PRINTER'S NO.  1216

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

SENATE RESOLUTION

 

No.

141

Session of

2009

  

  

INTRODUCED BY GREENLEAF, ARGALL, STACK, KASUNIC, WASHINGTON, ERICKSON, FONTANA, O'PAKE, RAFFERTY, MUSTO, ORIE, KITCHEN, BAKER, M. WHITE, TARTAGLIONE, PILEGGI, BOSCOLA, DINNIMAN, COSTA AND ROBBINS, JUNE 24, 2009

  

  

INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JUNE 24, 2009  

  

  

  

A RESOLUTION

  

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Recognizing June 28, 2009, as "German-American Day" in

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Pennsylvania.

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WHEREAS, Thirteen families, invited by William Penn, settled

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in Germantown under the leadership of Francis Daniel Pastorius

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and helped to build a fledgling nation; and

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WHEREAS, German Americans were staunch supporters of

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democracy and freedom of the press; and

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WHEREAS, German Americans were instrumental in writing the

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Declaration of Independence, so much so that the original

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version was printed in the German language; and

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WHEREAS, Not only did German Americans campaign for the

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abolition of slavery, but during the Civil War when the call was

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issued for volunteers, many German-born men quickly responded to

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save the Union, forming regiments, including Pennsylvania-German

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regiments; and

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WHEREAS, Today, 50,764,352 Americans, more than any other

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ancestry, proudly claim German heritage; and

 


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WHEREAS, Prominent Pennsylvanians of German heritage,

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including Milton J. Hershey, Henry Heinz and Grace Kelly, and

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less celebrated persons of German ancestry have contributed

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significantly to the social, economic and religious fabric of

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the United States; and

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WHEREAS, All of the members of the Speaker Muhlenberg German-

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American Caucus, named for Pennsylvanian Frederick Muhlenberg,

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the first Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,

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call upon the people of this Commonwealth to commemorate the

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contributions of Pennsylvania Germans to the history and culture

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of Pennsylvania; and

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WHEREAS, The act of June 29, 1976 (P.L.458, No.113), provides

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for the observance of June 28 of each year as "Pennsylvania

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German Day" and authorizes the Governor "to issue a proclamation

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each year calling upon the people of the Commonwealth to

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commemorate the contributions of the Pennsylvania German people

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to the history and culture of the Commonwealth, and to observe

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that day with appropriate honors and ceremonies"; therefore be

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it

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RESOLVED, That the Senate recognize June 28, 2009, as

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"German-American Day" in Pennsylvania and call upon the citizens

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of this Commonwealth to observe the day with appropriate

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ceremonies and activities.

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