• • • • • • • • • German Americans (: Deutschamerikaner) are Americans who have full or partial ancestry. With an estimated size of approximately 44 million in 2016, German Americans are the largest of the ancestry groups reported by the in its. The group accounts for about one third of the total ethnic German population in the world. None of the German states had American colonies.

In the 1670s, the first significant groups of German immigrants arrived in the, settling primarily in,, and. Continued in very large numbers during the 19th century, with eight million arrivals from Germany. Between 1820 and 1870 over seven and a half million German immigrants came to the United States—more than doubling the entire population of the country. By 2010, their population grew to 49.8 million immigrants, reflecting a jump of 6 million people since 2000. There is a 'German belt' that extends all the way across the United States, from eastern Pennsylvania to the Oregon coast. Pennsylvania has the largest population of German-Americans in the U.S. And is home to one of the group's original settlements,, founded in 1683 and the birthplace of the in 1688, as well as the revolutionary.

The state of Pennsylvania has 3.5 million people of German ancestry. They were pulled by the attractions of land and religious freedom, and pushed out of Europe by shortages of land and religious. Many arrived seeking religious or, others for economic opportunities greater than those in Europe, and others for the chance to start fresh in the New World. The arrivals before 1850 were mostly farmers who sought out the most productive land, where their intensive farming techniques would pay off. After 1840, many came to cities, where 'Germania'—German-speaking districts—soon emerged. German Americans established the first in the United States, introduced the tradition, and introduced popular foods such as and to America. The great majority of people with some German ancestry have become and hardly can be distinguished; fewer than 5% speak German.

German-American societies abound, as do celebrations that are held throughout the country to celebrate German heritage of which the in is one of the most well-known and is held every third Saturday in September. Traditional and the are popular festivities. There are major annual events in cities with German heritage including,,,,, and. Contents • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • History [ ] The Germans included many quite distinct subgroups with differing religious and cultural values. Lutherans and Catholics typically opposed Yankee moralizing programs such as the prohibition of beer, and favored paternalistic families with the husband deciding the family position on public affairs. They generally opposed women's suffrage but this was used as argument in favor of suffrage when German Americans became pariahs during World War I.

This short guide shall make your adoption to German culture, customs, manners and etiquette easier. German culture prizes forward thinking and knowing what one will be doing at a specific time on a specific day well. Careful planning, in one's business and personal life, provides a sense of security. Emphasizing national culture, falling prey to potent psychological biases in cross-cultural perception, as well as potentially. A typical example dubiously promises to instruct its readers How to Nego- tiate Anything. A Dutch or German negotiator will choose his words carefully so that his counterparts will un- derstand.

On the other hand, there were Protestant groups that emerged from European pietism such as the German Methodist and United Brethren; they more closely resembled the Yankee Methodists in their moralism. Colonial era [ ] The first English settlers arrived at Jamestown, Virginia in 1607, and were accompanied by the first German American, Dr. Johannes Fleischer. He was followed in 1608 by five glassmakers and three carpenters or house builders. The first permanent German settlement in what became the United States was, founded near on October 6, 1683. In an oil painting by, 1794, was the first of the dynasty and the first millionaire in the United States, making his fortune in the fur trade and New York City real estate.

Large numbers of Germans migrated from the 1680s to 1760s, with Pennsylvania the favored destination. They migrated to America for a variety of reasons. Involved worsening opportunities for farm ownership in central Europe, persecution of some religious groups, and military conscription; were better economic conditions, especially the opportunity to own land, and religious freedom. Often immigrants paid for their passage by selling their labor for a period of years as. Large sections of,, and the of Virginia attracted Germans. Most were or; many belonged to small religious sects such as the and.

Did not arrive in number until after the War of 1812. Palatines [ ] In 1709, Protestant Germans from the Pfalz or region of Germany escaped conditions of hardship, traveling first to Rotterdam and then to London., helped them get to her colonies in America. The trip was long and difficult to survive because of the poor quality of food and water aboard ships and the infectious disease.

Many immigrants, particularly children, died before reaching America in June 1710. The Palatine immigration of about 2100 people who survived was the largest single immigration to America in the colonial period. Most were first settled along the in work camps, to pay off their passage. By 1711, seven villages had been established in New York on the manor. In 1723 Germans became the first Europeans allowed to buy land in the west of.

One hundred homesteads were allocated in the Burnetsfield Patent. By 1750, the Germans occupied a strip some 12 miles (19 km) long along both sides of the. The soil was excellent; some 500 houses were built, mostly of stone, and the region prospered in spite of Indian raids. Was the best-known of the German settlements in a region long known as the 'German Flats'. They kept to themselves, married their own, spoke German, attended Lutheran churches, and retained their own customs and foods. They emphasized farm ownership. Some mastered English to become conversant with local legal and business opportunities.

They tolerated slavery (although few were rich enough to own a slave). The most famous of the early German Palatine immigrants was editor, who led the fight in colonial New York City for freedom of the press in America. A later immigrant,, who came from Baden after the Revolutionary War, became the richest man in America from his fur trading empire and real estate investments in New York. Louisiana [ ]. This section needs additional citations for. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (October 2017) () organized the first colonization of Louisiana with German immigrants.

