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German Pioneers, Jeans, Beer
and Much More
It was in the summer of 1683 that Franz
Daniel Pastorius, born 1651 in the Franconian town of Sommerhausen, started
his crossing to America. On October 6th of that same year he
welcomed a group of German emigrants aboard the "Concorde". Just a few
miles outside of Philadelphia, they built "Germantown", the first German
settlement in America. In commemoration of that event, October 6th became
designated "German-American Day" by President Ronald Reagan in 1987. Today,
the Pastorius House in Windsheim, where Pastorius started his schooling
and his career as a lawyer, stands as a landmark memorial to his name.
One other famous name with roots in Franconia is Henry Kissinger. He was
born in the town of Fuerth in 1923. He became the first German-born U.S.
Secretary of State.
Other emigrants from Bavaria became famous
for their ingenious products. Among them is Levy Strauss, a Jewish emigrant
from Buttenheim, who started his business success story when he introduced
the jeans work pants to the miners of the California Goldrush. A well-known
Bavarian import was brought to America by two other German emigrants: In
1857 Eberhard Anheuser assumed ownership of a Bavarian brewery and joined
Adolphus Busch in St. Louis. By 1870, Anheuser-Busch had produced 700.000
barrels of beer.
As a fitting tribute to the German brewers
in America, be sure to visit one of the many Bavarian microbreweries and
famous beer gardens. Whether it be in Munich or in the lovely countryside,
the warm hospitality and jovial atmosphere is something you will not want
to miss on your next trip to Germany.
Research and Travel offers:
Heritage tours that
cover Bavaria
Guided tours in Germany
Research services for your roots in Germany
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Franz Daniel Pastorius, born 1651
in Sommerhausen /Bavaria, father of German Emigration to America. |
