German American Heritage
Ranked #1,549 in Culture & Society, #36,776 overall
German-Americans: An Uncelebrated Plurality!
You've heard of Black History Month. You've undoubtedly heard of Hispanic Heritage Month! But when I ask people, "Can you tell me when German-American Heritage Month is?" The response I usually get is a resounding, "No!" And that is a shame! (In case the dates weren't on the tip of your tongue, you'll find the answer to that question a little further down the page. As a hint, you might think about Oktoberfest!)
Talk to many high school and middle school students and ask them about Germans and the contributions made by people of Germanic Heritage and you will be told that the Germans are the "Bad Guys" from the movie The Sound of Music.
Famous German Americans?
Here are Just a Few!
Felix Adler
1851-1933
Educator and Author
.
John Jacob Astor
1763 - 1848
Merchant and Financier
.
Walter Baade
1893 - 1960
Astronomer
Discovered Asteroids Icarus and Hidalgo
John Jacob Bausch
and
Henry Lomb
Eyeglasses, Magnifiers, Microscopes
.
.
Maximilian Delphinius Berlitz
1852 - 1921
Language Schools
.
Hans Albrecht Bethe
b. 1906
.
Physicist
Nobel Laureate
Physicist
Albert Bierstadt
180 - 1902
Painter
of U.S. West
Wernher von Braun
1912 - 1977
Engineer
Rocket Development
Adolphus Busch
1839 - 1913
Businessman
Brewer
Wlater Percy Chrysler
1875 - 1940
Automobile Manufacturer
.
George Armstrong Custer
1839 - 1876
Soldier
.
Walter Johannes Damrosch
1862 - 1950
Conductor and Composer
.
Marlene Dietrich
1901 - 1992
Actress
.
John Johann Eckstein
1736 - 1817
Sculptor
.
Albert Einstein
1879 - 1955
Physicist
.
Dwight David Eisenhower
1890 - 1969
General and
U.S. President
Anthony Fokker
1890 - 1939
Aircraft Designer
.
James Franck
1882 - 1964
Physicist/Chemist
Nobel Prize Laureate
Henry Clay Frick
1849 - 1919
Industrialist and Philanthropist
US Steel
Clark Gable
1901 - 1960
Actor
.
Henry Louis Gehrig
1903 - 1941
Baseball Player
.
Maria Goeppert-Mayer
1906 - 1972
Physicist
Nobel Laureate
Walter Adolph Gropius
1883 - 1969
Architect
.
Oscar Hammerstein
1847 (?) - 1919
.
Opera Impressario
Father of Librettist
Oscar Hammerstein II
Henry Heinz
1844 - 1919
Businessman
(Ketchup and Food Products)
A Little Bit of German from CafePress
Some interesting designs from Independent Designers brought to you by CafePress! (How could you not like this infant creeper? It comes in a shirt too!)
New Section Ringer T
Price: $18.99 
German American Sweatshirt
Price: $34.99
Proud To Be German American Oval Sticker
Price: $3.99
Ich liebe meine Oma Infant Creeper
Price: $18.99
Deutsch und Stolz Black T-Shirt
Price: $22.99
Great Stuff on eBay
Oktoberfest!
Oktoberfest is a 16-18 day festival held each year in Munich, Bavaria, Germany. It may be the most famous festival in all of Germany, and it is celebrated all over the world!
The first "Oktoberfest" occurred in Munich, on October 12, 1810. Crown Prince Ludwig (later King Ludwig I) and Princess Therese of Saxe-Hildburghausen, namesake of the Theresienwiese festival grounds, organized a great horse race with which they commemorated of their marriage, which had occurred less than a week earlier. The event was so successful that it was decided to hold it again the following year.
An agricultural show was added In 1811 to boost Bavarian agriculture. in 1819, and it was agreed that the Oktoberfest would become an annual event. The horse race was held until 1960. The agricultural expo now occurs every 4 years. But the celebration has become one of the largest festivals in the world.
How Large?
More than 5 million people attend the fair every year.
The festival was suspended during World War I (1914 to 1918), and the rampant inflation occurring in Germany prevented its being held in 1919 and 1920. The festival also was suspended during World War II (1919 and 1920).
There are 14 Beer Tents at Oktoberfest each of which can hold up to 10,000 revelers!
Germans in American
The German Americans
Amazon Price: $14.90 (as of 05/30/2012)
As Seen on PBS. A Celebration of German Culture and Tradition!
Vintage film footage, family photos, and personal recollections reveal the unheralded story of the largest ethnic group in the United States-one in five Americans is of German ancestry. Families who left the Heimatland in search of opportunity set the stage for America's early economic growth as stewards of the land, unyielding laborers, and leaders in every major industry. The German Americans explores the immigrant experience and celebrates the cultural ties that still bond generations after 400 years in the U.S. 95 min., Color DVD.
Looking for German Food?
The German Cookbook: A Complete Guide to Mastering Authentic German Cooking
Amazon Price: $12.56 (as of 05/30/2012)
This German cookbook is specially designed for use by Americans: measures, ingredients, temperatures, cuts of meat, etc. However, all of the recipes are very authenic and wonderfully traditional.
If You Love Your Spaetzle, This Is Worth Its Weight in Dough!
My Grandmother used to make Spaetzle about once a year, and how I looked forward to it! When I get to a German Restaurant, if Spaetzle is available it winds up on my plate. I love Spaetzle. And using a Spaetzle maker makes things a whole lot easier than doing it all by hand!
