New-Yorker Staats-Zeitung, October 5, 1891, p. 5

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The German Day. –A Dignified celebration in memory of the landing of the first German immigrants. – Carl Schurz described the duties of German-Americans in words to take to heart. –
Parke Godwin’s eulogy to the German essence. –

The German Day, a memorial service honoring the landing of the first German immigrants on American soil who arrived on the sailing ship Concord on October 6 1683 in Philadelphia from Amsterdam, was celebrated here yesterday for the first time. The great weather caused many people to take trips to the countryside causing a reduced attendance and not fully filling the Music Hall on 57th St. and 7th Ave. Despite that, the celebration can be called a true success and German Day will probably be an annually repeated German event.
Thanks to the excellent arrangements by the Committee of Wm. Steinway, Richard Katzenmayer, Edward F. Grosse, Ferdinand Motz, Dr. Friedrich Hoffmann, Dr. Joseph H. Senner, H. C. Kudlich, Louis Windmüller and Paul Lichtenstein the celebration was appropriately dignified and impressive. Under the direction of Arthur Mees the active members of the Liederkranz, Arion and Beethoven Men's Chorus performed 'The heavens praise Almighty's honor' after which Chairman Wm. Steinway introduced the festival speaker Carl Schurz with a few words of his own and who in turn was greeted with loud applause.