Of the over 5,000 Germans initially immigrating primarily from the Alsace Region as few as 500 made up the first wave of immigrants to leave France en route to the Americas. Less than 150 of those first indentured German farmers made it to Louisiana and settled along what became known as the German Coast.

With tenacity, determination and the leadership of D'arensburg these Germans felled trees, cleared land, and cultivated the soil with simple hand tools as draft animals were not available. The German coast settlers supplied the budding City of New Orleans with corn, rice, eggs and meat for many years following.

The settled thousands of German pioneers in during 1721. It encouraged Germans, particularly Germans of the region who had recently fallen under French rule, and the to immigrate. Was sold to France within the greater context of the (1618–1648). The traveled ( and Louisiana) in the early 1700s. His letter said 'these 9,000 Germans, who were raised in the Palatinate (Alsace part of France) were in.

The Germans left Arkansas en masse. They went to and demanded passage to Europe. The Mississippi Company gave the Germans rich lands on the right bank of the about 25 miles (40 km) above New Orleans. The area is now known as 'the German Coast'.' A thriving population of Germans lived upriver from,, known as the. They were attracted to the area through pamphlets such as J. Hanno Deiler's 'Louisiana: A Home for German Settlers'.

Was the first German born US Senator (Missouri, 1868) and later US Secretary of the Interior Southeast [ ] Two waves of German colonists in 1714 and 1717 founded a large colony in called, located near modern-day. Virginia Lieutenant Governor, taking advantage of the, had bought land in present-day and encouraged German immigration by advertising in for to move to Virginia and establish a mining industry in the colony. The name 'Germanna', selected by Governor, reflected both the German immigrants who sailed across the Atlantic to Virginia and the British Queen,, who was in power at the time of the first settlement at Germanna. In, German living around purchased nearly 100,000 acres (400 km 2) from (one of the British Lords Proprietor) in the of in 1753. They established German settlements on that tract, especially in the area around what is now. They also founded the transitional settlement of, translated as House of Passage, the first planned Moravian community in North Carolina, in 1759.

Soon after, the German Moravians founded the town of in 1766 (now a historical section in the center of Winston-Salem) and (an early female college) in 1772. In the, Germans mainly from the region settled in Savannah, St. Simon's Island and in the 1730s and 1740s. They were actively recruited by and quickly distinguished themselves through improved farming, advanced -construction, and leading joint Lutheran--Reformed religious services for the colonists.

German immigrants also settled in other areas of the American South, including around the Dutch (Deutsch) Fork area of, and, especially in the area. New England [ ] Between 1742 and 1753, roughly 1,000 Germans settled in Broad Bay, Massachusetts (now ). Many of the colonists fled to,,, and after their houses were burned and their neighbors killed or carried into captivity.

The Germans who remained found it difficult to survive on farming, and eventually turned to the shipping and fishing industries. Pennsylvania [ ]. Main article: The tide of German immigration to swelled between 1725 and 1775, with immigrants arriving as or indentured servants. By 1775, Germans constituted about one-third of the population of the state. German farmers were renowned for their highly productive animal husbandry and agricultural practices. Politically, they were generally inactive until 1740, when they joined a -led coalition that took control of the legislature, which later supported the.

Despite this, many of the German settlers were during the Revolution, possibly because they feared their royal land grants would be taken away by a new republican government, or because of loyalty to a British German monarchy who had provided the opportunity to live in a liberal society. The Germans, comprising,,,, and other sects, developed a rich religious life with a strong musical culture. Collectively, they came to be known as the (from Deutsch). Etymologically, the word Dutch originates from the Old High German word 'diutisc' (from 'diot' 'people'), referring to the Germanic 'language of the people' as opposed to Latin, the language of the learned (see also ). Only later did the word come to refer to the people who spoke the language.

Other Germanic language variants for 'deutsch/deitsch/dutch' are: Dutch 'Duits' and ', Yiddish ', Danish/Norwegian 'tysk', or Swedish '.' The Japanese 'doitzu' also derives from the aforementioned 'Dutch' variations.

There were few German Catholics in Pennsylvania before the 1810s. The brothers, forefathers of the wagon and automobile makers, arrived in Pennsylvania in 1736 from the famous blade town of.

With their skills, they made wagons that carried the frontiersmen westward; their cannons provided the with artillery in the, and their automobile company became one of the largest in America, although never eclipsing the 'Big Three', and was a factor in the and in the industrial foundations of the Army. When the American Revolutionary War broke out, Britain made arrangements with German princes to hire some 30,000 to fight against the American army. The largest group came from the country of, and the soldiers are often referred to as. Many became prisoners on American farms, some of whom permanently settled in America. From names in the 1790 U.S.

Census, historians estimate Germans constituted nearly 9% of the white population in the United States. 19th century [ ]. 'From the Old to the New World' shows German emigrants boarding a steamer in Hamburg, to New York. Harper's Weekly, (New York) November 7, 1874 'Latin farmer' or is the designation of several settlements founded by some of the and other refugees from Europe after rebellions like the beginning in the 1830s—predominantly in Texas and Missouri, but also in other US states—in which German intellectuals (,: Freidenker, and ) met together to devote themselves to the,, science,, and the. A prominent representative of this generation of immigrants was who lived most of the time until his death in.

