German-American Friendship Garden
Encyclopedia
The German-American Friendship Garden in Washington, DC stands as a symbol of the positive and cooperative relations between the United States of America and the Federal Republic of Germany
.
Situated on the historic axis between the White House
and the Washington Monument
, the garden borders Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets, where an estimated seven million visitors pass each year. The garden features plants native to both Germany
and the United States and provides seating and cooling fountains.
Commissioned to commemorate the 300th anniversary of German immigration to America, the garden was dedicated on November 15, 1988.
As noted by President Ronald Reagan
, who created the Presidential Commission to complete work on the project,
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
.
Situated on the historic axis between the White House
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and the Washington Monument
Washington Monument
The Washington Monument is an obelisk near the west end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C., built to commemorate the first U.S. president, General George Washington...
, the garden borders Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets, where an estimated seven million visitors pass each year. The garden features plants native to both Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
and the United States and provides seating and cooling fountains.
Commissioned to commemorate the 300th anniversary of German immigration to America, the garden was dedicated on November 15, 1988.
As noted by President Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, who created the Presidential Commission to complete work on the project,
"..I'm proud to announce a product of that commission: the dedication of a garden here in Washington as a symbol of the friendship between our two countries. In a few months, I'll be leaving the White HouseWhite HouseThe White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
, but the garden, and all it represents, will remain, to be nurtured and sustained by the friendship between Germans and Americans..."
See also
- German-American Heritage Foundation of the USAGerman-American Heritage Foundation of the USAThe German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA is a national non-profit organization that promotes German language, culture, and heritage in the United States and works toward preserving the history of Americans of German ancestry in the building the United States...
- German Americans
- List of famous German Americans
- German in the United StatesGerman in the United StatesAround 1.38 million Americans speak German. It is the second most spoken language in two states: North Dakota and South Dakota.In the United States, German is third in popularity after Spanish and French in terms of the number of colleges and universities offering instruction in the language.-...
- German-American DayGerman-American DayGerman-American Day is a holiday in the United States, observed annually on October 6. The holiday, which celebrates German American heritage, commemorates the date in 1683 when 13 German families from Krefeld near the Rhine landed in Philadelphia. These families subsequently founded Germantown,...
- German-Americans in the Civil WarGerman-Americans in the Civil WarGerman-Americans in the American Civil War were the largest ethnic contingent to fight for the Union. More than 200,000 native Germans served in the Union Army, with New York and Ohio each providing ten divisions dominated by German-born men....
- Auswanderer DenkmalAuswanderer DenkmalThe Auswanderer-Denkmal is a statue in the port of Bremerhaven, Germany that depicts an emigrant family. Cast in bronze, it shows an emigrant family with the father looking forward toward the New World and the mother looking back as she leaves the old country...
- Distinguished German-American of the YearDistinguished German-American of the YearSince 1987, the Distinguished German-American of the Year Award has provided national recognition for outstanding leadership and achievement of an American of German-speaking ancestry in business, the arts, education, science, politics, and society....