German American Community Service
Information for the German American Community
United States Census data shows German-Americans
are nearly 25% of the population More...
"German-American Day" is every October 6th!
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"Day of Remembrance" Gets Unanimous Support
House Passes Resolution 404-0, Recognizes Wrongs From WWII
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3 Items From the U.S. CONGRESSIONAL RECORD
1.) The Hermann
Monument in New Ulm, Minnesota is now recognized as the
national German American Monument. [H.CON.RES.89.RH]
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2.) PUBLIC LAW 100-104, Designates October 6th as "National
German American Day"
[S.J. Resolution 108]
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3.)While most Americans are aware of the internment of Japanese
Americans, few know about German Americans internment of an estimated.10,950
persons and about our government's activities in other countries
resulting from prejudice held against people of German ancestry.
Recorded thoroughly in government files, the U.S. government
involved itself in the expulsion and internment of people of
German descent who lived in various Latin American countries.
Uprooted from their homes and forced into the United States,
these civilians were robbed of their freedom as they were kidnapped
from nations not even directly involved in World War II. These
individuals are still waiting for equitable redress, and justice
cries out for them to receive it.
We look back solemnly as mothers and fathers stood behind barbed
wires branded as traitors to the very flag for which their sons
fought as valiant soldiers. They helped secure our freedom even
as we robbed that very freedom from their loved ones.
(Source: Major A. D. Jacobs, USAF Retired)
"Out of 742 foreign-born recipients of the Congressional
Medal of Honor, our nation's highest award for valor under fire,
138 German Americans received this high honor."
Contact: U.S. Senator Russell Feingold at
Tel. (202) 224-5573 or Fax.: (202) 228-0466,
in support of his "Wartime Treatment of German Americans
Study Act"
For more Congressional Actions, see the Freedom
of Information Times at www.foitimes.com
A Distinguished History
The Germans who came to America in search of freedom and opportunity helped to increase our prosperity, enrich our culture, strengthen our government, and extend our liberty.
Colonial immigrants from Germany were admired for work ethic, thrift, neat and prosperous farms, and craftsmanship. The very diversity of German religious groups promoted religious tolerance in America.
German Americans contributed substantially to our education and culture. They changed our understanding of nature's most fundamental rules, and our literature would be diminished without German and German American writers like Kurt Vonnegut. Even the kindergarten is a German word absorbed into the American language. We enjoy the musical artistry inspired by successive generations of artists; Marlene Dietrich, Ernst Lang, and Babe Ruth enriched popular entertainment and sports.
"Operation Paper-clip" How we got to the moon is the story of German space pioneers, like Hermann Oberth, Arthur Rudolph, Wenher von Braun and many others who took us into space.
German Americans have contributed to the defense of American democracy and freedom from colonial days, when Baron Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben, Inspector General of the American army during the War of Independence, who was a former Prussian captain and adjutant of Frederick the Great, was able to blend Prussian discipline with the backwoods fighting tactics into the Continental Army. Many German Americans have been faithful public servants, like Carl Schurz who forged love for Germany and loyalty to his America into the wonderful integrity of a great personality.
Outstanding German American entrepreneurs and engineers include George Westinghouse, Frederick Weyerhaeuser, John Jacob Astor, Adolphus Busch, Ottmar Mergenthaler, The Roeblings, Charles P. Steinmetz , and so on. These are only some of the many distinctive contributions to our nation we acknowledge through the celebration of the Tricentennial Germans in America.
GETTING OUT OF THE COMFORT ZONE
In the Climate Control Business, the "comfort
zone" is the range of temperatures of the thermostat at
which neither heating nor air conditioning is needed. It is also
referred to as the "dead zone."
Never becoming involved with others in your community is comfortable,
but it also can deaden the soul. Most people have either excuses
or experiences, reasons or results, "buts" or brilliance;
they either have what they want, or they have a detailed list
of all the rational reasons why they don't.
Giving, or volunteering, can be like that, there are the excuses
"I'm too busy," "They don't really need me,"
"The few Dollars I could give, I'm embarrassed to send."
If these excuses and many other reasons keep you from getting
involved in helping your German American community, think again,
if there are not some wonderful experiences to be had if you
are willing to give a little piece of yourself away! A elderly
gentleman told me once not to spend so much of my time worrying.
He was 89, his whole life has been of giving and doing for others.
Has he been taken advantage of? Absolutely! Would he do it again?
Absolutely! Life insurance salesman say, that there are
studies in the business that show that people who give, volunteer,
and do for others live longer and healthier lives. I believe
it. If you are one of the 60 million Americans who claim German
ancestry, you are one of us, "Just Do It" Join us at
the Tricentennial Foundation, in our work of changing lives.
Contact the German American Charities Organization
Fort Lincoln Internees
Continues across the land... More...
