[1] Cast in bronze, it shows an emigrant family with the father looking forward toward the New World and the mother looking back as she leaves the old country.

The statue stands by one of the city's main dikes, the Weserdeich, on the site of one of the original docks from which early emigrants departed.

The 3,500 square metres (38,000 sq ft) German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven offers visitors one of the largest theme experiences in Germany.

The museum, designed to replicate an ocean liner, includes special exhibits, films and cultural events.

At the ceremony, the American Consul, Robert K. Scott, noted, "By commemorating the millions of men and women who sailed to the New World, the German Emigration Center is making an invaluable contribution to the historic portrayal of my county.