When you think of Massachusetts, the first thing that might come to mind is the rich tapestry of American history that’s woven into its cities and towns. But did you know that there’s also a strong German influence that’s left an indelible mark on its historical sites? From architecture to cuisine, German immigrants have greatly influenced the Bay State. They’ve left…
Category: German American History
Anaheim’s German History- A German Home by the Santa Ana River
Most people don’t think about German-American history when they think about Southern California. Pennsylvania, of course, Wisconsin, naturally, but California? YES! Anaheim’s German History is a great story. The city of Anaheim began as a colony of Germans! (Yes, Anaheim, home to the House of Mouse). In 1857, 50 Germans formed an association called the Los Angeles Vineyard Company and…
A Visit to Ellis Island- Ellis Island Immigrants from Germany
A few years ago, I visited the Bremerhaven Auswandererhaus (Emigration Museum), and more recently, I visited Ellis Island, where many immigrants landed on the other side of the Atlantic. The museum houses the other half of the immigration story. I went, unsure of how much German history I would see; after all, Ellis Island acted as an immigration station for…
The General Slocum Disaster of 1904- A German-American Tragedy
1021 people, mostly women and children perished in the General Slocum Disaster of 1904. And yet, the tragedy is mostly forgotten. Kleindeutschland (Little Deutschland) in New York City thrived through the 1800s into the turn of the century. German-Americans lived, worked, shopped, and worshipped in this thriving neighborhood. Then on June 15, 1904, 1358 people climbed aboard the General…
A Visit to the German American Heritage Museum
The German American Heritage Museum may be one of the smaller museums in Washington DC. Still, their efforts to preserve the history of Germans in America make up for its tiny footprint. (Plus I firmly believe that small museums are the best.) Since 2010, the museum has occupied Hockemeyer Hall on 6th Street NW, in the Penn Quarter just a…
Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift Washington DC
On May 21, 2024, I was honored to represent the Berlin Airlift Remembrance Alliance at the Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift. The event took place in the shadow of the imposing towers of the US Air Force Memorial in Washington DC. Commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Berlin Airlift Washington DC The Ambassador of the…
A Visit to the Heurich House Museum in Washington DC
In the early 1940’s, German-American Brewer, Christian Heurich, owned more land and employed more people in Washington DC than any entity other than the Federal Government. An amazing accomplishment for a man who came to the United States from the small village of Haina in the Duchy of Saxe-Meiningen in 1866 with only $200 in his pocket. His mansion, now…
Burning Beethoven: The Eradication of German Culture in the United States during World War I
I get messages all the time from people lamenting the lack of German shops and Restaurants… worries from readers because the German clubs are getting fewer… sadness from people wondering why German isn’t being taught in their schools. Regret that they never learned the language from parents or Grandparents… that it was even “forbidden” in the home. I understand it’s…
The Train to Crystal City review- German Families Locked Up in WW2
I recently read about the Democratic Representative from Texas Joaquin Castros Congressional Bill: The Wartime Violation of German American Civil Liberties Act of 2022. Like many American school children, I learned about the Internment of thousands of Japanese who lived in the US, but my teachers never told us about the over 11,000 German Americans locked up at the same…
DANK Haus Chicago- A Cornerstone of the German American Community
A few months ago, Monica Jirak sent me an invitation to visit the DANK Haus Chicago. Finally in September, while traveling with my father, I had the opportunity to spend a few hours touring the historic building and learning more about what the DANK organization does. I have to admit, I was astonished! I went in thinking that it was…