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40 Years GAHF

The German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA®

German-American Heritage Museum of the USA™

The German-American Heritage Museum of the USA™ opened in March, 2010 in a building once known as Hockemeyer Hall. Renovations were completed by the GAHF after acquiring the building in 2008. Located on 6th Street NW in the heart of the old European-American section of Washington, the Museum sits in what is now a thriving commercial neighborhood.

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1976 – 2018

40 Years GAHF

40 YEARS OF THE INCEPTION OF THE GERMAN-AMERICAN HERITAGE FOUNDATION OF THE USA® Back in 1976, as America was observing its bicentennial, a group of visionary German-Americans met in historic Philadelphia and agreed that the time had come to recognize and honor the extensive and profound economic, political, scientific, social and cultural contributions by Americans of German-speaking ancestry to the growth, prosperity and success of our country.

This founding group formally established our organization the following year, 1977, soon after chartering it as the United German-American Committee of the USA, Inc. – and now also known as the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® (GAHF).

It was with considerable patience and foresight, persistent effort, and prudent stewardship that our organization, thirty years later, under the outstanding decade-long leadership of President-Emeritus Bern E. Deichmann, acquired Hockemeyer Hall, a townhouse built in 1888 in the old Penn District of Washington, DC. The 120-year old structure was converted into a handsome foundation headquarters and museum that formally opened its doors on March 20, 2010, thus fulfilling the long-cherished dream of the founding members of establishing the Foundation Headquarters and the first national German-American Heritage Museum of the USA™ in our nation’s capital.” Dr. John M. Manoyan, President Emeritus

Celebrate with us the 40 years of inception of the German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA®. We will have interviews with the founding members, former Presidents and personalities that have made GAHF what it is today. Read our newsletter and blogs and follow us on social media.

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