PRINTER'S NO. 2603
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
526
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY MALAGARI, BIZZARRO, GREINER, NEILSON, BURNS,
KORTZ, HILL-EVANS, SCHMITT, MILLARD, T. DAVIS, ZABEL,
PICKETT, FIEDLER, CALTAGIRONE, HARKINS, WILLIAMS, MACKENZIE,
YOUNGBLOOD, DiGIROLAMO, McCLINTON, CIRESI, DeLUCA, FREEMAN,
READSHAW, HEFFLEY, WEBSTER, GILLEN, HENNESSEY, VITALI,
BOBACK, KINSEY, SCHLEGEL CULVER, LONGIETTI, HAHN, KIM AND
DRISCOLL, SEPTEMBER 26, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON TOURISM AND RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT,
SEPTEMBER 26, 2019
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing October 6, 2019, as "German-American Day" in
Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, On October 6, 1683, 13 families, having sailed
earlier from the German City of Krefeld, established Germantown,
Pennsylvania, the first German settlement in America; and
WHEREAS, Germantown became the first American community to
formally protest the evils of slavery in 1688; and
WHEREAS, Between the 1680s and the American Revolution, the
majority of an estimated 100,000 German immigrants coming to
North America settled in Pennsylvania, comprising a third of
Philadelphia's population by the 1760s; and
WHEREAS, In the many years since, millions of German
immigrants have come to the United States and this Commonwealth
in pursuit of personal and religious freedoms and economic
opportunity; and
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WHEREAS, Their descendants continue to shape the cultural
landscape of this Commonwealth, with more than 3.3 million
Pennsylvanians reporting German ancestry, making it the largest
ancestry group in this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Established in 1764, the German Society of
Pennsylvania is the oldest German organization in the United
States and serves the State's German-American community; and
WHEREAS, The German Society of Pennsylvania, based in
Philadelphia, seeks to foster a better understanding between the
United States and Germany by advocating awareness of German
culture, traditions, and contributions to the history, culture,
economy, science and technology of the United States; and
WHEREAS, Today, Pennsylvania and the Federal Republic of
Germany enjoy a close relationship through our shared history
and common interests; and
WHEREAS, Germany is one of this Commonwealth's most important
trade partners, with $1,471,734,818 in Pennsylvanian exports
going to Germany in 2017 and 39,500 workers employed by German-
based companies; and
WHEREAS, German-Americans are rightfully proud of how their
deep cultural, historical and familial ties have helped
strengthen this robust transatlantic relationship; and
WHEREAS, A presidential proclamation was signed on October 5,
2018, to designate October 6, 2018, as "German-American Day" to
celebrate the achievements and contributions of German-
Americans; therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize October
6, 2019, as "German-American Day" in Pennsylvania; and be it
further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives honor the German
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heritage of Pennsylvania; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives celebrate the
important relationship between the Commonwealth and the Federal
Republic of Germany.
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