Kapitel 1: "How German is American"

How German is American

     The article "How German is American" was written by the Max Kade Institute. The overall point of this article was to inform the readers of the many German influences on America. Between about 1840 and 1914, the majority of the seven million German speakers emigrated to the United States. These immigrants typically settled in the Upper Midwest states because they felt as though these lands were the closest resemblance to their homes in Europe. German-speakers came to America because they felt as though there was greater financial security and they wanted land that they could pass on to their children. To make themselves feel more like a community, shortly after they arrived, the immigrants started organizing institutions with a focus on the community life. These institutions included things like local clubs and religious congregations. These religious congregations became the center of attention in the nineteenth century and were used as the general meeting place for things such as religious, cultural, and social activities.

       I found this article to be extremely informative and interesting. I was completely unaware of the strong influence that the German culture had on America. Many of their traditions, cuisine, and religion are being used by American culture. For example, "beer, sausages, and pretzels have become standard features not only of local cuisine but also in such mainstream American settings as the ballpark, where fans chomp and swallow while cheering on the Cubs, Reds, and Cardinals" (Max Kade Institution 26). Something I found to be very interesting was that the artist and caricaturist that created the American icon Santa Claus, Thomas Nast, was born in Germany.

      Immigrants from Germany were very focused on education and during the twentieth century, many Americans learned how to speak in German. Children were taught how to read and write in German during the school day. Many German ideas for educational reform regarding higher education for girls, early-childhood education, and the need for a teacher to be certified was more widely accepted in America than it was in many parts of Central Europe.

     My favorite part of the article was when they talked about how the story of Bambi was first published and written in Germany. When I was younger this was by far my favorite story and movie. I found it extremely interesting to find out that the author Felix Salten had originally intended for this novel to be an "adult allegory referring to the growing threats towards European Jews during the World Wars" (Max Kade Institution 43).

     Overall, I really enjoyed this article and the interesting facts about the German-American culture and all the influences they had on the United States. I have a new appreciation for the German immigrants and all the positive things that they brought with them to our nation.



Brennpunkt Kultur

Pg. 11 Greetings and Farewells
The way I greet people compared how Germans great people is very different. I typical say "hello" or "hi" to someone that I bump into. Depending on how close I am with the person I will give them a hug. In German-speaking countries, people have many different ways of saying "hello" and I find it interesting that they shake the persons hand. I only shake someones hand when I am meeting them for the first time. English speaking people typically greet each other the same way no matter what time it is. However, German-speaking countries have a different greeting depending on what time it is during the day. If it is anytime before 11 A.M. in the morning they typically say "Guten Morgen!" meaning "Good Morning!" and "Guten Abend" meaning "Good evening" after sundown. English speaking do say these phrases depending on who they are talking too but in Germany it sounds as if they use these phrases as their general greeting. When I say hello or goodbye to a student it is much different than what I would say to a teacher. With a teacher I am much more formal and professional.

Pg. 16 Titles of Address
When I am greeting my friends I typically just say their first names. When I am greeting my professors I always greet them by saying professor or doctor first and then their last name. Depending on the professor they will usually call me by my first name or first and last name. I always use titles when I am greeting people that are older than me.

Pg. 32 Where German is Spoken
I had no idea how popular the German language is. I was very surprised to find out that an estimated 125 million people are native German speakers. I have never met someone that is a native German speaker but there are many communities around campus that speak German to each other.