German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA
Encyclopedia
The German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA (GAHFUSA) 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. It is a national membership organization through which Americans of German heritage and language work together on issues of common concern. The organization supports a number of special projects including the German-American Friendship Garden
located on the Mall at Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC, and the care of the grave of Carl Schurz
in Tarrytown, New York
. The organization's national headquarters are in Washington, DC.
Award, which is presented at the annual Council of 1000 Award and Fundrasing Gala.
The Foundation works with the White House
, government agencies, the German Embassy, and other organizations throughout the United States to elevate recognition for the contributions of Americans of German heritage.
Each year since President Ronald Reagan
first declared October 6 German-American Day
in 1987, GAHFUSA has petitioned the White House
, United States Congress
, and state and local governments to issue national and statewide proclamations.
President Ronald Reagan
stated on October 6, 1987:
The home of the foundation is Hockemeyer Hall, built 1888 by John Hockemeyer as his townhouse. Hockemeyer was a German immigrant who served in the Union Army
in the American Civil War
and became a successful merchant. In 1893 he added a two-story addition to create a banquet hall, with the principal floors used by social clubs.
Walter A. Lehmann, Executive Vice President
Hank Stoffel, 2nd Vice President
Thomas Siedenbühl, Treasurer
Fred H.W. Hansen, Recording Secretary
Hardy von Auenmüller, Vice President Fundraising
Stanley E. Brodhagen
Robert A. Carle
Hartmut Galleisky
Fred Gauss
Lars Halter
Werner J. Hein
Dr. John M. Manoyan
William J. Moltz
Heinz Paletzki
Andrew T. Scheid
Petra Schürmann
Siegfried E. Seifart
Marc Wheat
German-American Friendship Garden
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....
located on the Mall at Constitution Avenue in Washington, DC, and the care of the grave of Carl Schurz
Carl Schurz
Carl Christian Schurz was a German revolutionary, American statesman and reformer, and Union Army General in the American Civil War. He was also an accomplished journalist, newspaper editor and orator, who in 1869 became the first German-born American elected to the United States Senate.His wife,...
in Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown, New York
Tarrytown is a village in the town of Greenburgh in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by a stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line...
. The organization's national headquarters are in Washington, DC.
Goals
The GAHFUSA is dedicated to preserve, educate, and promote the cultural heritage of Americans of German-speaking ancestry and to be a voice of German-Americans in cultural and public policy debates in the USA. Its goals include:- Sharing a positive image of Americans of German-speaking heritage by focusing on their historical contributions to American society.
- Strengthening the ethnic awareness and cooperation of German Americans.
- Promoting the German language and culture.
- Cultivating German American friendship and cooperation.
- Supporting cooperative efforts among German-Americans and their organizations.
Activities
The organization honors the outstanding contributions of German-speaking Americans through its Distinguished German-American of the YearDistinguished German-American of the Year
Since 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....
Award, which is presented at the annual Council of 1000 Award and Fundrasing Gala.
The Foundation works with 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...
, government agencies, the German Embassy, and other organizations throughout the United States to elevate recognition for the contributions of Americans of German heritage.
Each year since 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....
first declared October 6 German-American Day
German-American Day
German-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,...
in 1987, GAHFUSA has petitioned 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...
, United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
, and state and local governments to issue national and statewide proclamations.
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....
stated on October 6, 1987:
Few people have blended so completely into the multicultural tapestry of American society and yet have made such singular economic, political, social, scientific and cultural contributions to the growth and success of these United States as have Americans of German extraction.
History
The German-American Heritage Foundation was established as the United German-American Committee of the USA in 1977.The home of the foundation is Hockemeyer Hall, built 1888 by John Hockemeyer as his townhouse. Hockemeyer was a German immigrant who served in the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
in the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
and became a successful merchant. In 1893 he added a two-story addition to create a banquet hall, with the principal floors used by social clubs.
Executive Committee
Bern E. Deichmann, PresidentWalter A. Lehmann, Executive Vice President
Hank Stoffel, 2nd Vice President
Thomas Siedenbühl, Treasurer
Fred H.W. Hansen, Recording Secretary
Hardy von Auenmüller, Vice President Fundraising
Board of Directors
Erich AstStanley E. Brodhagen
Robert A. Carle
Hartmut Galleisky
Fred Gauss
Lars Halter
Lars Halter
Lars Halter is a German-American journalist and currently General Chairman of the German-American Steuben Parade....
Werner J. Hein
Dr. John M. Manoyan
William J. Moltz
Heinz Paletzki
Andrew T. Scheid
Petra Schürmann
Siegfried E. Seifart
Marc Wheat
See also
- GermansGermansThe Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
- 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.-...
- 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...
- 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....
- German inventors and discoverersGerman inventors and discoverersThis is a list of German inventors and discoverers. The following list comprises people from Germany or German-speaking Europe, also of people of predominantly German heritage, in alphabetical order of the surname. The main section includes existing articles, indicated by blue links, and possibly...