[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 91 (Tuesday, June 6, 1995)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1159]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


               JOHN SCHEMMEL, GERMAN-AMERICAN OF THE YEAR

                                 ______


                          HON. DAVID E. BONIOR

                              of michigan

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 6, 1995
  Mr. BONIOR. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to pay tribute to my good 
friend, John Schemmel. John was honored by the members of the German-
American Cultural Center this past Sunday during the 45th anniversary 
banquet. He was named German American of the Year at the Carpathia Hall 
in Sterling Heights, MI.
  John is a first generation German-American. His parents immigrated 
from Siebenbuergen before he was born in 1920. From an early age John 
developed an appreciation of his heritage. He attended St. Thomas 
German Lutheran School as an elementary student. His German roots were 
rapidly becoming intertwined with America by the time he became a 
teenager. He was first baseman in the Transylvania Saxons Junior 
Association fast pitch softball league and, as team manager, he and his 
teammates won the championship in 1939.
  In 1942, John found himself in the U.S. Army as an infantryman. He 
served in the Aleutian Islands and eventually in France and Germany. 
After returning to the States, John worked for Chrysler Corp., the 
Detroit Police Department, and he attended the Michigan Technical 
School for electrical study. He eventually joined the engineering staff 
at General Motors where he worked for 33 years. John also became one of 
the first trustees of UAW Local 160 at the General Motors Technical 
Center.
  Long before John began engineering world class quality cars, he was 
active in organizations that celebrate and commemorate his German 
heritage. He has been a member of the Alliance of Transylvanian Saxons 
since 1937 and has served in every office of the Siebenbuerger Sachsen 
Verein. He sang tenor with the GBU-Saxonia Gemischterchor. The members 
of the German American Cultural Center are well aware of John's efforts 
to preserve the rich German heritage that exists in the metropolitan 
Detroit area. He served as the center's president for 4 years and is 
currently the group's first vice president.
  In addition to his involvement with cultural organizations, John is a 
member of the Fraternal Order of Police, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, 
the Fraternal Order of Eagles, the United Automobile Workers Local 160, 
and the Roseville Democratic Committee.
  John's pride in his German heritage is only equaled by his pride in 
being American. He has devoted time and energy to his colleagues, his 
community, our Nation, and his family and friends in numerous 
capacities. I applaud the German American Cultural Center for 
recognizing John. He has provided outstanding leadership to the group 
and I know he is proud to be honored by the members.
  On behalf of the German-American community, I urge my colleagues to 
join me in saluting John Schemmel, German-American of the year.


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