German-American Day, 2024

Proclamation 10832 of October 4, 2024

German-American Day, 2024

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

In 1683, 13 families left the only home they had ever
known to flee religious persecution and start new lives
in America, establishing the first German settlement
just outside Philadelphia. On German-American Day, we
celebrate the history, culture, and countless
contributions of our Nation's 40 million German
Americans.

The hard work, achievements, and sacrifices of German
Americans have shaped the very idea of America. German-
American immigrants established some of our Nation's
earliest and most extensive newspapers, advancing the
role of the free press in America. German-American
scholars and writers, scientists and musicians, and
leaders in every sector are the source of some of
America's best ideas and most exciting possibilities.
And today, German Americans are not only a proud part
of our country's character, but they also tie us closer
to Germany and its people.

My Administration is committed to growing the
friendship, allyship, and partnership between Germany
and the United States. This month, I will be traveling
to Germany to meet with their leaders and coordinate on
shared priorities like securing democracy around the
world, countering antisemitism and other forms of
hatred, and advancing cooperation on economics, trade,
and technology. We will also continue to stand together
to support the brave people of Ukraine in their defense
against Russian aggression.

Today, may we celebrate the culture and bonds German
Americans have built over the hundreds of years they
have called this country home. Together, may we
recommit to fighting for a better future, full of new
possibilities for our Nation.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of
the United States of America, do hereby proclaim
October 6, 2024, as German-American Day. I urge all
Americans to celebrate the rich and varied history of
German Americans and remember the many contributions
they have made to our Nation.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the
United States of America the two hundred and forty-
ninth.