Merz presents Trump's birth certificate of his German grandfather!

Merz presents Trump's birth certificate of his German grandfather!

Kallstadt, Deutschland - Chancellor Friedrich Merz recently visited US President Donald Trump in Washington and handed him a special surprise: a copy of his grandfather Friedrich's birth certificate, who was born in Kallstadt, Palatinate in 1869. This handover took place at the beginning of a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, where Merz emphasized that the birth certificate was certified by Bavarian authorities, since the Palatinate belonged to the Kingdom of Bavaria at the time. The gift consists of a replica of the certificate in German and English, nicely framed in gold, such as Rheinpfalz reported.

Donald Trump was enthusiastic about the gesture, described the gift as "fantastic" and commented on the place name Bad Dürkheim. Merz explained that the Federal Foreign Office made the gift with an English translation and calligraphy. This is not the first time that Trump's roots are discussed in Germany. Kallstadt, as Trump's German homeland, has been the focus of international media in 2016. Angela Merkel also brought him a copper engraving from 1705, which shows Kallstadt, during a visit to the White House.

Trump's German roots

The grandfather of Donald Trump, Friedrich Trump, grew up in Kallstadt and emigrated to the USA in 1885 at the age of 16. He became an American citizen in 1892 and from then on called himself Frederick Trump. During the gold rush, he earned in the gastronomy and led a family with six children. His son, Frederick Jr., who was born in New York in 1905, is Donald Trump's father. After his emigration, Friedrich Trump was never allowed to return to Kallstadt tragically enough, since he had not properly deregistered on his departure. Friedrich Trump died in 1918 and his wife Elisabeth in 1966, which further highlights the connection to the German homeland.

Kallstadt Mayor Thomas Jawowerk told Merz to show Trump his home village, including a tour of the church in which his grandparents were baptized. This connection to his roots is particularly remarkable, since Trump has so far shown little interest in his German origin.

German-American relationships in context

The handover of the birth certificate also has a symbolic meaning in the background of long -term relationships between Germany and the USA. These began with German emigration as early as the 17th century, with German playing an important role in the establishment of united states. Historically, many Germans ventured to the United States under precarious conditions, which ultimately led to the formation of a large German-American community. More than 58 million Americans today describe themselves as German -stem.

The history of German-American relations is rich in events, from the first diplomatic contacts with Prussia in the late 18th century to the close economic relationships that developed after the Second World War. Today, under the government of Joe Biden and Olaf Scholz, the federal states work closely together, especially in the context of the Ukraine conflict, and try to overcome past tensions. The event to hand over the birth certificate could also be interpreted as a building block to strengthen bilateral relationships between Germany and the USA.