[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 131, 115th Congress, 1st Session]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

 
Proclamation 9652 of October 5, 2017

German-American Day, 2017

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

On October 6, 1683, 13 families landed in Philadelphia, having set sail
earlier that year from the German city of Krefeld. These pioneers
founded the first German settlement in America: Germantown,
Pennsylvania, the first American community to formally protest the evils
of slavery. Since this auspicious beginning, millions of German
immigrants have come to our Nation in pursuit of personal and religious
freedoms and economic opportunity. These immigrants and their
descendants have changed the trajectory of the United States, and on
German-American Day, we celebrate their role in helping our country
thrive.
The more than 44 million Americans who claim German heritage join
previous generations in making important contributions to every facet of
American life. As the proud grandson of German grandparents, I am keenly
aware of how German Americans have helped drive our economy, enrich our
culture, and protect and defend the land they embrace as their own.
Notable German-American leaders in business and finance include William
Boeing, John D. Rockefeller, Henry Heinz, and Milton S. Hershey. Many
others, such as Neil Armstrong, George Herman ``Babe'' Ruth Jr., Walt
Disney, Amelia Earhart, and the inimitable ``Dr. Seuss'' (Theodor Seuss
Geisel) have become beloved figures. German Americans Chester Nimitz,
John Pershing, and Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. are among the most decorated
military officers in American history. American painters of German
descent include Emanuel Leutze, best known for his classic work
Washington Crossing the Delaware, and Albert Bierstadt, whose canvas
captured the majestic beauty of the American West. German Americans have
also designed some of the most iconic landmarks in the United States,
including Johann August Roebling's Brooklyn Bridge. Even the
quintessential American hot dog owes a debt to German immigrant Charles
Feltman, who debuted the savory treat when he opened the first hot dog
stand at Coney Island.

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Today, the United States and Germany enjoy a close relationship through
our shared history and common interests. As our Nation's largest
ancestry group, German Americans are rightfully proud of how their deep
cultural, historical, and familial ties have helped strengthen this
robust transatlantic relationship. A strong partnership between the
United States and Germany is vital to ensuring that we live in a
peaceful world filled with vibrant economic opportunities for all.
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, 2017, 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 seventeen, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-
second.
DONALD J. TRUMP