a defensive perimeter around Oosterbeek, a town which joins onto Arnhem.
The perimeter became surrounded by German tanks, guns and infantry. The intense action in the area created the nickname ‘Der Hexenkessel’, meaning "Witch’s Cauldron".
As the German soldiers advanced and squeezed the perimeter tighter and tighter, something extraordinary happened.
A small group of British troops were trapped in the upstairs rooms of a house. Instead of a bloody fight, the shooting stopped.
The British lowered a bottle of Cognac to the German troops below.
In return, the Germans sent up their rations of chocolate to the starving British troops.
The ensuing truce allowed the soldiers a time-out in battle to recognise the needs of their opponent and contemplate the idea of ‘surrender or die’.
This inspirational moment of peace in 1944 is Arnhem’s gift to humanity.
Pax44’s VS Cognac has a minimum aged blend of 8 years, matured in Limousin Oak and finally rested in Port Barrels to add sympathetic flavour tones which assist the infusion of dark chocolate and the addition of raw, fermented, solid, cacao nibs.
A gentle shake of the bottle or even the action of pouring will free the cacao nibs to briefly float then settle at the bottom of the glass.
Finished to 44% abv and bottled in 50cl handcrafted bottles. The 2023 launch is a limited edition of 44 bottles, presented to charitable associations throughout the year to commemorate the 79th anniversary and raise awareness and funds.
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