Hey, speaking of Germans:

Friedrich Wilhelm von Steuben (1730-1794) - America's first Drill Master

John Durang (1786-1822) - First native-born American professional dancer (Alsacian – French or German? More rock-paper-scissors.)


Fast forward 100+ years:
“In 1938, with the rise of Adolf Hitler, Irving Berlin, who was Jewish and had arrived in the U.S. from Russia at the age of five, felt it was time to revive it as a "peace song", and it was introduced on an Armistice Day broadcast in 1938, sung by Kate Smith on her radio show.” [song wiki]

Molotov–Ribbentrop Pact – August, 1939.

Germany attacks Communist Russia – June, 1941.

Right around those last two items Woody Guthrie and many of the Almanac Singers were involved in any number of Roosevelt administration jingoistic World War II build up media events, eg: Back Where I Come From &c.

I recall reading somewhere (can't find it now) This Land was performed as live radio material for several years before the first recordings. The final lyrics were decided by the AM radio program's music director and the band without Woody's participation.

Something about Guthrie being deliberately belligerent; getting kicked out of the broadcast studio; buying a new car with his share of the advance money and leaving town without telling anybody he quit or got axed from the show.

The U.S. government and/or the network canceled the whole shebang a few weeks later.

Given the political atmosphere at the time, complaining too much about anything Americana could be bad for your health or employment.