INTRODUCTION OF GERMERIKA
 
Germania: “These Amis (nickname for Americans)! … One doesn’t point at people with the
Finger!”
As the personification of the
German-Americans Germerika is the daughter of Germania (the German
personification) and Uncle Sam (the personification of the USA).
Instead
of her mom’s typical shield, Germerika has a rucksack in the shape of
a shield, full of informative stuff about German culture and her beloved
homeland USA. An education that she’d love to share with America’s youth and
that reaches young people in a special way, as it’s not tied to the expectations
of teachers like in school, but to their own families.
Germerika’s family is convinced, that education is the best shield against a
spirit like the one of 1917, when the old German cultural life in America
(since 1683 in German settlements!) was almost destroyed by unconstitutional
legislation and anti-German riots, which followed World War I propaganda. The
awful crimes that the Nazis committed during World War II lead to further
harm to the German culture in America.
Germerika
wants to make this right - or to say it with Carl Schurz:
“My
country right or wrong! If right, to be kept right; and
if wrong, to be set right!”
Accordingly
the self assured Germerika wants to show young Americans a culture that has
always contributed very much to Americas cultural and academic achievements
and that therefore also left many influences in modern America’s
civilization, without most (German-)Americans being aware of the German
origin. Germerika doesn’t deal with relations to a foreign state, she talks
about hamburgers, hot dogs (frankfurters), Christmas trees, music and instruments, dancing, gymnastics, all aspects of
fashion (from the German-American jeans to German traditional clothes) and much
more ... - She wants to open children’s minds for American history,
geography and typically German gestures of respect and politeness. Thereby
the cute Germerika connects all these things to humor and the love that German-Americans of all ages feel for their family
and their American homeland.
Symbolic elements
The
name Germerika is a combination of the names Germania, America and Erika
(“ehrreich“ = “rich of honour”). The combination of the English word “germ”
with “Erika” gives it an additional content.
So
far Germerika’s boots are a little too big (…), but the old fashioned little
hat fits her bright head perfect, as it remembers the shining time before
1917, while her black-red-golden cockade and her sash are typical symbols of
the countless “48ers”, who fought for the values of freedom and democracy in
the German Revolution of 1848 and became politically active U.S.-patriots,
fighting slavery and serving bravely in the Civil War. -
It is their heritage, that American states betrayed and
destroyed in 1917. And it is their heritage, that the fashionable
Germerika wants to make finally prevail
- because she loves her
USA and because she loves to be a German-American.
The
heart of her necklace symbolizes that her intentions are based on love
and not on opinions or any ideology.
Of course a symbol of it’s own: Within
her specific U.S. coat of arms Germerika’s rucksack shows the German
colours with two German oak leaves, reminding of wings.
The shield of her Mama shows the
German eagle (See above and our chapter “Symbols”).
“Mama” Germania was already used in the
antique Roman Empire as well as by German-American intellectuals in the 19th
century, who worked hard to develop German culture in their beloved USA (also
to inspire Germans in Europe for freedom and democracy). Accordingly she is
not attached to a specific German state, but to the old German people and
it’s will for national unity in general.
Always
by Germerika’s side: Her beloved friend, the German shepherd Hecker. The
links below lead you on to his introduction and their common site with
their initiatives.
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