Gegenstand dieser Magisterarbeit ist die deutsche Auswanderung in die Vereinigten Staaten von Amerika im Zeitraum von 1800 bis 1914. Eine Besonderheit stellt dabei sicherlich die Berücksichtigung der Rückwanderung nach Deutschland dar. Anders als in den meisten Werken zum Thema Auswanderung wird hier auf die Auswirkung der Erfahrungen, welche im Zielland gemacht wurden, im Hinblick auf die mögliche Entscheidung zur Rückkehr in die Heimat eingegangen.
In der heutigen medialen Berichterstattung wird ein teilweise zu einseitiges, in jedem Falle aber ein zu romantisierendes Bild der Auswanderung als Abenteuer vermittelt. Der Prozess der Migration galt jedoch seit jeher nicht nur als Hoffnungsträger für ökonomisch, sozial, politisch oder religiös Benachteiligte und Unterdrückte. Für viele war und ist Auswanderung der letzte, quasi unausweichliche Ausweg aus einer inakzeptablen Existenz im Heimatland.
Dass die transkontinentale Wanderung, speziell während der Ära der Massenwanderung im 19. Jahrhundert, mit zahlreichen Gefahren, Entbehrungen und Strapazen verbunden war, wird gern vergessen zu erwähnen. Diese Arbeit soll Aufschluss über die Schicksale von Auswanderern und den Akt dieser Migration geben, wobei der Schwerpunkt auf der Betrachtung der negativen Erfahrungen liegt.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. German Immigration Prior to the 19th Century
2.1 The First Germans in the New World
2.2 War in the New World
2.3 The American Revolution
2.4 The Turn of the Century
3. The Era of Mass Migration
3.1 Motives and Circumstances - The Push & Pull Factors
3.2 The Early 19th Century - A Period of Grievances
3.3 The Refugees of 1848
3.4 The Transportation of ‘Social Flotsam’
3.5 Attractors from Abroad
3.6 Evading Military Service and Criminal Prosecution
3.7 Emigration Between the Civil War and World War I
3.8 A Review of the Push and Pull Factors
4. The Journey to the New World
4.1 The Departure
4.2 The Voyage
4.3 The Arrival
4.4 Emigration/Immigration Legislation
4.4.1 Emigration Restrictions in Germany
4.4.2 Immigration Restrictions in the United States
4.4.3 Summing up Both Legislations
5. Germans in the New World - Bound to Remigrate?
5.1 Images of a Paradise - Promises Hard to Keep
5.2 The Reality - Experiences of German Emigrants
5.2.1 Economic Disappointment
5.2.2 Intended Remigration
5.2.3 Family Reasons
5.3 Deutschtümlichkeit - A Lack of Integration?
5.4 Summarizing the Decision to Return
5.5 The Scale of Remigration
5.6 The Return to Germany
6. Conclusion
Objectives and Scope
This thesis examines the transcontinental migration process of Germans to the United States and their subsequent return between 1800 and 1914. It aims to analyze the socio-economic drivers, the hardships of the journey, and the motivations behind the decision to remigrate, providing an integral perspective on this historical phenomenon.
- Analysis of push and pull factors influencing mass migration.
- Examination of the physical and bureaucratic challenges of the transatlantic journey.
- Evaluation of German and American immigration legislation and its impact.
- Reflection on the socio-economic realities of German immigrants in the New World.
- Investigation into the complex motivations for returning to Germany.
Excerpt from the Book
The Early 19th Century - A Period of Grievances
“’Die größte Not treibt uns, nach Amerika auszuwandern. Erstens hat man uns Frucht versprochen zum Säen, es kommt aber keine, - mithin bleibt unser Feld unbesät liegen, daß man auf die Zukunft nichts als Mangel zu erwarten hat. Zweitens sind wir außerstand, zwei Herren ihre Steuer zu entrichten, und in der Not will sicher keiner unsrer annehmen. Drittens: holt man nur eine Traget Streu oder dürr Holz im Wald, wird man vor Forstgericht zitiert und gestraft, wie die Strafprotokoll ausweisen, und doch dem Wald kein Schad gestift. Viertens ist die gewärtige Teuerung und Hungersnot so groß, daß die Lebensmittel unmöglich mehr vor unsere Familien von uns angeschafft werden können und das Hungersterben vor der Tür ist. So sind wir genötigt, ein andres Land aufzusuchen, weil wir hier keine Hilfe haben. Unternheimbach [sic], den 3. Mai 1817.’”
