[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 195 (Friday, October 8, 1999)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 54759-54760]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-26550]


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                         Presidential Documents 
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  Federal Register / Vol. 64, No. 195 / Friday, October 8, 1999 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

[[Page 54759]]

                Proclamation 7233 of October 5, 1999

                
German-American Day, 1999

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Throughout America's history, we have drawn strength 
                from the diversity of our people. Men and women from 
                many different countries and cultures have arrived 
                here, determined to forge a new life in a new land, and 
                their talents have contributed to our national life. 
                Germans were among the earliest ethnic groups to 
                emigrate to America, arriving at William Penn's 
                invitation more than 300 years ago. Whether motivated 
                by the pursuit of religious liberty, intellectual 
                freedom, or economic opportunity, the millions of 
                Germans who have made their home in America have played 
                an important part in advancing the peace and prosperity 
                that our country enjoys today.

                The achievements of notable German Americans have 
                enriched every aspect of our society. The leadership of 
                statesmen such as President Eisenhower and Henry 
                Kissinger helped guide our Nation securely through the 
                difficult Cold War years. The military acumen of German 
                Americans has benefited us--from the Revolutionary War, 
                when Baron Friedrich von Steuben's training programs 
                brought discipline and organization to the Continental 
                Army, to the Gulf War, when General Norman Schwarzkopf 
                helped lead our troops to victory over Saddam Hussein. 
                Prominent authors H. L. Mencken and Theodore Dreiser 
                have enlightened our literary tradition, while 
                inventors George Westinghouse and Charles Steinmetz 
                have fueled our technological advancement. The world of 
                American sports has been energized by outstanding 
                athletes of German descent, providing a showcase for 
                the talents of such greats as Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig.

                But by focusing on the achievements of prominent 
                individuals, we risk understating the overall 
                importance of the German heritage to our Nation's 
                strength and development. Today, nearly one-quarter of 
                all Americans can trace their ancestry to Germany, just 
                as our English language finds its roots in the Germanic 
                tongues of centuries past. German Americans honor the 
                traditions of their lineage in the way they live, 
                reflecting the sense of personal honor and strong work 
                ethic passed down to them by their forebears.

                As Americans seek to become a more united people, we 
                must not forget our roots, for they remind us of who we 
                are and of what we have to share with others. German-
                American Day offers us an invaluable opportunity not 
                only to honor the contributions of German Americans, 
                but also to celebrate the close relationship that we 
                enjoy today with our German friends across the 
                Atlantic. Next month, we will join them in 
                commemorating the 10th anniversary of the fall of the 
                Berlin Wall--a symbolic triumph of democracy and self-
                determination. As we look back on half a century of 
                joint accomplishments with Germany that reflect our 
                shared respect for the rule of law, human rights, and 
                social justice, we can look ahead to a new era of 
                coopera-tion, whether working together to restore peace 
                to the war-torn Balkans or assisting the former Eastern 
                Bloc nations on their own road to democratization and 
                economic recovery.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, WILLIAM J. CLINTON, President of the 
                United States of America, by virtue of the authority 
                vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the 
                United States, do hereby proclaim Wednesday, October 6, 
                1999, as German-American Day. I encourage all Americans 
                to applaud

[[Page 54760]]

                the important contributions made to our country by our 
                millions of citizens of German descent and to celebrate 
                our close ties to the people of Germany.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord nineteen 
                hundred and ninety-nine, and of the Independence of the 
                United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
                fourth.

                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 99-26550
Filed 10-7-99; 8:45 am]
Billing code 3195-01-P