Assembly Resolution No. 604

BY: M. of A. Miller MG

MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
October 6, 2017, as German-American Day in the State
of New York, in conjunction with the observance of
National German-American Day

WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize
official days that are set aside to increase awareness of issues that
affect the lives of citizens of New York State; and

WHEREAS, Attendant to such concern, and in full accord with its
long-standing traditions, it is the sense of this Legislative Body to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 6, 2017, as
German-American Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the
observance of National German American-Day; and

WHEREAS, The German American ethnic group consists of Americans who
have full or partial German ancestry; German Americans make up 50
million people of the United States population; German Americans were
attracted to this country by religious freedom and abundance
opportunity; and

WHEREAS, German-American Day is celebrated annually and commemorates
the date in 1683 when 13 German families from Krefeld near the Rhine
landed in Philadelphia; these families founded Germantown, Pennsylvania,
the first German settlement in the original 13 American colonies; and

WHEREAS, Celebrations originated in the 19th Century,
German-American Day died out during World War I as a result of the
anti-German sentiment; in 1983, President Ronald Reagan proclaimed
October 6th as German-American Day to celebrate and honor the 300th
Anniversary of German American immigration and contribution to the
culture of the United States; and

WHEREAS, Germantown Quakers were the first to petition against
slavery in the English colonies; this petition was drafted by Francis
Daniel Pastorius and signed by him and three other German Quakers living
in Germantown, Pennsylvania, on behalf of the Religious Society of
Friends; and

WHEREAS, Pioneers who settled our great country often spoke a German
dialect; they settled towns like Milwaukee, Cincinnati and St. Louis;
beer, a famous German beverage, was perfected in these cities and
produced for mass consumption; and

WHEREAS, New York has benefited from German Americans and their
culture; the port of entry to our great country started in the State of
New York for many ethnic groups; Germans Americans settled on the Lower
East Side and Yorkville in the Borough of Manhattan; the lasting impact
of German influence can be seen in buildings architecture in the
neighborhood of Yorkville; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, That this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 6, 2017, as

German-American Day in the State of New York, in conjunction with the
observance of National German-American Day; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a copy of this Resolution, suitably engrossed, be
transmitted to The Honorable Andrew M. Cuomo, Governor of the State of
New York.