German Originality

A Welcome Letter from

The German Ambassador

With the launch of the Web site germanoriginality.com, the German Information Center USA, the German National Tourist Office and all their partners now make it more exciting than ever before to discover America's German heritage.

German-Americans comprise the largest ethnic group in the United States: More than 42 million Americans, almost 15 percent of the population, claim German ancestry. As America celebrates the 400th anniversary of the Jamestown settlement, we remember that Germans were among the first courageous pioneers to arrive in 1608.

Today, germanoriginality.com extends an invitation to Americans from all walks of life to come visit and learn about the contribution Americans of German ancestry have made to the social fabric, culture and economy of the United States – and to discover Germany "as it was… and is today."

Klaus Scharioth
Ambassador of the

Federal Republic of Germany
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GermanOriginality.com