Independence Day - from a German-American Perspective

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I don't know the whole history of Germany and American's friendship to tell it accurately, but I do know that after World War II, the American military had a great presence in Germany first as an occupation force, then as a rebuilding support, and now as an ally.  My dad was stationed in Frankfurt in the early 1970s, which is when he met my German mother.   My husband was stationed in Würzburg with the US Army for 3 years from 1995 to 1999, where we spent 3 wonderful years enjoying life in Germany as Americans.  

German-American friendship fests are often celebrated around military bases in Germany - and there is even a German-American Friendship Garden in Washington DC.  Wikipedia provides more information about:

The German-American Friendship Garden in Washington, DC stands as a symbol of the positive and cooperative relations between the United States of America and the **Federal Republic of Germany.

Situated on the historic axis between the White House and the Washington Monument on the National Mall, the garden borders Constitution Avenue between 15th and 17th Streets, where an estimated seven million visitors pass each year. The garden features plants native to both Germany and the United States and provides seating and cooling fountains.

**the Federal Republic of Germany refers to West Germany, which at the time of the Garden's placement was still separated from Eastern Germany (German Democratic Republic).  Germany was unified (facilitated by President Ronald Reagan, among others) in October of 1990.  

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Commissioned to commemorate the 300th anniversary of German immigration to America, the garden was dedicated on November 15, 1988

As noted by President Ronald Reagan, who created the Presidential Commission to complete work on the project after a 1982 visit to Washington by German Chancellor *Helmut Kohl,

"..I'm proud to announce a product of that commission: the dedication of a garden here in Washington as a symbol of the friendship between our two countries. In a few months, I'll be leaving the White House, but the garden, and all it represents, will remain, to be nurtured and sustained by the friendship between Germans and Americans..."

*Chancellor Helmut Kohl just recently passed away on June 16, 2017, at the age of 87.  

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As a German-American, I am proud of my heritage(s) ... and I wish everyone a HAPPY 4th of July - in German-American Friendship-style!