Walter D. Kamphoefner Knihy

German Americans were one of the largest immigrant groups in the Civil War era, and they comprised nearly 10 percent of all Union troops. Yet little attention has been paid to their daily lives--both on the battlefield and on the home front--during the war. This collection of letters, written by German immigrants to friends and family back home, provides a new angle to our understanding of the Civil War experience and challenges some long-held assumptions about the immigrant experience at this time.Originally published in Germany in 2002, this collection contains more than three hundred letters written by seventy-eight German immigrants--men and women, soldiers and civilians, from the North and South. Their missives tell of battles and boredom, privation and profiteering, motives for enlistment and desertion and for avoiding involvement altogether. Although written by people with a variety of backgrounds, these letters describe the conflict from a distinctly German standpoint, the editors argue, casting doubt on the claim that the Civil War was the great melting pot that eradicated ethnic antagonisms.

Focusing on the German immigrant experience in 19th century America, this book reveals the complexities of the largest foreign-language group during that era. It utilizes recent research and personal letters to highlight the robust German-American institutional network, including schools that offered instruction in German. The narrative explores the gradual shift towards English in churches post-1900 and examines how World War I's anti-German sentiment accelerated the decline of German cultural visibility, while remnants of this culture persisted in rural areas into the late 20th century.

Set against the backdrop of early 20th-century America, the narrative explores the lives of a German immigrant and a San Antonio miller as they navigate cultural differences and the challenges of their new lives. Their paths intertwine through shared hardships and aspirations, highlighting themes of resilience, identity, and the immigrant experience. The book delves into their struggles and triumphs, offering a poignant reflection on community and the pursuit of the American Dream.

Focusing on the experiences of ordinary German immigrants, the author uncovers their journey from limited resources to successful independent farmers, challenging previous assumptions in migration studies. This work provides fresh insights into the historical narrative of migration and ethnicity, highlighting the resilience and adaptability of these newcomers. By examining their contributions, the author enriches the understanding of immigrant integration across various social science disciplines.

From the first arrivals at Germantown, PA in 1683 to the twilight of ethnicity in the twenty-first century, this book surveys the sweep of German American history over 300 years. It presents not only the institutions German immigrants created, but also their individual and collective voices as they established their lives within American society.

Wohl über 90.000 Menschen haben in der Zeit zwischen 1830 und 1890 das Osnabrücker Land verlassen, um in der Neuen Welt zu siedeln. Aus der Tatsache, dass eine derart große Zahl von Menschen bereit war, ihre Heimat aufzugeben, lässt sich bereits erahnen, welche widrigen Lebensbedingungen zur damaligen Zeit im Osnabrücker Land vorherrschten. Die vorliegende Publikation schildert die Auswanderung aus der Lebenswirklichkeit der Menschen, anstatt sich mit Fakten und Statistiken zu begnügen. Welche Gründe haben zu der Entscheidung geführt? Wie haben die Auswanderer diese Zeit erlebt? In welchem Ausmaß schlugen sich diese persönlichen Schicksale im Umfeld der Auswanderer nieder und wo sind ihre vielfältigen Auswirkungen auch heute noch vorzufinden? Zu diesen Fragen gibt dieser zweisprachige und reich bebilderte Band Auskunft.

Transozeanische Netzwerke bestimmten in hohem Grade Intensität und Zielrichtung der europäischen Massenauswanderung des 19. Jahrhunderts. Das ist ein zentrales Ergebnis dieser Pionierarbeit zur deutschen transatlantischen Migration. Es gelingt der Studie, bis dahin getrennt untersuchte europäische und amerikanische Aspekte der Migration miteinander zu verbinden. Durch die Verknüpfung personenbezogener Daten aus Auswandererlisten und US-Volkszählungsurlisten, kann die Bedeutung der Kettenwanderungen dokumentiert werden, die ganze Dörfer buchstäblich nach Amerika verpflanzen ließ. Die vorliegende Neuausgabe ist eine stark erweiterte Version der 1987 erschienenen englischsprachigen Fassung von »Transplanted Westfalians«, ergänzt durch einen Überblick über den aktuellen Stand der Forschung zur deutschen transatlantischen Migration des 19. Jahrhunderts.