German Studies

German is an official language in seven European countries: Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, and Belgium, and an is a key business language in the European Union and in the rapidly growing market of Central and Eastern Europe. German is widely used as a business and scientific language in Europe, Russia, and parts of Asia. German culture has had a substantial impact on the United States: according to a 1990 census, more Americans (25%) can trace their ancestry to Germany than to any other country. More than 60 million Americans are at least partly of German heritage.