Norpro Spaetzle Maker
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 05/30/2012)
If you love authentic food of the Austro-Hungarian region, this is your kitchen essential. The sliding action of the cutter rapidly makes the tiny spaetzle, tender and worthy of your best Paprikas sauce! Also great in soups. The cutter is very easy to clean, just zip it into hot soapy water.
Still Too Difficult?
Try Bechtle Bavarian Style Spaetzle
If Spaetzle is too much trouble even using the Spaetzle maker, it's even easier this way. Just put the noodles into boiling water and you can have good German Spaetzle in just minutes. Stock up and have Spaetzle any time you want!
When it is this easy there's never an excuse to serve plain old noodles with your Sauerbraten!
Deutsche Speise Schmeckt Gut!
Sprechen Sie Deutsch?
Some Schools Don't Even Offer German Anymore!
Rosetta Stone German Level 1-3 Set
Amazon Price: $399.00 (as of 05/30/2012)
Perhaps the Most Effective German Language Software on the market, Rosetta Stone has an outstanding reputation for fast results! It consistently ranks at or near the top among people who are trying to learn a new language. I recommend this product very highly!
Songs of Germany
Click the Widget for Samples!
German American Heritage Month
Runs from September 15
to
October 15!
Photo Gallery
Schloss Neuschwanstein
<a href="http://affiliates.allposters.com/link/redirect.asp?item=96824&AID=1580789048&PSTID=1<ID=2&TID1=0%u3008=1" target="_blank">See The Poster</a>
Amazon Spotlight
501 German Verbs with CD-ROM (Barron's Foreign Language Guides)
Amazon Price: $10.78 (as of 05/30/2012)
Did You Know?
Have You Been to Deutschland?
What's Your Experience With German?
Amazon
German Inside! Quality Engineering Natürlich!
-
Amazon Price: $8.99 (as of 05/30/2012)
* Decal sticker die-cut from high grade performance vinyl.
* Size: 10" (longest side measured); Die-cut/no background
* Color: Black (default); See product description to choose another color.
* Great to use on cars, walls, laptops, windows, mirrors, painted wood, metal or any smooth surface.
* Durable vinyl. Can be used indoors or outdoors. Easy application instructions included
Let Your German Pride Fly High!
A German Flag is a Great Way to Celebrate Your Heritage!
Travel Guides
Those Crazy Germans! A Lighthearted Guide to Germany!
Those Crazy Germans! takes you where the other travel guides don't go. Through a combination of observations, tips and historical & cultural insights all written in a relaxed and cheerful style, this book takes you behind the scenes and introduces you to the Germany that the Germans know. Perfect for reading on the plane or train, Those Crazy Germans! is the fun way to get to know Germany. Most travel guides give you the necessary "go here, see this", "eat here, stay there" details, but are short on insight and cultural knowledge. Those Crazy Germans! bridges the gap by providing the essential and often unknown cultural insights and perspective that lets you truly experience the people and the country.
Those Crazy Germans! A Lighthearted Guide to Germany
Amazon Price: $9.84 (as of 05/30/2012)
* Learn how hundreds of years of traditions manifest themselves in modern day Germany.
* Learn the customs and quirks of German restaurants and hotels.
* Learn the insiders' tips to Oktoberfest, Karneval and hundreds of other festivals so that you too can party like a native.
* Learn about Germany's unusual do's and don'ts.
* Learn how to see towns and cities the way the Germans see them.
Other Pages by This Author
Mögen Sie diese Web-Seite?
Do You Like This Page?
This module only appears with actual data when viewed on a live lens. The favorite and lensroll options will appear on a live lens if the viewer is a member of Squidoo and logged in.
Quiz
A Few Facts About German Americans
German Americans are the largest self-reporting ancestral group in the United States according to the U.S. Census Bureau. They number about 51 million people, comprising about 17% of the U.S. population.
Text with BIG Picture
What Do the Colors of the German Flag Stand For?
The Answer's a Little Further Down the Page!
New Guestbook
-
-
drbilltellsexcitingstories
Apr 15, 2012 @ 12:37 am | delete
- I learned to count to ten in German as a youngster... can still do it. Thanks for some great information! ;-)
-
-
-
d-artist Jun 11, 2011 @ 11:59 am | delete
- Doch Eine wunderbare Lens! I think German American Heritage Month is in Sept 15 - Oct 15
and I believe Oct 6 is German American Day in the US...
-
Typically German Traits
Lots of Creative Energy -- It has been said that Germans are always busy...that they don't know how to relax!
Thoroughness and Persistence
Orderliness
Loyalty
Politeness and Formality
Love of Nature
Text with BIG Picture
The Flag's Colors?
Black - Determination
Red - Hardiness, Bravery,
Strength & Valour
Gold / Yellow - Generosity
Text module
Countdown to The First Day of Oktoberfest in 2012 is
Oktoberfest Begins
The Saturday of the Weekend Two Weeks Prior to the First Sunday in October!
Video Module
Traditional German Clothing
When Did Germans Arrive in North America?
A Closer Look at Germany Itself
Where is Germany?
by ViolinStudent
Arthur Haule was raised on Long Island, learning to play the violin in school. He formed a string quartet in college and played first violin. Having l... more »
- 135 featured lenses
- Winner of 20 trophies!
- Top lens » Kennedy Half Dollar Coins
Explore related pages
- Oktoberfest in Munich | Bavaria | Germany | Beer | Food | Costume Oktoberfest in Munich | Bavaria | Germany | Beer | Food | Costume
- Best Germany T-Shirts 2012 Best Germany T-Shirts 2012
- Learning German Language Learning German Language
- Germany Calendars Germany Calendars
- Top 10 Things to Do in Germany Top 10 Things to Do in Germany
- Learn German Learn German
