On November 23, 2023, AmCham Germany hosted its third and final Thanksgiving Dinner of the season in Frankfurt am Main, wrapping up a week full of festivities.
David Knower (Regional Chapter Co-Chair Rhine-Main and Vice President, AmCham Germany) started the evening by greeting attendees and welcoming our guest of honor and speaker, U.S. Consul General Thatcher Scharpf, as well as Dr. Lutz Raettig (former and long-standing AmCham Germany Nominations Committee Chair and member of AmCham Germany’s Executive Committee). He referred to the NFL coming to Frankfurt with two games and a massive demand and popularity in Germany taking place in the beginning of November.
In his remarks, Consul General Norman Thatcher Scharpf highlighted that Thanksgiving is synonymous with American football and personally thanked David Knower for his efforts in successfully bringing the NFL to Frankfurt. On this quintessential American holiday, Thatcher Scharpf also thanked the AmCham Germany team for the continued collaboration in the year of its 120th anniversary. In 1863, Abraham Lincoln proclaimed Thanksgiving a holiday to be observed on the last Thursday of November. During the period of the Civil War, the holiday served as a glimmer of hope. Thatcher Scharpf further reminded guests that our communities stand together in support of Ukraine against autocratic regimes, terror, and antisemitism: "Our collaboration is a strategic necessity and a moral imperative."
In following with the tradition of past AmCham Germany Thanksgiving Dinners in Frankfurt, Chris Porter shared some of his personal memories of Thanksgiving celebrations at his grandmother’s house in Pennsylvania (the part of the state that is considered to be Alabama by some), starting with the preparations around Thanksgiving, the smells of food permeating throughout the house weeks in advance, and his nostalgic reflections on making hand turkeys when he was a child (all the while showcasing multiple sample hand turkeys to the guests – and even giving guests the opportunity to make their own hand turkeys with materials he brought).
We express our sincerest gratitude to our Platinum Sponsors BNY Mellon and KROLL as well as our Gold Sponsors ALPHAEDGE and Wertheim Village for their generous support!
Speakers: U.S. Consul General Norman Thatcher Scharpf, AmCham Germany Vice President & Regional Co-Chair Rhein-Main David Knower and Chris Porter (BNY Mellon)
