Guten Tag

My family came to America from Southern Germany, commonly known as Bavaria. Like most other Americans, I am a mix of several other ethnic groups, however the vast majority of me is German, in fact you could say that I’m uber German. Germans have traditionally been the largest or second largest immigrant group in the United States (Dr. Laura Baker). Unlike many other immigrants, they were met with very little hostility as German immigrants were predominantly white and Protestant (Lescott‐Leszczynski 1984, 9‐15). According to the United States Embassy, “Famous for their practical skills, thrift, hard work, interest in the arts, and enjoyment of good living they have left their mark indelibly on American culture and life.”

Since so many German immigrants arrived in America at the same time as the Industrial Revolution, it is only logical that they played a prominent role in this important stage of America’s economy. The United States Embassy reports that, “The roll call of German-American leaders in business and finance includes names like Astor, Boeing, Chrysler, Firestone, Fleischman, Guggenheim, Heinz, Hershey, Kaiser, Rockefeller, Steinway, Strauss (of-blue jeans fame), Singer (originally Reisinger), Sulzberger, Wanamaker, and Weyerhaueser.”

Perhaps one of the most famous German-Americans is the founder of Budweiser Brewing Company. By introducing the brewery to the economic platform, he forever changed the American economic stance on alcoholic beverages. This changed the industry from a mom-and-pop distillery into an economic powerhouse. Since German immigrants were able to successfully assimilate into the American mainstream, it is almost impossible to separate their contributions to the economic fabric from that of just plain “American.”