Mr. Carl Schurz' speech:
"Fellow countrymen and friends! This celebration is dedicated to the memory of that October day in the year 1683, which brought our new fatherland the first German settlers in the ship Concord and to a larger extend the honor in general of the German name in America. Unfortunately I can only touch on a few points of this large subject and at that only somewhat superficially.
Whatever bad characteristics one attributes to the German national character – an overgrown, splayed ego is not one of them. Rather one could say that the German has often forgone the entitled ego. Yes, even the question, 'Is the German-born citizen of this republic entitled to think of his origin and to remember among other things the merit past and present of his fellow clansmen?' is mostly answered by the German tongue with doubt or even denial. Modesty is a virtue and one should not exaggerate it. Man often is to the world only that what he values in himself. The Irish in America celebrate themselves in their St. Patrick's Day; the Scott at his St. Andrew's Fest; the Dutch at his St. Nicholas' Fest; and none of these elements of this large American populace generally question their accomplishments in this world and especially in this country. I am not rebuking you; you can do it without damaging your American citizen soul or civic duty.
And why not us? We do not have a patron saint like St. George, St. Andrew, St. Nicholas because the German 'Michel' no longer applies. (Bravo!) And yet we can boast to be descendents of these marvelous folks, which during hundreds of years of disruption and debasement remained a giant and whose victory monuments in world history reside on the largest battlefields of weapons and in thoughts. We can reserve high honor to the memory of those pious and brave brothers, who more than two hundred years ago withdrew from the burden of the fatherland, seeking freedom of conscience and a humanly dignified existence in the wilderness of the new world, who then with hard work and the freedom loving ideal of citizenship helped lay the foundation for a newer and greater commonwealth. We are allowed to honor belonging to this group of first immigrants led by Franz Daniel Pastorius who greeted thousands arriving from Germany to join this small group and participate in the metamorphosis of changing the wilderness to a richly flowering, colonized and settled world in the most powerful republic of the world. (Applause) And we are proud to say that the descendents of those times are counted among the most devoted and useful citizens.
Can the Germans in America demand this recognition from the natives? All one has to do is look at the history of German immigrants from 200 years ago to the present. What do you find? A peaceful, order loving, civilized and happy crowd, diligent and beneficial in all areas of human activity – farming, construction, business, engineering, teacher, clerics, doctors, lawyers, writers, artists. We watch them lustily participate in the development of national affluence and progressive civilization. Compared to its numbers and opportunities no other population segment has contributed more solidly through its work. (Applause) In politics we find them like others thinking and advising about public well being and participating in all ideas, not as a solid entity, but everyone as he sees fit, not all wisely but a mixture of democratic union of wisdom and error. It has not been uncommon to find particularly strong support for a big idea among the Germans, for national honor or a particularly strong opposition to dangerous thoughts of the times. If the new fatherland called its sons to war, the Germans streamed in large numbers with patriotic readiness to the flag. In the War of Independence they formed a considerable part of the liberating army. Washington recruited his personal army among Germans. Mühlenberg removed his frock and presented himself to his enthusiastic congregation in soldier uniform. Steuben converted the masses of volunteer soldiers into well-disciplined battalions. Hartheimer spilled his blood among his brave farmers at Oriskany and brought about the first happy change in the sad leadership of the Northern campaign', according to G. Washington. DeKalb died a hero's death at the head of his troops during the 4th attempt near Camden. Germans filled the ranks during the War of 1812 and the Mexican War. When in 1861 the Southern rebellion threatened the life of the Republic, it was the Germans' determined patriotism, which saved the Union State Missouri. And in the 22 Northern States more than 185,000 citizens of German descent, an astounding number of their total, gathered to protect the flag with their lives. There is no American battle ground, which is not generously soaked with German blood. This is how the German saved his devotion to his new fatherland. (Thunderous applause.)
And yet this is not all. I do not want to emphasize here how many times insightful Americans have emphasized that the thoroughness of German thought and science has influenced these areas to a high degree. This is not generally and eagerly admitted: but I consider it to be truthful. But it cannot be denied that, more than any other population segment, Germans have contributed to inspire love and enjoyment of the arts and to mix into the haste and seriousness of American life warmth of harmless pleasures, so that beyond village and city the sound of happy songs and splendid harmonies enliven time free of work for all classes to enjoy. This is a benefit that perhaps the majority of those having to overcome prejudice are happy to join. (Applause)
We often hear the complaint that despite the accomplishments Germans in American do not always enjoy the respect they deserve by the natives. In order to be just, let us admit: taken in total the Native American has met immigration with extraordinary liberalism. There is no other nation in the world which would have received the entering folk masses with such largess in granting citizen and political rights. That the country found its balance is true, but it does not change the facts. It is equally true that at times the massive numbers of immigrants scare the Natives and that a certain antipathy occurs. But this has only occurred temporarily and that too doesn't change the facts. I think you will agree with me that we have enjoyed hearty magnanimity, which no small thinking man can deny with his thankful recognition.
Indeed a large segment of German immigrants suffers from a serious drawback and dismissal because of language differences. That is not totally unnatural. The regular person is suspicious of what he doesn't understand. There are a number of Natives who truly believe that German immigrants do not or only slowly adjust to American ways because they don't easily exchange the German language with the English. And now decent people loudly exclaim the opinion that he who uses German daily and isn't familiar with English cannot be a good citizen. Is there is a reason for that?
I don't think you can accuse me of not learning English or that I don't take English seriously. Just the opposite, I have vigorously tried to learn English and during my public service I have not missed an opportunity to encourage my fellow countrymen to quickly and thoroughly learn English. And what I have done so often, I am repeating here. It is the duty of the German-Americans to learn English, which will serve his interests and increase his usefulness for the common good considerably. (Loud applause)
But sadly I have to agree to the fact that many elderly countrymen arriving here, or those who have to work to earn a living cannot always pursue this need. But I refuse to believe that an immigrant not fluent in English is not a good citizen and patriot. The history of the German descendents in the population proves the opposite. Those thousands who enthusiastically went to the battlefields understood only the English commands, which many times led to their death. Was their patriotic fervor less sacrificial and their pride as American citizen less genuine because they lacked English? Those who arrived late in life or in dire circumstances used their intelligence to find public matters in their newspapers. Where they less loyal, duty bound, citizens of the Republic? (Lasting applause)
And how misguided are those who in their hysterical zeal against everything which seems foreign to them, demand that no German Press and only English publications exist. Will they educate immigrants ignorant of English into well educated citizens if you close the only school in which they can learn? Will they see when the only light is extinguished?
Such a demand is not patriotism; it is blindness towards the true interests of the country. (Applause) No decent American is going to deny that the German Press serves those who realistically cannot learn English quickly and well and therefore serves their needs. And in order to keep the German Press alive, German language usage is necessary. (Applause) These fearsome souls, who see in the usage of German a conspiracy against American ideas and institutions, are wrong. I think I know the thinking of the German-speaking citizens and I don't hesitate to state that using German does not impede knowledge of American institutions and conditions or the development of a healthy American national feeling. Just the opposite, it serves to promote both. Just as I don't believe that the population using German is deterred from learning English. The future lies with our descendents; every one of you knows that it is harder to teach children of German parents that language than English. The second generation already speaks German badly, the third generation no longer. I know that in Pennsylvania a derivative of German has been in use through several generations. But that was before the event of railroads when large segments of Germans clustered together without much contact with other population segments. And yet there too good citizens and patriotic soldiers grew up. And I also know that there are German parents whose children mostly speak German and English is not used every day. However, the fact remains that English is quickly pushing German aside as everyday language through extended contacts among citizens.
This brings up the question: should children of German born parents in America no longer understand German? From the American standpoint, not as German, I emphatically say: No. It hasn't hurt anybody, no American, his character or mental development or political principles to understand German. The more languages a man reads or speaks the better he is able to expand his viewpoint and enrich his position in life. There are a large number of Americans who currently are learning German. It has become somewhat of a fad in the educated society. Why, because it exposes the learner to unusually rich literary treasures of science and thought. While thousands are trying to learn German would it be wise for those having learned the language at home to consider this as a waste or even unpatriotic? (Applause)
The question of instruction in German and English in public schools has been discussed often. I don't think it is a question of whether learning German along with English is useful, surely it is. The question rather is, who and whether German can be taught in such a way in public schools so that the student gets a true understanding without deterring from other instructional classes. If it can the young generation will benefit greatly. If it can't one should not waste time and effort on superficial instructions. Our duty as German-American parents is to make sure the children do not forget the German language totally. By this we will make them not worse but better educated American citizens. (Loud applause)
We would miss the meaning of this celebration if we only wanted to revel in the glory of the old fatherland and praise the virtues and accomplishments of our forefathers. It's very nice to have inherited our reputable name from them. But it is more important to leave our descendents a good name. He who rightfully demands respect from the world, has to earn it himself. At a memorial service like this it would seem twice as important to be clearly aware of our present duties and obligations.
We will always hold our fatherland dear, though we left it. I have often said and like to repeat it: 'He who forgets his old mother's love, will not truly love his young bride.' But let us not forget that we owe this young bride, the American Republic in whose citizenship we trust, our duty and loyalty. And it can be said that the German-Americans, born and raised under a different government [than us] have always been loyal to the principles of this adopted land.
The American nation is the great collective populace [Volk] of the new age, comprised of English, Slaves, Romans and Celts. This mix has to develop into a great nation of the future to which the German segment is obligated to contribute. We have brought many valuables with us but we also find many valuables here, which we didn't possess and others brought here. (Applause)
Don't forget we are not called upon to form a special nationality here as Germans, but to contribute to the American nationality with our native diligence and to adapt to our fellow Americans ways to overcome our weaknesses. And never forget that as Germans we have no special interests in the political life of this Republic, but that general welfare is also our wish. Let us consciously search and act freely according to our honest conviction undeterred by simplicity and self-serving tyrannical party lines. Regardless of how high we value the matter of personal freedom, never permit another to say justly, the Germans are capable of dismissing public interest when it concerns the subject of drinking. (Loud applause) And let us not be influenced by the undignified pessimism – all attempts at improvement of our public status are for naught, deceit and corruption. Let us adhere to the belief that this nation contains unending riches of pure and honorable elements; that our free political system bears evil and yet finds a solution; and that this nation among the dangers and sorrows which plague the world can praise itself as happy in secured freedom and good health. Let us emphasize this belief in that we always apply our best energy where good is to be done or bad to be fought. In fulfilling our duty we will earn the respect of our contemporaries and will be honored by our descendents as we honor our ancestors in this hour." (Long lasting applause)

