2013 Assembly Joint Resolution 56
ENROLLED JOINT RESOLUTION
Relating to: recognizing October 6 as German-American Day.
Whereas, October 6, 2013, is the 330th anniversary of the day that 13 families landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, after an overseas journey from Krefeld, Germany; and
Whereas, the 13 families, 33 people in all, of Mennonite and Quaker descent, under the leadership of legal scholar Franz Daniel Pastorius, founded Germantown six miles north of Philadelphia; and
Whereas, Germantown, Pennsylvania, is recognized as the first permanent settlement of immigrants from Germany in the original 13 American colonies; and
Whereas, German immigrants supplied America with a workforce that helped shape and embody the American dream; and
Whereas, according to a study done by the United States Census Bureau in 1979, more Americans trace their lineage back to Germany than to any other nation; and
Whereas, in 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed the first German-American Day for the three hundredth anniversary of the arrival of the first German settlers in America; and
Whereas, in 1987, Congress approved Senate Joint Resolution 108, designating October 6, 1987, as German-American Day, and it was signed into law later that year; and
Whereas, in 2009, President Barack Obama proclaimed October 6 as German-American Day to celebrate German-Americans for their remarkable role in our nation's development; and
Whereas, German-American Day is a widely renowned holiday often accompanied by Oktoberfests, Steuben Parades, and many other special festivities; now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the assembly, the senate concurring, That in recognition of the importance of the contribution of German-American citizens to the United States of America, the members of the Wisconsin legislature do hereby proclaim October 6, 2013, to be German-American Day and encourage citizens to learn more about the countless German-American contributions to society and to show their pride by appropriate celebrations.
