German-American Day, 2020

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

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.