Main article: A few came in. Free Ringtone Download Directly To Phone Chuko Ji. The largest numbers arrived after 1820, especially in the mid-19th century.

They spread across the North and South (and California, where arrived in 1853. They formed small German-Jewish communities in cities and towns. They typically were local and regional merchants selling clothing; others were livestock dealers, agricultural commodity traders, bankers, and operators of local businesses., who founded in Alabama, was a particularly prominent example of such a German-Jewish immigrant. They formed and sponsored numerous local and national philanthropic organizations, such as. This German-speaking group is quite distinct from the Yiddish-speaking East-European Jews who arrived in much larger numbers starting in the late 19th century and concentrated in New York. Seaboard cities [ ] The port cities of, and had large populations. Cities of the Midwest [ ] The cities of,,, were favored destinations of German immigrants.

Also, the area along the was a favored destination. By 1900, the populations of the cities of,, and were all more than 40% German American. And had even larger proportions, as did, Nebraska, where the proportion of German Americans was 57% in 1910. In many other cities of the, such as, German Americans were at least 30% of the population. By 1850 there were 5,000 Germans, mostly living in, and around,. Many concentrations acquired distinctive names suggesting their heritage, such as the ' district in Cincinnati and ' in Columbus, Ohio. A favorite destination was, known as 'the German '.

Radical Germans trained in politics in the old country dominated the city's. Skilled workers dominated many crafts, while entrepreneurs created the brewing industry; the most famous brands included,,, and. Whereas half of German immigrants settled in cities, the other half established farms in the. From Ohio to the Plains states, a heavy presence persists in rural areas into the 21st century.

Deep South [ ] Few German immigrants settled in the, apart from, the, and. The in served as a German-American school.

Texas attracted many Germans who entered through and, both those who came to farm, and later immigrants who more rapidly took industrial jobs in cities such as Houston. As in, Germans in Houston built the brewing industry.

By the 1920s, the first generation of college-educated German Americans were moving into the chemical and oil industries. Texas had about 20,000 German Americans in the 1850s. They did not form a uniform bloc, but were highly diverse and drew from geographic areas and all sectors of European society, except that very few aristocrats or upper middle class businessmen arrived.

In this regard, Texas Germania was a microcosm of the Germania nationwide. The Germans who settled Texas were diverse in many ways.

They included peasant farmers and intellectuals; Protestants, Catholics, Jews, and atheists; Prussians, Saxons, and Hessians; abolitionists and slave owners; farmers and townsfolk; frugal, honest folk and ax murderers. They differed in dialect, customs, and physical features. A majority had been farmers in Germany, and most arrived seeking economic opportunities. A few dissident intellectuals fleeing the 1848 revolutions sought political freedom, but few, save perhaps the Wends, went for religious freedom. The German settlements in Texas reflected their diversity. Even in the confined area of the Hill Country, each valley offered a different kind of German. The Llano valley had stern, teetotaling German Methodists, who renounced dancing and fraternal organizations; the Pedernales valley had fun-loving, hardworking Lutherans and Catholics who enjoyed drinking and dancing; and the Guadalupe valley had freethinking Germans descended from intellectual political refugees.

The scattered German ethnic islands were also diverse. These small enclaves included Lindsay in Cooke County, largely Westphalian Catholic; Waka in Ochiltree County, Midwestern Mennonite; Hurnville in Clay County, Russian German Baptist; and Lockett in Wilbarger County, Wendish Lutheran. Germans from Russia [ ].

Temporary quarters for in central Kansas, 1875 were the most traditional of German-speaking arrivals. [ ] They were Germans who had lived for generations throughout the, but especially along the in Russia and near the. Their ancestors had come from all over the German-speaking world, invited by in 1762 and 1763 to settle and introduce more advanced German agriculture methods to rural Russia.

They had been promised by the manifesto of their settlement the ability to practice their respective Christian denominations, retain their culture and language, and retain immunity from conscription for them and their descendants. As time passed, the Russian monarchy gradually eroded the ethnic German population's relative autonomy. Conscription eventually was reinstated; this was especially harmful to the Mennonites, who practice pacifism. Throughout the 19th century, pressure increased from the Russian government to culturally assimilate. Many Germans from Russia found it necessary to emigrate to avoid conscription and preserve their culture. About 100,000 immigrated by 1900, settling primarily in the Dakotas, Kansas and Nebraska. The southern central part of North Dakota was known as 'the German-Russian triangle'.

A smaller number moved farther west, finding employment as ranchers and cowboys. Negatively influenced by the violation of their rights and cultural persecution by the, the Germans from Russia who settled in the northern saw themselves a downtrodden ethnic group separate from Russian Americans and having an entirely different experience from the German Americans who had emigrated from German lands; they settled in tight-knit communities that retained their German language and culture. They raised large families, built German-style churches, buried their dead in distinctive cemeteries using cast iron grave markers, and created choir groups that sang German church hymns. Many farmers specialized in sugar beets—still a major crop in the upper Great Plains. During World War I, their identity was challenged.

