VISITING
AUTHOR-ARTICLE
APRIL
2011
Political
Voice in the German-American Community
Forwarded
by United Donauschwaben Milwaukee
Have you noticed how many German surnames appear in
American politics? I am thinking of US Secretary of
Treasurer Timothy Geitner and the recently elected new
Speaker of the House John Boehner, as well as the countless
German surnames among representatives and senators such as
Heidepriem, Daschle, Ehrlich, Shuster and Gerlach. But do
these politicians give the German-American community any
political influence in the USA? So far, definitely not. Even
though Germany is America’s most important partner in
Europe, has the third largest economy in the world, and
although 43 million Americans, according to the 2000 Census,
are of German descent and are thus the largest ethnic
minority in the USA, Germany plays no role in the US media
and politics. Even a visit by German Chancellor Angela
Merkel in Los Angeles was covered by the LA Times with a
mere photo and a two-line text.
The opening of the first national German-American
Heritage Museum in Washington DC in March of 2010 put
German-Americans in the limelight for the first time, with a
focus on their history and their achievements. And slowly,
we are seeing what looks like a new trend in American
politics, too. Not only did John Boehner talk openly about
his German descent in a TV interview with Diane Sawyer, Jim
Gerlach from Pennsylvania has recently issued an initiative
for creating a German-American caucus in the US Congress. At
a gala event of the German Society of Pennsylvania on
October 3 commemorating the 20th anniversary of
German reunification he spoke in detail about his plans.
“My growing awareness of my family’s German roots and
the rich German heritage in my Congressional District has
led me to take actions in the House of Representatives to
foster a greater appreciation of and fortify the German
American connection. The Caucus will be an informal,
bipartisan group of Members of Congress dedicated to
maintaining and strengthening the relationship between
the US and Germany. It will highlight our current economic
ties with Germany and draw attention to the German-American
heritage and achievements German- Americans have made in
building the United States. The House already has
well-established caucuses focused on issues with India,
Pakistan, Switzerland, Mexico, and Albania to name a few. I
believe it well past time to establish one focusing on the
German-American experience.”
Don’t you think that it is finally time to honor
the achievements of German Americans in building and
developing the United States of America? Jim Gerlach has
already found support from the nonprofit organizations
German American Business Council, German American Coalition
and German American Heritage Foundation. I hope that many
members of the US Congress from both parties will listen to
and follow Gerlach’s request. After all, Germany is still
America’s most important partner. Reason enough for a
sufficient number of American politicians to step forward
and help launch this caucus, either because of their German
descent or their interest in Germany and Europe.
Written
by Petra Schurmann
Article
submitted by John and LaDonna Kleiss
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