Dear Nikola,

Thank you for your visit and for the two volumes of Luther's 1534 Translation
of the Bible, volumes which are so precious that I cannot but consider them
as a loan. This morning I read Luther's introduction to the writings of the
Prophet Joel, whom Luther described as gentle and consoling in contrast 
with the other prophets who were harsh and threatening. I was reminded of
my grandfather Joel Meyer, who wanted to be known not as a tender-minded
prophet but as a tough-minded English style business man and shortened his
name to Joe. I feel sorry for him, for my grandmother Elfriede who endured
much, and for his three sons all of whom thought they had to volunteer
to fight in the Imperial Army. The oldest Ernst Joachim was killed in
a storm attack on Nov 6, 1914 in Normandy; the two others, of whom my
father was the youngest, survived. The only thing so far as I can tell
that my own grandsons have learned from me, is that it is not disgraceful
to try to avoid the military ...

Thank you again for your visit.

Jochen