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Speech by the German Ambassador
Wolfgang Ischinger
on the occasion of German American Day
6 October, 2002
Ich freue mich, heute anläßlich des German American
Day zu Ihnen sprechen zu können. Alle diejenigen verdienen Anerkennung
und Ermutigung, die dazu beigetragen haben, diesen Tag im Bewußtsein
der amerikanischen Nation zu festigen. Vor drei Tagen haben wir den Tag
der Einheit zum zwölften Mal seit der Wiedervereinigung am 3. Oktober
1990 gefeiert.
Ich habe bei dieser Gelegenheit fast 3.000 Gäste in der deutschen
Botschaft und in Anwesenheit eines Mitgliedes der Regierung von Präsident
Bush den Handelsbeauftragten , Bob Zoellick, darauf hinweisen können
und wiederhole das an dieser Stelle, daß der Tag der Deutschen Einheit
in Washington zugleich stets auch ein Tag des Dankes an die USA ist! Ohne
den amerikanischen Beitrag damals, ohne die amerikanische Unterstützung
wäre die Vereinigung kaum möglich geworden, stünde ich
heute nicht hier als Vertreter eines Vereinigten Deutschland im Herzen
eines zusammenwachsenden Europa.
Today, America is celebrating German American Day for the 15th
time. October 6 was chosen because it is the documented date of the arrival
of the first German settlers in 1683. It honors the more than 300 years
of German immigration to America and pays tribute to the tremendous contributions
German immigrants have made to virtually every aspect of American Life.
It also celebrates the many important ties that exist today between the
United States and Germany.
Germans and Americans of German descent have had a strong impact
on the politics, business and industry, scientific community, and culture
of the United States. Names like Steuben, Schurz, Roebling, Anhaeuser,
Strauss, Busch, Steinway, Astor, and many others are inseparably linked
with U.S. history. In the 20th century, many thousands of refugees from
Germany during the Nazi era found their new home in this country, and
many of them have contributed enormously to cultural, artistic, scientific
and academic as well as political life in America. We can be proud of
all of them - the early poor immigrants who helped build America as well
as the authors, artists and scientists from Germany who have enriched
America and contributed to its greatness.
According to the 2000 census, more than 46 million Americans of
German descent live in the United States today - that’s one-fifth
of the population. This makes us the largest ethnic group in the country.
I want to encourage you to use this enormous potential to help shape the
future of German-American relations through your activities in every aspect
of life and to help deepen the friendship between America and Germany.
Our shared values, common interests and long-standing friendship
remain a solid foundation for German-American partnership. The fundamentals
of our relations have not changed: Germany and the U.S. are continuing
to be important partners in many fields, our current disagreement about
the best way to deal with the Iraq crisis notwithstanding.
Let me give you a few examples to underline where our governments
are cooperating today and how intricately our economies are linked:
- We have been a solid and strong ally of the U.S. in the fight against
international terrorism.
- In Afghanistan German special forces continue to fight side by side
with American soldiers.
- German experts are training the new police force in Kabul. With almost
10.000 troops deployed worldwide, Germany provides the single largest
contingent within the international ISAF force to help stabilize Afghanistan.
In addition, we have announced our readiness to serve as the lead nation
of the ISAF troops in Afghanistan.
- On the law enforcement front, German and American authorities have
joined hands in investigating and preventing new terrorist attacks. Indeed,
our bilateral cooperation in the law enforcement sphere is unparalleled
and has brought considerable success with arrests and indictments of a
number of suspects involved in the September 11 attacks.
- In the Balkans, Germany and the U.S. are working together to preserve
the peace and enhance stability in the Balkans through military deployments
and financial assistance programs.
- Together, we pursue the objective of a peaceful resolution of the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, and we share the vision of two states, living in peace and security
side by side.
- Economically, our ties couldn’t be tighter. Trade between the
U.S. and the European Union stands at 350 billion dollars a year - that
comes to almost one billion dollars per day. Foreign investment in both
directions is high. More than half of German foreign investment flows
to the U.S. The U.S. is the biggest foreign investor in the new Länder,
in East Germany where investment is so desperately needed as we complete
the process of rebuilding our united country.
- Our cooperation in the field of culture and science flourishes. Two
weeks ago, the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) opened a new office
in Washington to strengthen academic exchange between our two countries.
Next week, we will be celebrating Fulbright at Fifty - the 50th anniversary
of the German American Fulbright Program. Since 1952, over 30,000 Germans
and Americans have participated in the German American Fulbright Program
- one of the most successful exchange programs worldwide.
These are just some of the pillars on which German-American friendship
and cooperation are built. As Foreign Minister Fischer recently stated:
„This relationship is crucial for both of us. Germany’s reliability
as an ally is not open to question. German policy has not changed.“
And let me add that I stand before you as the Ambassador of a country
that continues to define itself as a strong member of the NATO alliance,
a key force in moving the European Union towards ever closer union and
integration, and as a steadfast advocate of opening our doors to our neighbours
in Central and Eastern Europe. „ A Europe whole and free“
is the vision we share with America and we are grateful for continued
strong U.S. support.
You can be proud of the immeasurable contributions German-Americans have
made to the United States. I urge you to preserve this legacy and to build
on it in the future. Through your commitment, you help strenghten and
deepen the relations between our two countries. I will support and encourage
every effort to preserve our German language and our cultural heritage
in this country, and to foster even greater and lasting friendship between
Germans and Americans.
Sie, die Deutschamerikaner, haben die unverzichtbare und wichtige Rolle,
diesen politischen, gesellschaftlichen und kulturellen Austausch über
den Atlantik lebendig zu halten. Ich möchte Sie ermutigen, weiterhin
tatkräftig in diesem Sinne zu wirken. Für Ihr Engagement für
die deutsch-amerikanischen Beziehungen danke ich Ihnen. Ich bin stolz
auf das, was Sie alle geleistet haben im Geiste der Verständigung,
der Partnerschaft und des gegenseitigen Vertrauens.
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