PRINTER'S NO. 2507
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
541
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY SCHWEYER, MACKENZIE, KINSEY, READSHAW, WATSON,
LONGIETTI, QUIGLEY, B. MILLER, PEIFER, DRISCOLL, DUSH,
SONNEY, SOLOMON, SCHLOSSBERG, FREEMAN, MURT, BOBACK, McNEILL,
PASHINSKI, V. BROWN, JAMES, W. KELLER, O'BRIEN, WARD, ROZZI,
CALTAGIRONE, HENNESSEY, NEILSON, MILLARD, TOEPEL, MENTZER,
GOODMAN, D. COSTA, DONATUCCI, MARSICO, GILLEN AND HAHN,
OCTOBER 2, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
OCTOBER 2, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Designating the week of October 1 through 7, 2017, as
"Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsch) Heritage Week" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, There are communities of Pennsylvania Dutch
(Deutsch) living in many parts of the United States and Canada,
however, the largest settlement is in Pennsylvania, concentrated
in the eastern part of this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsch), also called
Pennsylvania Germans or Pennsylvania Deutsch, are descendants of
early German immigrants to Pennsylvania; and
WHEREAS, The word "Dutch" does not refer to people from
Holland, but is an English adaptation of Deutsch, the German
word for "German"; and
WHEREAS, Both the "Dutch" and "Deutsch" spellings are
commonly used and refer to the same people and culture; and
WHEREAS, The first major emigration of Germans to America
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resulted in the founding of the Borough of Germantown in
northwest Philadelphia County on October 6, 1683; and
WHEREAS, The German population arrived in droves, mostly
before 1800, to escape religious persecution in Europe and seek
a better life; and
WHEREAS, The Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsch) maintained numerous
religious affiliations; and
WHEREAS, Over time the various dialects spoken by these
immigrants fused into a unique dialect known as Pennsylvania
German or Pennsylvania "Dutch" (Deutsch); and
WHEREAS, At one time, over one-third of Pennsylvania's
population spoke this language, impacting the local dialect of
English; and
WHEREAS, Substantial Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsch) literature,
art and architecture exist and many written records were adorned
with illuminated writing; and
WHEREAS, Articles, including pottery, furniture, needlework
and barns made use of decorative motifs, often of a highly
artistic nature; and
WHEREAS, Pennsylvania Germans have greatly contributed to the
culture of this Commonwealth, and the Pennsylvania German
Society, organized in 1891, has published abundant material
relative to the history and folklore of the Pennsylvania Dutch
(Deutsch); therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives designate the
week of October 1 through 7, 2017, as "Pennsylvania Dutch
(Deutsch) Heritage Week" in Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives encourage
participation in State and local observances celebrating the
contributions and history of the Pennsylvania Dutch (Deutsch) to
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this Commonwealth.
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