German-American Day

October 6, 2008

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Profile America — Monday, October 6th. In many parts of the country today, you may hear “oom-pah” music, catch a whiff of sausages and sauerkraut cooking, and see folks dressed up in Bavarian costumes raising a stein of beer. Not only is it National German-American Day, but the entire month is set aside to celebrate our German heritage. German-Americans have had a profound impact on the nation’s culture and history. Their ranks include names such as Einstein, Eisenhower, Studebaker, Nimitz and Rockefeller. Today, more than 49 million in the U.S. claim German ancestry — about 17 percent of all Americans, the largest group in the U.S. population. Among the U.S. regions, the largest number of German-Americans is in the Midwest. You can find these and more facts about America from the U.S. Census Bureau online at <www.census.gov>.

Sources: Chase's Calendar of Events 2008, p. 486, 501
Statistical Abstract of the United States 2008, t. 51
http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/2008edition.html