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WHEREAS, those of German-speaking descent first immigrated to Pennsylvania in 1683, whose work ethic and skill won the admiration of Benjamin Franklin and others in our Commonwealth, settled on Pittsburgh's Northside - “Deutschtown” which reminded them of their “Heimat” or homeland; and
WHEREAS, in recognition of these immigrants and their offspring, the Alliance of Germanic Societies of Pittsburgh (German, Austrian and Swiss) will host their third annual German Heritage Parade on Saturday, September 8, 2012; and
WHEREAS, antique German automobiles will be on display in Allegheny Commons East, the parade will proceed from the Commons along East Ohio Street stopping for performances outside Priory Fine Pastries, crossing the I-279 overpass, turning left at Madison Avenue, then right on Phineas Street and ending at the Teutonia Männerchor at the corner of Phineas and Chestnut Streets; and
WHEREAS, following the parade there will be a celebration of local German history at the Teutonia Männerchor, including a German music performance by the Teutonia Men's Chorus and two individuals, past and present, will be honored for their significant impact on the Pittsburgh area; and
WHEREAS, honoree, the late Eberhard Müller (1931-2011) came to this country as a young man after WWII from Schneeberg, Germany, a master carpenter, whose love of dance, music and song were welcome at the Teutonia Mannerchor, where he met his wife Rita, served as the Hausmeister of the 1888 Teutonia Landmark Building, and founded both the Alpen Schuhplattler und Trachtenverein D'Pittsburger dance group and the Teuronia Hauskapelle, a traditional music German band; and
WHEREAS, honoree Edward Graf, born in Pittsburgh in 1938, whose Swiss grandfather immigrated to Deutschtown in 1893 and maternal grandmother immigrated as a young child from Germany in 1883, Ed and his wife, Mary Ann, purchased the old St Mary's German Catholic Church from PennDot in 1986, restored it into the Prior...
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