Message of Greetings

from Ambassador Klaus Scharioth on the Occasion

of the 2007 German-American Day

 

This year marks the 20th anniversary of German-American Day. When Ronald Reagan first proclaimed the day in 1987 to honor the long history of German immigrants and recognize their many contributions to this country, he said, "Few people have blended so completely into the multicultural tapestry of American society and yet have made such singular economic, political, social, scientific, and cultural contributions to the growth and success of these United States as have Americans of German extraction."

 

At that time, Germany and Europe were still divided by the Iron Curtain. When the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, Germany was able to regain its unity thanks to the unwavering American commitment to liberty and peace in Europe, which the U.S. has secured up to this day. On this joyous day, we celebrate the manifold ties between Germany and America, those born of kinship and those based on common values and aspirations.

 

Today, Germany and the United States, two of the world's strongest democracies and leading economies, stand shoulder to shoulder as they confront new challenges, just as they stood together on freedom's frontline throughout the Cold War. From fighting international terrorism, to bringing peace to Afghanistan, the Middle East, and other regions of the world, to combating nuclear proliferation, controlling global warming, and securing the energy supply, Germany and the United States are united in their commitment to solving these global challenges together for our future generations. The strong German-American relationship, based on shared fundamental interests and values, benefits not just our two countries but also transatlantic ties and the international community as a whole.

 

Germans will never forget America's indispensable role in postwar reconstruction, in protecting Western Europe during the Cold War and helping bring about the end of the Cold War, and in facilitating German unification.

 

In celebration of German-American Day, the German Embassy, the German National Tourist Office, and their partners have created a virtual home for everything related to German-American heritage. The new website www.GERMANORIGINality.com is our contribution to honoring the German-American heritage of the United States. I would like to invite you to discover the roots of the German-American friendship and even more about America's German heritage at www.GERMANORIGINality.com.

 

Let us celebrate this deep and enduring bond on the 2007 German-American Day!

October 6, 2007

 

Klaus Scharioth

German Ambassador

THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release        October 4, 2007


GERMAN-AMERICAN DAY, 2007

A PROCLAMATION BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Generations of German Americans have helped shape our national culture and advance our legacy of freedom. On German-American Day, we recognize the many contributions that Americans of German descent have made to our vibrant country.

German immigrants, in search of a brighter future, were among the first pioneers to settle in Jamestown. Since then, German Americans have influenced our society in all walks of life and helped expand our democratic heritage and our deeply held belief in individual liberty.

The leadership and strong spirit of German Americans have helped shape our country and advance the great blessings of our Nation.

German-American Day is also an opportunity to honor the strong ties between the United States and Germany and to celebrate our friendship.

On this day, we underscore our commitment to working together to promote peace and making the world a more hopeful place.

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, 2007, as German-American Day. I encourage all Americans to celebrate the many contributions German Americans have made to our Nation's liberty and prosperity.

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

GEORGE W. BUSH