Dear Venetian Families, Friends and Customers around the world,

First of all, I would like to introduce myself, Carl G. Zwerenz, as founder of CBV. In 2017 I quit my old job and exchanged my security and routine for the realization of this relatively crazy idea to found CBV in Venice. There were quite a few who had warned me not to do so. What motivated me to take this risk was and is my enthusiasm for the values we hold high at CBV: The support of local craftsmanship and traditional boat building, environmental awareness, beauty, the pleasure of always offering our customers that little bit more service than is usually offered and the love for Venice that I have known since my childhood.

The current crisis and its terrible impact on all our lives leads me to share some thoughts with you. First of all: I am and have always been an incorrigible optimist, who has always been happy about the half-full glass instead of lamenting about the half-empty one. When I recently heard, to my joy and deep touch, Italy’s reaction to the current crisis: “andrà tutto bene”, I thought of the waves on the sea and how they form a parable of the ups and downs of life. After each trough of waves, the next crest of waves is bound to follow. However, I believe that we humans, as thinking beings, are obliged to carry something over from this crisis, which brings so much suffering, into the better times that will follow. The joy of “it is good again” will be all the greater the more clearly we now remember some lost qualities, the more we remember our humanity. And that means living together instead of focusing on one’s own I, or, as someone else said a long time ago: love of neighbor instead of self-love. We must take responsibility for the community instead of putting profit and greed first. We must understand nature as our home, which must be cared for and protected, just as we value and care for our own home. Forgive me if I make it even clearer, but: Has everyone finally understood, “Whatever Country First” as a philosophy does not and cannot exist. The answer is “Humanity first”.

Every one of us has relatives, friends and people we hold dear all around the world, whom they are particularly concerned about in this crisis. In this concern, we humans are currently globally all one. Shouldn’t we take from this that this global unity is good? Should we not bury every kind of division, of hatred, segregation and racism with this experience for good and leave the skeletons of division to the graveyard of history?

Let us learn from this crisis.

My deepest sympathy goes to all those who have lost loved ones and relatives in these days. Many thanks to all those who are now in the front line risking their own health to help others. Although I am a foreigner here in Venice, I feel the same love and connection with Italy these days as I feel with my own country and with the whole world.

I am sure that if people stand together now, as it can be seen wonderfully everywhere, the future times will bring more joy for life and humanity.

I’m looking forward to seeing you again.

With warmest regards and – see you soon,

Carl G. Zwerenz

Venice 27.03.2020