German-American Day, 2017

Vol. 82

Wednesday,

No. 195

October 11, 2017

Part III

The President

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Proclamation 9652--German-American Day, 2017

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Title 3--
The President

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.

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.