By the end of World War II, the German language, which had always been used with English for public and official matters, was in serious decline. Today, German is preserved mainly through singing groups and recipes, with the Germans from Russia in the northern Great Plains states speaking predominantly English. German remains the second most spoken language in North and South Dakota, and Germans from Russia often use, such as Kuchen for cake. Despite the loss of their language, the ethnic group remains distinct, and has left a lasting impression on the American West.

Civil War [ ]. Main article: Sentiment among German Americans was largely anti-slavery, especially among Forty-Eighters.

Notable Forty-Eighter wrote passionately against slavery and was very pro-Lincoln. Raster published anti-slavery pamphlets and was the editor of the most influential German language newspaper in America at the time. He helped secure the votes of German-Americans across the United States for Abraham Lincoln. When Raster died the published an article regarding his service as a correspondent for America to the German states saying, 'His writings during and after the Civil War did more to create understanding and appreciation of the American situation in Germany and to float U.S. Bonds in Europe than the combined efforts of all the U.S. Ministers and consuls.'

Hundreds of thousands of German Americans volunteered to fight for the in the (1861–1865). The Germans were the largest immigrant group to participate in the Civil War; over 176,000 U.S. Soldiers were born in Germany. A popular Union commander among Germans, Major General was the highest-ranking German officer in the, with many German immigrants claiming to enlist to 'fight mit Sigel'. Signing a soldier's cast (Belgium, 1944). Between 1931 and 1940, 114,000 Germans moved to the United States, many of whom—including Nobel prize winner and author —were or fleeing government oppression.

About 25,000 people became paying members of the pro-Nazi during the years before the war. German aliens were the subject of suspicion and discrimination during the war, although prejudice and sheer numbers meant they suffered as a group generally less than. The required 300,000 German-born resident aliens who had German citizenship to register with the Federal government and restricted their travel and property ownership rights. Under the still active, the United States government between 1940 and 1948. Civil rights violations occurred. An unknown number of 'voluntary internees' joined their spouses and parents in the camps and were not permitted to leave.

President sought out Americans of German ancestry for top war jobs, including General, Admiral, and General. He appointed Republican as a personal representative. German Americans who had fluent German language skills were an important asset to wartime intelligence, and they served as translators and as spies for the United States. The war evoked strong pro-American patriotic sentiments among German Americans, few of whom by then had contacts with distant relatives in the old country. Number of German Americans Year Number 1980. Parking meter checker stands by his police vehicle which is imprinted with the German word for police (Polizei). It is part of the town's highlighting its German ethnic origins., July 1974.

In the aftermath of World War II, millions of from their homes within the redrawn borders of Central and Eastern Europe, including the Soviet Union,,,, and. Most resettled in Germany, but others came as to the United States in the late 1940s, and established cultural centers in their new homes. Some, for instance, who had maintained language and customs after settlement along the in Hungary, later Yugoslavia (now ), immigrated to the U.S. After the war. After 1970, anti-German sentiment aroused by World War II faded away. Today, German Americans who immigrated after World War II share the same characteristics as any other Western European immigrant group in the U.S.

They are mostly professionals and academics who have come for professional reasons. Since the collapse of the Soviet Union and reunification, Germany has become a preferred destination for immigrants rather than a source of migrating peoples. German newspapers in North America, 1922 As for any immigrant population, the development of a foreign-language press helped immigrants more easily learn about their new home, maintain connections to their native land, and unite immigrant communities. By the late 19th century, Germania published over 800 regular publications. The most prestigious daily newspapers, such as the, the in St. Louis, and the in Chicago, promoted middle-class values and encouraged German ethnic loyalty among their readership.

The Germans were proud of their language, supported many German-language public and private schools, and conducted their church services in German. They published at least two-thirds of all foreign language newspapers in the U.S. The papers were owned and operated in the U.S., with no control from Germany. As Wittke emphasizes, press. It was 'essentially an American press published in a foreign tongue.' The papers reported on major political and diplomatic events involving Germany, with pride but from the viewpoint of its American readers.

For example, during the latter half of the 19th century, at least 176 different German-language publications began operations in the city of Cincinnati alone. Many of these publications folded within a year, while a select few, such as the, lasted nearly a century. Other cities experienced similar turnover among immigrant publications, especially from opinion press, which published little news and focused instead on editorial commentary. By the end of the 19th century, there were over 800 German-language publications in the United States. German immigration was on the decline, however, and with subsequent generations integrating into English-speaking society, the German language press began to struggle. The periodicals that managed to survive in immigrant communities faced an additional challenge with during World War I and with the and, which authorized censorship of foreign language newspapers. Also had a destabilizing impact on the German immigrant communities upon which the German-language publications relied.

By 1920, there were only 278 German language publications remaining in the country. After 1945, only a few publications have been started. One example is (Kutztown, PA), the nation's only newspaper, which was established in 1997.

Athletics [ ] Germans brought organized gymnastics to America, and were strong supporters of sports programs. They used sport both to promote ethnic identity and pride and to facilitate integration into American society.

