PRINTER'S NO. 2232
No. 240 Session of 1997
INTRODUCED BY BEBKO-JONES, READSHAW, THOMAS, CAPPABIANCA,
WASHINGTON, FICHTER, CALTAGIRONE, WOJNAROSKI, FARGO, BELARDI,
MUNDY, BENNINGHOFF, M. COHEN, DONATUCCI, MARSICO, FAIRCHILD,
GODSHALL, ROBINSON, M. N. WRIGHT, DENT, NAILOR, COLAIZZO,
COY, RAYMOND, HENNESSEY, ARGALL, LUCYK, RUBLEY, SANTONI,
E. Z. TAYLOR, SURRA, ROSS, KENNEY, STABACK, WALKO, TRUE,
SCHRODER, DeLUCA, CURRY, MANDERINO, HERMAN, L. I. COHEN,
CLYMER, BAKER, LESCOVITZ, CORPORA, GEIST, COWELL, OLASZ,
MELIO, A. H. WILLIAMS, ITKIN, ADOLPH, B. SMITH, ZUG,
TANGRETTI, RAMOS, PHILLIPS, SCHULER, HUTCHINSON, SHANER,
JOSEPHS, MILLER, VAN HORNE, ROBERTS, ORIE, SCRIMENTI, TIGUE,
DiGIROLAMO, BOSCOLA, C. WILLIAMS, LAUGHLIN, McGEEHAN,
McNAUGHTON, LEDERER, GIGLIOTTI, HERSHEY, FLEAGLE, McCALL,
WOGAN, BROWN, PESCI AND KAISER, SEPTEMBER 24, 1997
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
SEPTEMBER 24, 1997
A RESOLUTION
1 Urging the Governor to proclaim October 1997 as "German Heritage
2 Month" and October 6, 1997, as "German-American Day" in
3 Pennsylvania.
4 WHEREAS, Thirteen families invited by William Penn settled in
5 Germantown, Pennsylvania, under the leadership of Francis Daniel
6 Pastorius and helped to build our fledgling nation; and
7 WHEREAS, German-Americans were staunch supporters of
8 democracy and freedom of the press; and
9 WHEREAS, German-Americans were instrumental in writing the
10 Declaration of Independence, so much so that the original
11 version was written in the German language; and
12 WHEREAS, Not only did German-Americans campaign for the
1 abolition of slavery, but during the Civil War when the call was
2 issued for volunteers, many German-born men quickly responded to
3 save the Union, forming regiments, including Pennsylvania German
4 regiments; and
5 WHEREAS, Today 59,937,646 Americans, fully one-fourth of our
6 nation's population, proudly claim German heritage; and
7 WHEREAS, Prominent Pennsylvanians of German heritage,
8 including Milton J. Hershey, Henry Heinz and Grace Kelly, and
9 less celebrated persons of German ancestry have contributed
10 significantly to the social, economic and religious fabric of
11 our country; therefore be it
12 RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives urge the Governor
13 to proclaim October 1997 as "German Heritage Month" and October
14 6, 1997, as "German-American Day" in Pennsylvania and call upon
15 the citizens of this Commonwealth to observe the month and day
16 with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
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