The signing of the Declaration of Independence on 4 July 1776 is regarded as both the birth certificate and the moment of birth of the United States of America, which was thereby founded. This year, the USA can therefore celebrate its 250th anniversary. This proud anniversary, which is being celebrated in the United States and around the world with the ‘America250’ series of events, also provides an opportunity to reflect on 250 years of German-American relations in all their facets and, ideally, to shape them for the long term.
It is precisely between the Saar and the Palatinate that one finds many of these diverse traces of 250 years of German-American history, which continue to have an impact right up to the present day. An insight into this will be provided on Friday 3 July by the themed walk ‘Black, Red and Gold and Stars and Stripes – 250 Years of German-American Relations between the Saar and the Palatinate’, to which the German-American Institute (DAI) Saarland, in collaboration with the Saarpfalz district, is inviting members of the public to take part on the eve of ‘Independence Day’.
Alongside fascinating historical aspects, this section also examines, amongst other things, the close partnership between the Saarpfalz district and Henrico County in Virginia, which was established in 1996 and has been in place since 1997.
“America250 is a good opportunity to congratulate our friends in the USA and, at the same time, to reflect on 250 years of shared history and diverse relations,” said District Administrator Frank John.
“Even though thousands of kilometres separate us, the Saarpfalz district remains in our hearts,” assures John A. Vithoulkas, County Manager of Henrico County, from the other side of the Atlantic. Incidentally, the official celebrations to mark the 250th anniversary of the USA will also begin in Henrico County on 3 July.
The meeting point for the themed walking tour, which lasts around 2.5 hours, is at 4 pm at the ‘Freiheitsbrunnen’ in Homburg (on the corner of Eisenbahnstraße and Am Rondell). The city tour ends at 5.45 pm at the ‘WoodenWave’ – a visible symbol of the partnership anniversary from the German-American school project with the sculptor Martin Steinert – at the Mannlich Gymnasium on Hiltebrandstraße. The artist will be present.
Thanks to the kind support of the German-American Institute in Saarland (DAI) and funding from the Federal Foreign Office of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Embassy of the United States of America, participation in this dialogue tour is free of charge. No registration is required.