German Immigrants?

Question

What kind of problems did Germans encounter when they migrated to the United States?

More specifically, in the time frame of WWI and WWII.

Please include references.

Thank you.

Answer 1

"In 1917–18, nearly all German language instruction ended, as did most (but not all) German language church services."

"During World War I, German Americans, especially those born abroad, were sometimes accused of being too sympathetic to the German Empire. Theodore Roosevelt denounced "hyphenated Americanism" and insisted that dual loyalties were impossible in wartime. A small minority came out for Germany, including H. L. Mencken, who believed the German democratic system was superior to American democracy." ... "Several thousand vocal opponents of the war were imprisoned. [3] Thousands were forced to buy war bonds to show their loyalty. One man was killed in Illinois. Some Germans during this time "Americanized" their names (e.g. Schmidt to Smith) and limited their use of the German language in public places."

"114,000 Germans moved to the United States between 1931 and 1940, many of whom were anti-Nazis fleeing government oppression. [6] About 25,000 people became paying members of the pro-Nazi German American Bund during the years before the war. [7] German Americans who had been born overseas were the subject of some suspicion and discrimination during the war, although prejudice and sheer numbers meant they suffered as a group generally less than Japanese Americans."

"The Alien Registration Act of 1940 required 300,000 German-born U.S. resident aliens to register with the federal government and restricted their travel and property ownership rights. [8] [9] Under the still active Alien Enemy Act of 1798, the United States government interned nearly 11,000 German Americans between 1940 and 1948. Some of these were United States citizens. Civil rights violations occurred. 500 were arrested without warrant. Others were held without charge for months or interrogated without benefit of legal counsel. Convictions were not eligible for appeal. An unknown number of "voluntary internees" joined their spouses and parents in the camps and were not permitted to leave."

"German American", Wikipedia :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/German-American#Assimilation_and_World_War_I

Answer 2

Do none of you babies understand that Saint Nicholas replace into German? Kriss Kringle and right here words have their roots in Gremany: paraffin plunder kindergarten meerschaum streusel torte noodle sauerkraut frankfurter hamburger wiener bratwurst pretzel cookbook rucksack wanderlust iceberg ohm beergarden kaffeeklatsch waltz yodel right here dogs breeds are of German commencing place: Schnauzer, Dachshund, Spitz, Doberman, Poodle, Pincher, German Shepherd, Rottweiler, Weimaraner, German Shorthair. The Amish peoples are of German first rate.

Answer 3

Since you specified the world wars era, you could read about Amerikadeutscher Volksbund, the German American Bund. Many Germans in the US expected America's first language to become German. The ethnic German US population likely had a lot to do with keeping America out of both world wars as late as we did.

Answer 4

German Contribution to the Early History of the USA
Germans in the early history of the USA. ... contribution of German immigrants, whose influence on the USA began in the 1600s. ...www.mckinnonsc.vic.edu.au/la/lote/german/mckinnon/earlyger-usa.htm - 9k - Cached - More from this site
Our German Roots in the USA
... us determine what impact the German immigrant culture had on the ... How did German immigrants and communities positively effect life in the United States? ...wneo.org/WebQuests/TeacherWebQuests/German/germanroots.htm - 6k - Cached - More from this site
The German-Americans-Chapter Seven
... natural assimilation process, accepted by the majority of German immigrants. ... In every immigrant generation, complaints surfaced about a loss of the German ...www-lib.iupui.edu/kade/adams/chap7.html - 19k - Cached - More from this site

Answer 5

Our neighbours had to change their name from Junker to Junk back in WWI in western Illinois.

Answer 6

They had to cope with the fact that the act of stuffing a jew in a oven with malicious intent was illegal.