12 Days of Christmas Skating Countdown: Day 4: Katarina Witt's "Where Have All the Flowers Gone?"

Katarina Witt's 1994 Olympic freeskate to "Where Have All the Flowers Gone" is one of the indelible memories of the 1994 Games. Katarina, already a 2-time Olympic Champion reinstated in 1994 when the rules changed and professional skaters were allowed to return to amateur competition. Having nothing left to prove in her career, Katarina chose to compete in the Olympics for all the right reasons: 1.) So her parents could watch her compete in the Olympics for the first time. Having lived behind the Iron Curtain, they were never allowed to leave East Germany to watch their daughter compete and win Olympic gold in '84 and '88; 2.) For the love of the sport; and 3.) To make a statement for peace and a tribute to Sarajevo, the war-torn country that hosted the Olympics for Katarina's first Olympic victory. (The rink that housed the figure skating competition in Sarajevo has since been bombed and destroyed.)

And what a beautiful tribute it is! Perfect (technically), it is not, but profound and poignant it is.

Enjoy!