Beginning in the mid-19th century, the movement offered exercise and sports programs, while also providing a social haven for the thousands of new German immigrants arriving in the United States each year. Another highly successful German sports organization was the basketball team, winners of 762 games (against only 85 losses) in the early years of the 20th century. These examples, and others, reflect the evolving place of sport in the assimilation and socialization of much of the German-American population. Religion [ ]. This 1850 census map shows the Lutheran population. Nearly all were German, since few Scandinavians had arrived yet. German immigrants who arrived before the 19th century tended to have been members of the Evangelical Lutheran Churches in Germany, and created the Lutheran Synods of Pennsylvania, North Carolina and New York.

The largest Lutheran denominations in the U.S. Today—the, the, and the —are all descended from churches started by German immigrants among others. Germans founded the (especially in New York and Pennsylvania), and the (strongest in the Midwest), which is now part of the. Many immigrants joined different churches from those that existed in Germany. Protestants often joined the church.

In the 1740s, tried to unite all the German-speaking Christians—(Lutheran, Reformed, and Separatists)—into one 'Church of God in the Spirit'. The in America is one of the results of this effort, as are the many 'Union' churches in rural Pennsylvania. Before 1800, communities of,, and had formed and are still in existence today.

The Old Order Amish and a majority of the still speak dialects of German, including Pennsylvania German, informally known as. The Amish, who were originally from southern Germany and Switzerland, arrived in Pennsylvania during the early 18th century.

Amish immigration to the United States reached its peak between the years 1727 and 1770. Religious freedom was perhaps the most pressing cause for Amish immigration to Pennsylvania, which became known as a haven for persecuted religious groups. The Hutterites are another example of a group of German Americans who continue a lifestyle similar to that of their ancestors. Like the Amish, they fled persecution for their religious beliefs, and came to the United States between 1874 and 1879. Today, Hutterites mostly reside in,, and, and the western provinces of Canada.

Hutterites continue to speak. Most are able to understand Standard German in addition to their dialect. The German speaking migrated during the same time as the Hutterites, but assimilated relatively quickly in the United States, whereas groups of 'Russian' Mennonites in Canada resisted assimilation. Immigrants from Germany in the mid-to-late-19th century brought many different religions with them. The most numerous were Lutheran or, although the Lutherans were themselves split among different groups.

The more conservative Lutherans comprised the Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod and the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. Other Lutherans formed various synods, most of which merged with Scandinavian-based synods in 1988, forming the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Catholic Germans started immigrating in large numbers in the mid to latter 19th century, spurred in particular by the. Some 19th-century immigrants, especially the 'Forty-Eighters', were secular, rejecting formal religion. About 250,000 German Jews had arrived by the 1870s, and they sponsored reform synagogues in many small cities across the country. About 2 million Central and Eastern European Jews arrived from the 1880s to 1924, bringing more traditional religious practices.

Language [ ] German speakers in the US Year Speakers 1910 2,759,032 1920 2,267,128 1930 2,188,006 1940 1,589,040 1960 1,332,399 1970 1,201,535 1980 1,586,593 1990 1,547,987 2000 1,383,442 2007 1,104,354 Foreign-born population only After two or three generations, most German Americans adopted mainstream American customs — some of which they heavily influenced — and switched their language to English. As one scholar concludes, 'The overwhelming evidence. Indicates that the German-American school was a bilingual one much (perhaps a whole generation or more) earlier than 1917, and that the majority of the pupils may have been English-dominant bilinguals from the early 1880s on.' By 1914, the older members attended German-language church services, while younger ones attended English services (in Lutheran, Evangelical and Catholic churches). In German parochial schools, the children spoke English among themselves, though some of their classes were in German. In 1917–18, after the US entry into World War I on the side of the British, nearly all German language instruction ended, as did most German-language church services.

About 1.5 million Americans speak German at home, according to the 2000 census. From 1860–1917, German was widely spoken in German neighborhoods; see. There is a false belief, called the, that German was almost the official language of the U.S. There was never any such proposal. Has no, but use of German was strongly discouraged during World War I and fell out of daily use in many places. There were fierce battles in Wisconsin and Illinois around 1890 regarding proposals to stop the use of German as the primary language in public and parochial schools.

The was a highly controversial state law passed in in 1889 that required the use of English to teach major subjects in all public and private elementary and high schools. It affected the state's many German-language private schools (and some Norwegian schools), and was bitterly resented by German American communities.

The German Catholics and Lutherans each operated large networks of in the state. Because the language used in the classroom was German, the law meant the teachers would have to be replaced with bilingual teachers, and in most cases shut down. The Germans formed a coalition between Catholics and Lutherans, under the leadership of the Democratic Party, and the language issue produced a landslide for the Democrats, as Republicans dropped the issue until World War I. By 1917, almost all schools taught in English, but courses in German were common in areas with large German populations. These courses were permanently dropped. Assimilation [ ] 'Assimilation' in this context means the steady loss of distinctive characteristics (especially language), as the Germans melted into a common American nationality.

