Gieten will turn gold over the next two weeks. Mayor Anno Wietze Hiemstra of Aa en Hunze spotlights two hundred bridal couples from the municipality who have been married for fifty years.
The first fifty celebrating couples entered the town hall in Gieten on a red carpet on Friday afternoon. It was the turn of the couples who got married in 1969. For those who do the math: that is indeed not exactly 50 years, but already 54 years ago.
A party had been organized for these lovers three years earlier. But due to the corona measures, the municipality had to cancel that love fest at the last minute. And that is why this year – just like couples who celebrated their anniversary in 2020, 2021 and 2022 – they can still reflect on this milestone.
The first moon landing
It is the twelfth time that the municipality has organized the party. But Mayor Anno Wietze Hiemstra has never been there before. Although he did not experience the year 1969 himself – the mayor was born in 1978 – he does know a few things about it.
For example, he summarizes that in 1969 man first stepped on the moon, the series Floris began and President Nixon was inaugurated. Lenny Kuhr also won the Eurovision Song Contest on behalf of the Netherlands. “And do you remember which song?” the mayor asks the couples. “ The troubadour !”, the audience answers. “Yet there were also less nice things,” the mayor continues. “VAT was introduced.”
‘Arguing every day’
Does the company have a secret for a good and long marriage? Jan Lanting (77) from Gieterveen does. “Arguing every day,” he jokes. “No, give and take is important,” his wife Hennie (75) corrects him. “You are lucky to have reached this age,” thinks Harm (79) Lanjouw from Eext, lover of Grietje (76). “And you have to be able to give. You just take it naturally,” he laughs.