Christmas letter 2023

In Advent

Dear friends!

We are glad that the terrible year 2023 is coming to an end. It was terrible because the threat of fear of nuclear war was ineffective in preventing the cruel current battles. It remains uncertain how the torment and suffering of the fighting soldiers and the affected civilian population can be ended.

Putin and his complicit Russians and vassals have caused so much mischief that there is hardly any clean retreat left. The same applies to Hamas and Netanyahu is also leading his followers into a very similar maelstrom of disaster. One can only hope that they will be spared the fate of the Germans in World War II, who, like now, allowed themselves to be maneuvered into disaster by the worst criminal.
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What can the solution look like? Putin, like all his predecessors, will perish by himself. The Israelis and the Palestinians are currently so incredibly hurt by the terrible destruction and physical and psychological wounds that they must be prepared to make a major compromise, even if the original attackers are religiously motivated Muslims. Both parties should be forced to live together under a code that ensures a peaceful future for all people there. If necessary, religion, the cause of all evil there, must be, if not completely prevented, then at least eliminated to such an extent that it no longer plays a role in political and, if possible, in daily life. The “Freedom From Religion Foundation” www.ffrf.us/nyt sees it similarly. There are countless examples of peaceful, neighborly coexistence between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank since 1948. What can the solution look like? Putin, like all his predecessors, will perish by himself. The Israelis and the Palestinians are currently so incredibly hurt by the terrible destruction and physical and psychological wounds that they must be prepared to make a major compromise, even if the original attackers are religiously motivated Muslims. Both parties should be forced to live together under a code that ensures a peaceful future for all people there. If necessary, religion, the cause of all evil there, must be, if not completely prevented, then at least eliminated to such an extent that it no longer plays a role in politics and, if possible, in daily life. The “Freedom From Religion Foundation” www.ffrf.us/nyt sees it similarly. There are countless examples of peaceful, neighborly coexistence between Palestinians and Israelis in the West Bank since 1948.
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Last Christmas was idiosyncratic for us. We haven't been able to celebrate it with the whole family for ages. This was made up for in 2022 and we were able to celebrate Christmas together at Casa Colonna. Annemarei, John and Syrah flew the long journey from New Zealand, Daphne came from Hamburg with Volker, Nils and Jutta; everyone to celebrate with us and also enjoy our paradise island with its beautiful beach. Daphne lived with Volker from the summer onwards and went to school there to learn German and play “professional” football: both were quite successful.

Liliane and Holger as well as John's family from Maryland completed the round. It was particularly nice to have John's parents Marvin and Gloria as well as his sister Mar-ria with their children. Jutta, Lilian, Nils, Holger and Volker lived in the house of our neighbors John and Gary, who had flown to their first home in Atlantic City over the holidays. Christmas was celebrated in the spirit of family tradition, unfortunately without Liliane's children Christian and Marie-Louise but of course with Mark and family, Sara, Jade and Gabriel.
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There was our traditional potato salad and the gifts were given according to the Julklapp pattern. There were different views on the tree, which were discussed intensively. Everyone had fun. We originally planned to commemorate our mother Liesel with all of our siblings and children where we buried her at sea; at our fishing pier (see photo). On the other hand, our children invited us to a late dinner for our 50th wedding anniversary at the gourmet restaurant “Thyme + Rosmary”.

New Year's Eve traditionally began with "Dinner for One." but ended differently than we were used to in Hamburg - almost without fireworks. But still, the four weeks with the children and siblings were great The Wittmanns: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow. Information about our family Season's Greetings Pages - and End of Year Lettersin a very special experience for us and we are very, very grateful to everyone.

We spent the rest of the year mainly on our island. Nils visited us several times to continue the eternal skat rounds and to share the incomparable beauty of the Gulf Island with us.

The Nature Printer Group's annual “workshop” took place again this year in “Wild Acres” in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina. Of course Heidi had to take part and really enjoyed seeing her many artist friends again.

This Christmas we are alone, except for the traditional visit from Mark and his loved ones for a potato salad feast followed by a gift exchange on Christmas Eve.

We hope for a year 2024 that brings us political solutions that are on the horizon, such as the change of power in Poland with the assumption of responsibility by an uberhttps://www.colonna.net/900-x-mas/2023/2023 -noel-pics.html created Democrats as well as Joe Biden's success in continuing to support Ukraine.
Above all, we wish you all peace and peaceful stabilization that ends the hatred and the threat of hostility and could thus avoid an infernal Third World War.

PS: Three family events still need to be acknowledged here. Marie-Louise was recognized as a specialist in general medicine and then married the trauma surgeon Nico Krefin in Hamburg. We wish them good luck. Christian got married in San Francisco and also bought a new house in San Jose. Congratulations for them too.

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Dietmar and Heidi