Bill Text: NY K00525 | 2019-2020 | General Assembly | Introduced

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Bill Title: Memorializing Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim October 2019, as German-American Heritage Month in the State of New York

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Republican 2-0)

Status: (Passed) 2019-06-11 - adopted [K00525 Detail]

Download: New_York-2019-K00525-Introduced.html

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Assembly Resolution No. 525

BY: M. of A. Brabenec

        MEMORIALIZING Governor Andrew M. Cuomo to proclaim
        October  2019,  as German-American Heritage Month in
        the State of New York

  WHEREAS, It is the custom of this Legislative Body to recognize  and
pay  just  tribute  to  the cultural heritage of the ethnic groups which
comprise and contribute to the richness and diversity of  the  community
of the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS,  Attendant  to  such  concern,  and  in  keeping  with  its
time-honored traditions, it is the sense of  this  Legislative  Body  to
memorialize  Governor  Andrew  M.  Cuomo  to  proclaim  October 2019, as
German-American Heritage Month in the State of New York; and

  WHEREAS, In the  1670s,  the  first  significant  groups  of  German
immigrants  arrived  in  the British colonies, settling primarily in New
York and Pennsylvania;  immigration  continued  in  very  large  numbers
during the 19th Century, with eight million arrivals from Germany; and

  WHEREAS,  Many Germans arrived in North America seeking religious or
political freedom, others for economic opportunities greater than  those
in  Europe,  and  others for the chance to start fresh in the New World;
and

  WHEREAS, The arrivals before 1850 were mostly farmers who sought out
the most productive land, where their intensive farming techniques would
pay  off;  after  1840,   many   came   to   cities,   where   Germania,
German-speaking districts, soon emerged; and

  WHEREAS, German-Americans established the first kindergartens in the
United  States,  introduced the Christmas tree tradition, and originated
popular American foods such as hot dogs and hamburgers; and

  WHEREAS, Today, German-American celebrations are held throughout the
country, one of the most well-known being  the  German-American  Steuben
Parade  in  New  York  City,  held  every  third  Saturday in September;
traditional Oktoberfest celebrations and  the  German-American  Day  are
also popular festivities; and

  WHEREAS,  Currently,  German-Americans  make  up 11.1% of New York's
population,  and  approximately   49   million   German-Americans   live
throughout the United States; and

  WHEREAS,  German-Americans  have  made  significant contributions to
American society  as  doctors,  politicians,  musicians,  athletes,  and
teachers; and

  WHEREAS,  Based  in New York City, German-American John Peter Zenger
began publication of the New York Weekly Journal  in  1733;  the  paper,
backed   by  several  prominent  lawyers  and  merchants,  attacked  the
administration of the British Royal Governor of New York, William Cosby;
and

  WHEREAS, Responsible for the content of the paper, John Peter Zenger
was arrested on libel charges and imprisoned in 1734; in the trial  that
followed, he was defended by Andrew Hamilton, who established truth as a
defense  in cases of libel; the trial, which resulted in the publisher's
acquittal, helped to establish freedom of the press in America; and

  WHEREAS,  Another  famous  German-American  was  Dwight  David "Ike"
Eisenhower, the 34th President of the United States from  1953-1961,  as
well as a decorated General in the United States Army; and

  WHEREAS,  During  World  War  II,  Dwight David Eisenhower served as
Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in  Europe,  with  responsibility
for  planning  and  supervising  the  successful  invasion of France and
Germany in 1944-1945; in 1951, he became the first Supreme Commander  of
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); and

  WHEREAS,  German-American  Heritage Month is a time to celebrate the
aspirations and values that have been shared with the German people  for
generations,  and  to recognize the countless contributions of Americans
and New Yorkers of German descent  to  every  aspect  of  society;  now,
therefore, be it

  RESOLVED,  That  this Legislative Body pause in its deliberations to
memorialize Governor Andrew  M.  Cuomo  to  proclaim  October  2019,  as
German-American  Heritage  Month  in  the  State  of New York; 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.