By 1910 German Americans had created their own distinctive, vibrant, prosperous German-language communities, called 'Germania'. According to historian Walter Kamphoefner, a 'number of big cities introduced German into their public school programs'.,, and other cities 'had what we now call two-way immersion programs: school taught half in German, half in English'. This was a tradition which continued 'all the way down to World War I.' According to Kamphoefner, German 'was in a similar position as the Spanish language is in the 20th and 21st century'; it 'was by far the most widespread foreign language, and whoever was the largest group was at a definite advantage in getting its language into the public sphere.'

Kamphoefner has come across evidence that as late as 1917, a German version of 'The Star-Spangled Banner' was still being sung in public schools in Indianapolis. The transition to the English language was abrupt, forced by the federal government during World War One. After 1917 the was seldom heard in public; most newspapers and magazines closed; churches and parochial schools switched to English. Film critic wrote how 'I could hear the pain in my German-American father's voice as he recalled being yanked out of Lutheran school during World War I and forbidden by his immigrant parents ever to speak German again'. Youth increasingly attended high schools, where they mingled, in English, and dated (and later married) people of other ethnicities.

The Catholic high schools were deliberately structured to commingle ethnic groups so as to promote intermarriage. German-speaking taverns, beer gardens and saloons were all shut down by prohibition; those that reopened in 1933 spoke English. By the 1940s Germania had largely vanished outside remote areas and the Germans were thoroughly assimilated.

Historians have tried to explain what became of the German Americans and their descendents. Kazal (2004) looks at Germans in, focusing on four ethnic subcultures: middle-class Vereinsdeutsche, working-class socialists, Lutherans, and Catholics. Each group followed a somewhat distinctive path toward assimilation.

Lutherans, and the better situated Vereinsdeutsche with whom they often overlapped, after World War I abandoned the last major German characteristics and redefined themselves as old stock or as 'Nordic' Americans, stressing their colonial roots in Pennsylvania and distancing themselves from more recent immigrants. On the other hand, working-class and Catholic Germans, groups that heavily overlapped, lived and worked with and other European ethnics; they also gave up German characteristics but came to identify themselves as white ethnics, distancing themselves above all from recent arrivals in nearby neighborhoods. Well before World War I, women in particular were becoming more and more involved in a mass consumer culture that lured them out of their German-language neighborhood shops and into English language downtown department stores. The 1920s and 1930s brought English language popular culture via movies and radio that drowned out the few surviving German language venues. Despite this assimilation, it is worth noting that a distinct German American ethnicity survived well into the mid-20th century in some places. Writing about the town of, Jennifer Ludden discusses Mel Grulke, who was born in 1941, with German his first language at home; 'Grulke's great-grandparents immigrated to the U.S.

In the late 1880s, yet three generations later, his farmer parents still spoke German at home, attended German language church services and chatted in German with shopkeepers when they brought their farm eggs into town to sell'. Bethany Lutheran Church in Hustisford offered German-language services into the 1970s.

Homer Rudolf, a man from North Dakota of descent, stated in 2004 that his maternal grandmother, who died in 1980 at the age of 90, 'did not learn English'. As recently as 1990, one quarter of North Dakota's households included a German speaker. To this day, relatively unassimilated people of German-speaking heritage can be found in the United States among different groups - the and most speak (or or by a minority of Amish) along with to various degrees (though they are generally fluent in English). All speak and many speak, a German dialect coming originally from the area around. The three Amish dialects as well as Hutterite German are still learned by all children of the group, whereas Plautdietsch-speakers tend much more to assimilate. German American influence [ ]. Germans have contributed to a vast number of areas in American culture and technology., a former officer, led the reorganization of the during the and helped make the victory against British troops possible.

The piano manufacturing firm was founded by immigrant in 1853. German settlers brought the custom and other to the United States. The built large numbers of wagons used during the Western migration; Studebaker, like the brothers, later became an important early automobile manufacturer., a refugee from the unsuccessful first German democratic became an influential politician first in the Republican then in the Democratic party, and served as U.S.. After World War II,, and most of the leading engineers from the former German V-2 rocket base at, were brought to the U.S. They contributed decisively to the development of U.S. Military rockets, as well as rockets for the space program and the initiation of the to land on the Moon. Similarly, fellow German aviation technologist, the former top aviation technologist within Reichsmarschall 's during World War II, was brought to the United States through a similar path to von Braun, and served as a civilian employee of the for over twenty years.

The influence of is seen in the throughout the country, especially regarding pastries, meats and sausages, and above all, beer. (or 'wieners', originating from and, respectively),,,, and are common dishes. German bakers introduced the, which is popular across the United States. Germans introduced America to, the most-produced beer style in the United States, and have been the dominant ethnic group in the industry since 1850. The oldest extant brewery in the United States is of (approximately 80 miles northwest of Philadelphia), founded in 1829 by an immigrant from in what is today; the brewery's flagship product remains a 19th-century German-style amber lager.

By the late 19th century,, with a large population of German origin, was once the home to four of the world's largest breweries owned by ethnic Germans (Schlitz, Blatz, Pabst, and Miller) and was the number one beer producing city in the world for many years. Almost half of all current beer sales in the United States can be attributed to German immigrants, Capt. Pabst, Eberhard Anheuser, and Adolphus Busch, who founded in in 1860.

