My sister Filippa
"I want to design concepts, have ideas, train myself scientifically in art history, medicine, marine biology. I want to learn about viticulture and languages, to travel, to explore philosophies, to use the day and not waste it, to exploit my spiritual potential as best I can, to live to the fullest, to explore nature, to help, to pray, to feed my soul. to fall in love, to be free, to be independent, to marry, to have children, to use my life, to benefit others, to become history, to find peace, to live in peace, to do a lot, to see, to pass on from me. "
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These are big words and intentions that my sister Filippa put in her diary. She was bursting with energy and zest for life. But at the same time she was also a typical, self-critical and unsatisfied teenager: "I'm fat, fucked up, lazy, chaotic, stupid, emotional, irrational, unreasonable, disciplined and shy. But also different. "
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But also different. That's true. Filippa's personality was multi-faceted, consisting of a fantastic combination of modesty, humour, curiosity, helpfulness, and the ability to listen. Although she was seven years younger than me, Filippa went from being a little sister to growing into a great help and serious counselor.
Experiencing Filippa
After my graduation, I went to Brussels in 1992 to intern with the European Union. Filippa was 12 years old and came to visit me often. Together we had a lot of fun, went out together, danced and celebrated. Despite short nights, Filippa and I visited museums and churches during the day - not just to make our parents happy. Filippa was very interested in everything, knew her things well, and asked many questions.
She loved to travel, was fascinated by different cultures and religions. And with our father, Filippa shared the love of nature. She liked to go hunting with him. We often went for long walks together. Filippa always observed the beauty of nature down to the last detail, something that was certainly important for her later career as a photographer. Filippa was very proud of her family and loved her homeland: her Sayn.
Filippa also loved to laugh - especially about herself. She had a unique sense of humor, loved Kokolores (shenanigans), invented her own language with our sister Sofia and imitated many dialects, which she then mixed with foreign languages.
In addition to the funny Filippa, we also sometimes had a grumpy or miserable sister who could chop on her smaller siblings.
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Filippa's Values
Then again there was also a very modest and thankful Filippa. She was deeply religious - something that never let her hang out, she found it right and important to herself, but she respected other opinions or religions as well. In 1999, during the war in the Balkans, she wrote in the diary: "Will do what God wants me to do, and always be grateful for what I have. Thank you. Also and especially that I can be so happy where others cry for everything they have because maybe they had it from now on and they only have the memory left. Hopefully, their memories were beautiful and comforting, so that people can hope to be happy again someday, baking cakes, milking cows, having children in their arms, having something to keep ... and thanking them can and may. Thank you thank you thank you."
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The thoughtful Filippa often retreated to her room, philosophizing about the meaning of life. Her diary says: "How beautiful life can be and is and how beautiful you can make life, how to make it beautiful to others, to make every day a joy for one," Nietzsche said, "not so stupid. "
This quote was very important to Filippa, she had also written it on a small, yellow sticky note and pasted her bed.
"I want to spend the rest of my time with him, live our lives, have children, see our children, grow up, shape, love ... "
Although Filippa was immensely fun-loving, freshly engaged, looking forward to a shared future with Vittorio and planning a lot, she also thought about death. She did not fear it, but called it "going home." She described her grave in her diary "Wanted that one should stay in this place, pray and also celebrate."
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But she wanted more. She wrote: "I do not know when I'm going yet. I'll go soon, so know that I love you all and certainly will miss you infinitely. I always wanted to do everything well and right, often did not make it. Can you do it together for me, with me? "
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Her Vision, Our Mission
To make others happy and to do good. Filippa mentioned that again and again. The sentence: "Can you do it together for me, with me?" Was one of the reasons for us to set up the Foundation "Filippas Engel" call. And what purpose should the foundation have? Also there we found a response from Filippa, by the way, a quote from Don Bosco: "So, up! 'Do good, be merry and let the sparrows whistle", yes, even if it requires human strength and is very tiring and sometimes not funny, yes, even then let these sparrows whistle. "
A very special sister.
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- Excerpts from a speech by Alexandra Countess Hunyady, on the occasion of the award ceremony of "Filippa's Angel" 2004
