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…
Category: Celebrating German Culture in America
The General Slocum Disaster of 1904- A German-American Tragedy
1021 people, primarily 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- Washington DC
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 been located in Hockemeyer Hall on 6th Street NW, in the Penn Quarter,…
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…
Work, Live, Explore: Comparing Life in Germany and the UK
Moving overseas is a big decision. Thanks to Dan for this sponsored post on Comparing Life in Germany and the UK. Some interesting food for thought for anyone considering making the move to Europe to study or live, but can’t decide which direction to go. Finding a place in the world that suits your personality and lifestyle isn’t that easy,…
German Language Summer Camps and Programs
What do you do with the kids all summer? German Language Summer Camps and German Language summer programs are a great way to fill those empty Summer months. They come away with improved language skills … and they have fun doing it! These German Summer Camps are scattered across the country. Some are day camps, others are overnight. There is…
Francis Daniel Pastorius- The Pennsylvania Pilgrim
The name Francis Daniel Pastorius may not have come up in your American History classes, and he’s likely no more than a footnote in most German history classes. However, Pastorius plays a significant role in early American history, German-American immigration history, and even has a connection to the Abolitionist Movement. So who was he? A polymath, lawyer, writer, teacher, a…
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…
Honey and Dried Fruit Cake Recipe- Honigkuchen mit Trockenobst
When I was growing up, baskets or plates of dried fruit would appear in our house at the beginning of the holidays. They still do. This Honey and Dried Fruit Cake Honigkuchen mit Trockenobst is a great way to use them. This is not your average Kaffeeklatsch cake. The recipe feels very old-fashioned since you load it up with honey,…
A Headless Hessian in Sleepy Hollow
Cover Image- The Headless Horseman Pursuing Ichabod Crane by John Quidor (public domain) In some form or another, most of us have heard the Washington Irving short story, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow. This terrifying tale is known as America’s first Ghost Story. If you haven’t read the tale of a headless horseman who pursues poor Ichabod Crane on a…