Mr. Parke Godwin's speech in English closed with the thought: 'Always remember that you have not become German subjects but American citizens.' (Long lasting applause)

The musical part of the celebration:
If there is one thing the German immigrant has brought to this country, it is his love for the German Lied [song], which he pursues with energy and success. Though one would expect a performance of the most difficult of difficult works, Beethoven's 9th Symphony with the hymn "Freude, schöner Götterfunken, Tochter aus Elysium', time did not permit this selection but it might be heard in future celebrations. And yet Beethoven opened the musical portion with a chorus of about 200 voices from the Liederkranz, Arion, Beethoven Men's Chorus with organist Morris Baer and the orchestra directed by Arthur Mees conducting The heavens praise Almighty's honor [Die Himmel rühmen des Ewigen Ehre']. The audience was taken by Engelsberg's a capella Lied My mother tongue directed by Johannes Werschinger. Veteran singer Franz Remmertz gave a fine performance with this solo and was richly rewarded with stormy applause. The audience was hoping for a repeat. But the best number was Heinrich Zoellner's hymn Praise the German Music for male chorus, organ and orchestra, conducted by the composer. The words in the composition addressed the mind and heart and rose to a higher sphere in the end. Voices and orchestra combined in the most beautiful melodic rivers, magnificently rising to a gripping culmination. The composer and conductor as well as the participants were rewarded with lasting applause. With the audience participating in singing 'All praise to God' [Nun danket alle Gott] the musical portion of the celebration was brought to a harmonious end.

[Heinrich Zoellner's hymn in part:]

"When the German village sons
Are separated from the fatherland,
Find brothers on foreign soil,
What forms the bridge to unity?
Is it not the tone of the old songs?
Is it not the German music,
Which joins all hearts in a firestorm
Of noble sound?"

German Day celebrations by German Societies/Clubs were also held in:
Philadelphia, Reading, Fort Madison- Iowa, Milwaukee, Eau Clair, New Holstein, Omaha - Nebraska, Baltimore and Washington DC.

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