Later German immigrants figured prominently in the rebirth of craft brews following, culminating in the movement that swept the U.S. Beginning in the late 1980s. German and German-American celebrations, such as,, and are held regularly throughout the country. One of the largest is the in New York City, held every third Saturday in September.

There are also major annual events in Chicago's neighborhood, a traditional a center of the city's German population, in, where its annual is the largest outside of Germany and in Milwaukee, which celebrates its German heritage with an annual. Many of the immigrants from Germany and other German-speaking countries came to Pennsylvania to what was then ' (now part of the of the City of ). So many German speakers arrived, the area became known as ' and has been revived as such. Within Deutschtown and since 1854, has been promoting and furthering German cultural traditions., the most popular in Germany, is also played in areas of the United States with large German American populations, such as and.

Education [ ] The following German international schools are in operation in the United States, serving German citizens, Americans, and other U.S. Residents: • • • • • Notable people [ ]. For a more comprehensive list, see. German Americans have been influential in almost every field in American society, including science, architecture, business, sports, entertainment, theology, politics, and the military.

Many of these individuals were or anti-Nazis who fleed Nazi oppression. German American general/flag military officers,,,,, and commanded the in the,,,,, and the, respectively. German Americans were famous American politicians, including,,,,,,,, and. Many German Americans have played a prominent role in American industry and business, including (), (), (), (), () and (), (), and (), (), (), (), (), (), (), () and (), (), (), (), (), (), (), (), and (), (), (), (), (), (), (), (), () and (), (), and ( ), ( ), ( ), ( ) etc. German Americans were pioneers and dominated for much of American history, beginning with breweries founded in the 19th century by German immigrants (), (), (), (), (), (), (), () and (). Some, such as engineer and architects and, left behind visible landmarks. Others, including,,,,,, set intellectual landmarks while was the first human to land on the moon.

Still others, such as,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, and became prominent athletes, actors, film directors or artists. German-American presidents [ ] There have been three presidents whose fathers were of German descent: (original family name Eisenhauer and maternal side is also German/Swiss), (original family name Huber), and (original family name Drumpf). Presidents with maternal German ancestry include (Nixon's maternal ancestors were Germans who anglicized Melhausen to Milhous) and, whose maternal family's ancestry includes German immigrants from the South German town of and from in the region that is nowadays part of France; both families came to America around 1750. See also [ ]. • Adams, Willi Paul. • Bank, Michaela.

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• Barry, Colman J. The Catholic Church and German Americans. • Bronner, Simon J. And Joshua R.

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• Coburn, Carol K. Life at Four Corners: Religion, Gender, and Education in a German-Lutheran Community, 1868–1945. • Conzen, Kathleen Neils. 'Germans' in Stephan Thernstrom (ed.). Harvard Encyclopedia of American Ethnic Groups. • Conzen, Kathleen Neils. Germans in Minnesota.

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2 vol (1909)., • Fogleman, Aaron. Hopeful Journeys: German Immigration, Settlement, and Political Culture in Colonial America, 1717–1775 (University of Pennsylvania Press, 1996) • '. The Economist February 7, 2015, With a statistical map by counties •.. (2010, updated continually) • Gross, Stephen John.

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Madison:, (2000). 1 Poles came to the United States legally as Austrians, Germans, Prussians or Russians throughout the 19th century, because from 1772–1795 till 1918, all Polish lands between imperial Austria, Prussia (a protoplast of Germany) and Russia until Poland regained its sovereignty in the wake of World War I. 2 Russia is a in Eastern Europe and Northern Asia. The vast majority of its population (80%) lives in, therefore Russia as a whole is included as a European country here.

3 are the American people from the former. 4 is a transcontinental country in the Middle East and Southeast Europe. Has a small part of its territory (3%) in called.

5 and are transcontinental countries. They have a small part of their territories in the European part of the. 6 is technically a country, having a small portion in European hands. 7 Disputed; have recognized origins and historic ties to Asia (specifically to Northern India), but they experienced at least some distinctive identity development while in among Europeans.

Welcome to our helpful guide for Germany. Should you be looking to travel, live, relocate or do business in the sovereign state, we will give you a helpful head start on understanding the country and its cultures. Facts & statistics Germany (officially the Federal Republic of Germany) is a country in Western-Central Europe, and as its full name suggests is a confederation of different constituent states, 16 to be exact. Germany is considered a great power in the modern world, and currently has the world’s 4 th or 5 th largest economy.

It is also the second most popular country for immigrants, after the USA. The Capital: Berlin Main Cities: Hamburg, Munich, Cologne Population: 82.2 million Size: 357,168 sq km (137,847 sq miles) Major Religion: Christianity Main Language: German Climate: Temperate seasonal climate Life Expectancy: 79 years (men), 83 years (women) Dialling Code: +49 Emergency Numbers: 110 (Police), 112 (fire and ambulance) Local culture The culture of Germany is largely defined by the cultures of the constituent states of which it is formed, as well as the other prevalent cultures within Europe. Germany has its origins in the various Germanic tribes that populated the region during the classical era. By the 10 th century, most of Germany had become part of the Holy Roman Empire, until its dissolution in the 19 th century.

