The German-American Heritage Foundation of the USA® (GAHF) needs your help! Our mission is to preserve, educate, and promote the heritage of Americans of German-speaking ancestry and to be the voice of German-Americans in cultural and public policy debates in the USA.

Germans have been active in America since the founding of Jamestown in 1608 and have had a major impact on the American culture and economic progress of this great nation.  Let’s not allow our children and grandchildren to be denied the history of their German-speaking forebears nor the cultural and economic impact of our ancestors on America. The time has come for us to create a national German-American heritage center.

The GAHF has already raised nearly $1.8 million in the past six months, but we still need to raise an additional $300,000 to complete the purchase and renovation of Hockemeyer Hall in Washington, DC, to serve as the Heritage Center. We are striving to raise a total of $3.0 million to cover furnishing, special exhibit lighting and establish an endowment of $500,000 for the future care and maintenance of the facility. Please click here to see our recent Press Release for update on the status of the center. The Center will provide an interactive digital library where visitors can discover the many riches of German-speaking culture and conduct genealogical research. Large amounts of public space will highlight exhibits from historical sites around the country, along with a number of permanent displays.

While there are many clubs, religious institutions, and organizations throughout the United States working diligently to preserve German heritage, language, and traditions; we believe that having a national organization situated in the nation’s capital is the most effective way to accomplish our goals.  A location in Washington D.C. gives us the opportunity to reach tens of millions of people each year by leveraging off the already established tourism trade.  It also gives us a prime location near the seat of the federal government so we can be an active player on public policy issues that affect German-Americans.  The German-American Heritage Center of the USA will also serve as resource center for all the clubs and regional organizations across our nation.

• Read what influential leaders have said about the Center
• View more pictures
• Download the Promotional Brochure
• Download and fill out a Confirmation of Support Form
• History of Hockemeyer Hall