a commonplace book for German American immigration
Sometimes, reading these old pages of Grand Island history makes me a bit homesick for something I never experienced. The balls, the picnics, the organized tours — all the hallmarks of 19 century community life — advertised in the paper for anyone with a membership and the money to attend. And in this case, a … Read More “Matched in Calico: Scraps, Swatches, and Courtship in Grand Island history” »
I came across a fun little treasure in the Anzeiger, one of Grand Island, Nebraska’s historical German language newspapers. On October 15, 1912, the Liederkranz planned to hold a concert for its grand opening and published its program in the paper. This brief snippet highlights their unique German-American identity, rooted in different conceptions of liberty. … Read More “Two Anthems: How German-Americans in Grand Island signaled their transatlantic identity” »
In 1894, police in Brünn forbade the Turnverein from flying the black, red and gold colors of the German (failed) revolution. What is most interesting about this is that it was reported in the Grand Island Anzeiger (07/13/1894, page 3). This kind of hyper-local reporting of events in Germany demonstrates not only Grand Island’s ties … Read More “The Colors of Freedom: Black, Red and Gold” »
