German Day was celebrated in the 19th century and revived in 1987 as German-American Day. The persons most instrumental in establishing German-American Day were Drs. Eberhard and Ruth Reichmann of the German Heritage Society of Indiana, Dr. Don Heinrich Tolzmann of the Society for German-American Studies, Elsbeth Seewald of the German American National Congress and the many thousands of individuals who petitioned Congress.The U.S. Congress passed a Joint Resolution requesting President Ronald Reagan to call on the American people to observe German-American Day with appropriate ceremonies and activities. The Congressmen who led this effort were Senators Lugar and Riegle and Representatives Foley, Hamilton and Luken.
President Reagan officially proclaimed German-American Day on October 5, 1987, in the Rose Garden of the White House.
German-American Day is celebrated on October 6th because on that date in 1683, 13 German families from Krefeld near the Rhine landed in Philadelphia and subsequently founded the first German settlement in the 13 Colonies--Germantown, Pennsylvania. The day also honors the many German immigrants who came here before and after that year and who contributed so greatly to this country.
In declaring German-American Day in 1991, President Bush said, "generations of German immigrants and their descendants have made outstanding contributions to American history and culture. However, the ties that we celebrate today are not only those born of kinship but also those based on common values and aspirations. Indeed, the same love of liberty that led the first German immigrants to these shores continues to animate U.S.-German relations." He stated that the Germany united again in 1990 "stands in friendship with the United States [and] also stands as our partner in leadership."
In 1991, Chancellor Helmut Kohl sent cordial greetings from Bonn to the celebrants of German-American Day: "When President Reagan proclaimed German-American Day in 1987 for the first time, Europe was still divided by the Iron Curtain. We Germans did regain our unity and freedom in a peaceful way. The thanks for this deservedly is owed to the American people, who secured European peace over 40 years. America stood by our side in the most difficult times, and we will never forget the contributions of U.S. Presidents." Kohl declared that the "friendship and partnership between Germans and Americans" is "a guarantee for a successful future."
In 1995, President Clinton declared, "Since the earliest days of the settlement of North America, immigrants from Germany have enriched our Nation with their industry, culture, and participation in public life. Over a quarter of Americans can trace their ancestry back to German roots, but more important than numbers are the motives that led so many Germans to make a new beginning across the Atlantic. America's unparalleled freedoms and opportunities drew the first German immigrants to our shores and have long inspired the tremendous contributions that German-Americans have made to our heritage... German-Americans have attained prominence in all areas of our national life... While parts of the Midwest, Pennsylvania, and Texas still proudly bear the stamp of the large German populations of the last century, it is their widespread assimilation and far-reaching activities that have earned German-Americans a distinguished reputation in all regions of the United States and in all walks of life."
In 1998, President Clinton said, "Germans and German-Americans have profoundly influenced every facet of American life with their energy, creativity, and strong work ethic. They have enriched the economic and commercial life of the United States, and it is befitting that we set aside this special day to acknowledge their many contributions to our liberty, culture and democracy. All of us can take pride in the accomplishments of German-Americans--as soldiers and statesmen, scientists and musicians, artisans and educators. It is fitting that we set aside this special day to remember and celebrate how much German-Americans have done to preserve our ideals, enrich our culture, and strengthen our democracy."
President Clinton made an equally incisive proclamation in 1999.
Although the annual date of German-American Day is based on the arrival on October 6, 1683, of the settlers of Germantown, PA, German immigration predates 1683; in 2008, we will be commemorating the 400th anniversary of German immigration to what is now the United States. But these immigrants came to English, Dutch and other settlements. The year 1683 is significant, because it marks the establishment of the first entirely German settlement. By Gary C. Grassl, with thanks to Elsbeth Seewald. (Nov. 1999)
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