    [United States Statutes at Large, Volume 117, 108th Congress, 1st Session]
    [From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

    Proclamation 7715 of October 3, 2003

    German-American Day, 2003

    By the President of the United States of America
    A Proclamation

    German-American Day celebrates more than 300 years of German immigration
    to our shores, beginning with the arrival of 13 Mennonite families from
    Krefeld on October 6, 1683. Seeking a new life of freedom and
    opportunity, these immigrants settled in Pennsylvania and founded
    Germantown near the city of Philadelphia. On this day, we recognize the
    contributions of those German pioneers, and millions of other German-
    American immigrants and their descendants, to the life and culture of
    our great Nation.
    As one of the largest ethnic groups in the United States, German
    Americans have greatly influenced our country in the fields of business,
    government, law, science, athletics, the arts, and many others. Henry
    Engelhard Steinway and his sons founded Steinway & Sons in 1853. The
    300,000th Steinway piano, the ``golden grand,'' was presented to
    President Franklin Roosevelt in 1938, and is still on display at the
    White House. John Augustus Roebling and his son pioneered the
    development of suspension bridges and wire cable. Their construction of
    the Brooklyn Bridge is a lasting landmark to their skill, determination,
    and innovation. And entrepreneurs such as John Davison Rockefeller, John
    Wanamaker, and Milton Snavely Hershey helped to strengthen the American
    economy and inspire others to reach for the American Dream.

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    117 STAT. 3096

    In addition to their many professional achievements, German Americans
    have influenced American culture. From Christmas trees to kindergartens,
    the United States has adopted many German traditions and institutions.
    By celebrating and sharing their customs and traditions, German
    Americans help to preserve their rich heritage and enhance the cultural
    diversity of our Nation.
    NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
    America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
    laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim October 6, 2003, as
    German-American Day. I encourage all Americans to recognize the
    contributions to the liberty and prosperity of the United States of our
    citizens of German descent.
    IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this third day of
    October, in the year of our Lord two thousand three, and of the
    Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
    eighth.
    GEORGE W. BUSH