Ferguson 1st Post

German history is even richer and more complex than I had expected. Most of the history relating to Germany which I've studied revolves around the early and mid 20th century, as America gets involved in two wars against Germany. However, these interactions are relatively late and less interactive than the cultural impact German immigrants had on America earlier in its history. Before and after notable scientists who emigrated to America in the mid 20th century, such as Werner von Braun and Einstein, there were artists and writers who impacted American culture, as immigrants and from within Germany.

This cultural exchange apparently was not one sided either. I was surprised to discover the German interest in Native Americans, which apparently continues to this day, long after most Americans have forgotten the Native Americans.

My grandfather, Jim Ziegler, grew up in Montana, but had German roots, so I have a somewhat more direct appreciation for how widespread German immigration was in the United States. I hadn't realized, however, that German was the largest demographic of immigrants in America, beyond even that of the Irish.