[Federal Register Volume 85, Number 197 (Friday, October 9, 2020)]
[Presidential Documents]
[Pages 64373-64374]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2020-22635]



[[Page 64371]]

Vol. 85

Friday,

No. 197

October 9, 2020

Part VI





The President





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Proclamation 10095--German-American Day, 2020
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  Federal Register / Vol. 85 , No. 197 / Friday, October 9, 2020 / 
Presidential Documents  

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 Title 3--
 The President

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                Proclamation 10095 of October 5, 2020

                
German-American Day, 2020

                By the President of the United States of America

                A Proclamation

                Since our founding, German-Americans have been central 
                to our progress as a Nation. Industrious and faithful 
                early German immigrants came to our shores to fulfill 
                dreams of economic opportunity and to live out their 
                faith free from government interference. These men and 
                women established families and built livelihoods, 
                exhibiting virtues that helped form our unique American 
                ethos and passing down traditions that continue to 
                shape our cultural identity. Today, on German-American 
                Day, we commemorate the extraordinary contributions of 
                German-Americans to our country, and we pay tribute to 
                the more than 43 million Americans who, like myself, 
                claim German heritage.

                The story of German-Americans is embedded in the most 
                sacred chapters of American lore. When members of the 
                first Continental Congress met in Philadelphia to forge 
                a future of freedom on this continent, they walked down 
                streets brimming with German businesses. Their 
                deliberations were diligently reported in German-
                language broadsides and rigorously debated in German-
                owned coffeehouses. On July 4, 1776, when the Founding 
                Fathers declared our independence, a German-language 
                newspaper was the first to break the news to the new 
                Nation. The next day, the streets were flooded with 
                German translations of Thomas Jefferson's revolutionary 
                words proclaiming that ``all men are created equal.''

                Ever since, Americans of German descent have left their 
                mark on our history. German influence played a large 
                role in establishing our unyielding commitment to 
                universal public education. It was a German-American, 
                Margarethe Meyer Schurz, who opened the first 
                kindergarten in America. German-Americans helped 
                champion physical education and built the first 
                gymnasiums for school buildings, positively affecting 
                the physical health of our schoolchildren. German-
                Americans also introduced vocational training in public 
                schools, providing new avenues for economic empowerment 
                for young people and fueling American prosperity.

                Over the years, German customs have also become infused 
                into American culture. Our cherished Christmas and 
                Easter traditions are influenced by practices of early 
                German arrivals. At Christmastime, we draw on German 
                culture when we decorate Christmas trees and exchange 
                gifts. During Easter, we have German immigrants to 
                thank for our Easter egg hunts. These traditionally 
                German customs have become staples of American culture 
                and continue to unite Americans of all backgrounds.

                This month also marks the 30th anniversary of German 
                reunification following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 
                November of 1989. This historic moment marked a triumph 
                for democracy and paved the way for a more free and 
                open Europe. As we celebrate the many contributions of 
                German-Americans to our country, we also celebrate our 
                strong transatlantic ties with Germany and recommit to 
                working together to forge a brighter future for both 
                our nations and the world.

                Today, we celebrate the societal achievements and 
                cultural contributions of all German-Americans and 
                reflect on the hardworking and efficient spirit that 
                they have imbued in our national character. From 
                engineers and doctors

[[Page 64374]]

                to bakers and inventors, they have strengthened our 
                economy and enriched our communities. Thanks in part to 
                their dedication and hard work, our country remains a 
                shining beacon of freedom and prosperity.

                NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, 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 October 6, 2020, as 
                German-American Day. I call upon all Americans to 
                celebrate the achievements and contributions of German 
                Americans to our Nation with appropriate ceremonies, 
                activities, and programs.

                IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 
                fifth day of October, in the year of our Lord two 
                thousand twenty, and of the Independence of the United 
                States of America the two hundred and forty-fifth.
                
                
                    (Presidential Sig.)

[FR Doc. 2020-22635
Filed 10-8-20; 11:15 am]
Billing code 3295-F1-P