This letter of grievance was included in a report by Friedrich List, who conducted interviews with 600 to 700 citizens willing to emigrate to the United States in the year of 1817. List, an official in the Ministry of the Interior in Stuttgart, was sent to Heilbronn, Neckarsulm, and Weinsberg on behalf of the Ministry and King Wilhelm I., who demanded intelligence on the increasingly critical situation at the German inner harbors and sea ports.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: Presents the motivation for the study, focusing on the historical context of German migration to the US and the often-neglected phenomenon of remigration.
2. German Immigration Prior to the 19th Century: Provides a historical overview of early migration waves, including the role of religious persecution and the impact of the American Revolution.
3. The Era of Mass Migration: Analyzes the core push and pull factors, including economic crises, political turmoil (like the 1848 uprisings), and the search for better living conditions.
4. The Journey to the New World: Documents the arduous travel conditions, the risks of the sea voyage, and the development of immigration legislation in both Germany and the US.
5. Germans in the New World - Bound to Remigrate?: Investigates the reality of the American dream, reasons for economic disappointment, and the multi-faceted motivations leading to the return to Germany.
6. Conclusion: Synthesizes the findings, confirming that migration was an complex cycle of hardship and hope, where return was often influenced by economic, social, and familial factors.
Keywords
German-American migration, Remigration, Push and Pull factors, 19th century history, Transatlantic voyage, Economic depression, Political refugees, Assimilation, Little Germanies, American Dream, Immigration legislation, Social displacement, Industrialization, Diaspora, Transcontinental migration.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this thesis?
The thesis explores the entire cycle of German-American migration between 1800 and 1914, specifically focusing on the causes of emigration, the journey, life in the US, and the often-overlooked decision of many immigrants to return to Germany.
What are the central themes of the work?
Central themes include the economic and political push/pull factors, the physical and legal challenges of transatlantic travel, the struggle for integration, and the diverse reasons for remigration.
What is the core research question?
The work seeks to uncover the difficulties and obstacles associated with mass migration and identify why a significant number of Germans chose to return to their homeland despite their initial intent to build a new life abroad.
Which scientific methodology is applied?
The study employs a socio-historical analysis, drawing on contemporary accounts, travelogues, emigrant letters, and historical statistics to reconstruct the experiences of German migrants.
What is covered in the main section of the book?
The main part details the history of migration waves, the technological and economic conditions of the journey, the evolution of immigration laws in both countries, and the social realities and integration efforts in the United States.
Which keywords define this work?
The work is defined by terms such as German-American migration, remigration, push and pull factors, transatlantic history, 19th-century socio-economics, and the history of immigration policies.
How did 1848 specifically influence migration?
The 1848 revolutions created a wave of political refugees who sought freedom, which, combined with ongoing economic grievances, caused a massive spike in emigration numbers during the 1850s.
What was the significance of the "Redemptioner System"?
It was a 18th-century contractual system that allowed poor migrants to pay for their passage by working for an employer upon arrival, functioning as a necessary but often abusive precursor to later free labor arrangements.
Why did many migrants return to Germany?
Reasons for remigration varied widely, ranging from economic failure and lack of integration to successful capital accumulation, family inheritance, the need to care for aging parents, or the desire to escape military conscription obligations.
What role did "Little Germanies" play for immigrants?
They served as cultural cushions and "collecting ponds," providing familiar social, religious, and economic structures that offered a refuge for those who felt excluded from the broader American society.
- Quote paper
- M.A. Marco Froehlich (Author), 2007, From Germany to the United States to Germany: Emigration and Remigration Between 1800 and 1914, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/88228
