German-American Day - Tercentenary History of Friendship

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German-American Day: Tercentenary History of Friendship

October 6 is a German-American Day. In 1999 Americans of German descent celebrated the 316th anniversary of their ancestors' arrival in Philadelphia Harbor. Back in 1683 a group of immigrants from Krefeld couldn't know that they would be followed by several millions of Germans who would afterwards give rise to the largest ethnic group in America.

During the three centuries of living in the United States German descendants contributed a lot to its culture and history. To express the appreciation and honor to this contribution, President Reagan proclaimed October 6 as German-American Day. It happened in 1983, the tercentennial of the first group immigration from Germany. Later on, as German-speaking Americans with their innate love of traditions sought to get them recognized by the whole American population, they started a nation-wide campaign. The suggested resolutions were approved by Congress in August, 1987, and the old tradition of annual celebration of German heritage was revived.

Nowadays, German-American Day is a widely celebrated holiday accompanied by Steuben Parades, concerts, exhibitions, Oktoberfests, and other special events. The best and first place to find G-A Day info is Robert Shea's great resource. The site contains a lot of data on the issue, like complete history of German-American Day, official recognition of the holiday, the famous resolution, and some kinds of festive activities.