Germany as we know it today first came into existence in 1871 when the German states, under the leadership of Prussia, unified into s single country. Germany has also played a major part in the development of Christianity throughout the Western world, with the protestant reformation initiated by Martin Luther having its origins in the northern German regions. Germany has been home to some of the most popular and influential writers, artists, musicians and philosophers in the history of Western civilisation, including Rubens, Bach, Handel, Beethoven, Goethe, Kant, Nietzsche, and the Brothers Grimm, to name but a few. Clothing German dress is typically Western, and in a business context, dark and simple suits with shirts and ties are the norm. Germany does also have a rich heritage of traditional dress, with significant variation throughout the different parts of the country. Perhaps the most famous of these are the costumes traditionally associated with the state of Bavaria, in the south of the country. This costume typically includes Lederhosen for men: leather trousers which end above the knee.

For women, the famous outfit is known as the Dirndl, a traditional type of dress incorporating a bodice, blouse, full skirt and an apron. These sorts of traditional costumes will generally only be seen in tourist areas or during celebrations, such as the popular Oktoberfest.

The German Language The official language of Germany is, perhaps unsurprisingly, German. German is from the West Germanic family of languages, which also includes Dutch, Afrikaans and English, and is also a major language in Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg and Belgium, amongst others. The German language has also been influenced by the languages of other European countries, including English and French. In recent history, more and more English words are entering into or affecting the German lexicon, and such terms are commonly referred to as “Denglisch”. The German language has also itself had an impact on many other languages. For example, here are some words commonly used in English that are German in origin: • Aspirin • Deli • Doppelganger • Abseil • Poltergeist • Rucksack • Seltzer • Eiderdown • Bagel • Hamster Etiquette & customs One of the core principles of German life is organisation. German people pride themselves on being highly organised, both in their professional and personal lives and in maintaining a balance between the 2.

As such, a respect for rules and laws in Germany goes without saying. One thing that often catches out foreign visitors is the rules on jay-walking, which are often strictly enforced and can result in on-the-spot fines if you cross the road somewhere other than at a designated pedestrian crossing. In Germany, work and personal lives are generally kept quite separate, and therefore if you are invited to a dinner or a social gathering with colleagues, it may not be appropriate to try and use the occasion as an opportunity to continue discussing business. German houses are generally considered part of the sphere of private, rather than personal life, so if you are in the country on business, it would be unusual for you to be invited to someone’s home.

If you are invited over for a meal, then make sure to arrive on time, as punctuality indicates respect and good organisation. It would also be a good idea to bring a small gift, such as flowers, wine or chocolates. Expect any gifts you give to be opened straight away.

Religion The majority religion in Germany is Christianity, with about two thirds of the population adhering to Protestantism and one third to Roman Catholicism. As mentioned, Germany is the home and centre of the protestant reformation, a major schism from the Catholic Church, and ever since Protestantism has been by far the most popular religion in the country. Advice for doing business in Germany Introductions When meeting Germans for the first time in a business context, short and firm handshakes are the normal greeting.

Make sure you maintain eye contact throughout, though avoid staring for uncomfortably long. German people set great store by titles and qualifications, so if someone does have a doctorate or a degree, make sure you refer to them as DR. Or whatever their title may be. This point is also worth bearing in mind for business cards – the more letters you can put after your name the more impressed your German colleagues will be. Business Meetings Plan meetings well in advance, so that people have time to work them into their schedules and do any necessary preparatory work. Punctuality is very important in Germany, so make sure that you arrive on time and ready to start. Being early could be considered as much of a misstep as being late, as it shows poor planning, so do not arrive more than a few minutes before the scheduled time.

Germans like to analyse and review information in detail before coming to a decision. Make sure you have plenty of facts and information prepared to aid this process and to support the points that you are trying to make. Be patient, and do not try to rush people to make a decision, as they may feel that you are being overly aggressive and trying to circumvent the application of proper process and procedure. Also, avoid surprising German colleagues with unexpected information or a change in direction, as in doing so you would be taking away their opportunity to plan how to deal with the topic, which will not make you any friends.

Advice and tips for relocating to Germany Germany is the second most popular country in the world for immigrants, with its h3 economy and burgeoning culture acting as major draws for expats. If you are thinking of relocating to Germany, then here are a few useful tips that may come in handy: If you are moving to Germany, then it is possible you may want to bring a lot of your stuff with you. If this is the case, then be aware that your possessions, including cars and electronics, will be expected to conform to the letter to all the rules and regulations that govern them, so you may need to get things modified to meet the standards. Visa requirements for moving to Germany vary from country to country.

Germany is part of the EU and the Schengen Area, and as such nationals from other EU member states do not need a visa to enter the country. If you are planning to stay in the country for more than 90 days, then you must register at your local registration office (Einwohnermeldeamt) within the first 2 weeks after your arrival. If you move to a different municipality within the country, you will also need to go through this registration process again in the new location. You also need to de-register when you leave.