The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 97, July 1993 - April, 1994 Page: 153
754 p. : ill. (some col.), maps, ports. ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
Book Reviews
ical, economic, and social conditions in Germany, the U.S., and on the Ameri-
can frontier that produced the migration of thousands of Germans to North
America during the nineteenth century. As described on the book's back cover,
this work is the "most comprehensive examination of the plans, frequently de-
bated after 1820, to establish a German 'colony' in North America.... The indi-
vidual colonization projects-chief among them that of the Mainzer
Texasverein-are examined, based on a study of extensive sources." Although the
title implies a work of greater scope, the author's research was concentrated al-
most exclusively on the area of the former forty-eight United States of America.
German settlement in Canada and Mexico is treated only peripherally, as it relat-
ed to immigration in the U.S. Tracing the development of the Kolonialgedanke,
the numerous idealistic plans to establish German colonies on the American
frontier (chiefly in Missouri, Wisconsin, California, and Texas) during the first
half of the nineteenth century, the author examines the various motives for the
pursuit of these ventures, and the degree of success that each achieved.
Roughly one-fourth of the book is devoted to the history. of the Verein zum
Schutze deutscher Einwanderer zn Texas. The Mainzer Adelsverein received this special
attention, the author implies, because the source materials on German emigra-
tion and settlement in North America are so extensive and so widely distributed
among European and U.S. archives that, with the exception of the Texasverein, a
comprehensive study of the phenomenon is an overwhelming task for any one
individual. Stefan von Senger und Etterlin has accordingly performed a Her-
culean feat of scholarship in assembling, organizing, and utilizing a virtual
mountain of primary and secondary source material on German migration to
the U.S. Granted, he has added little to the history of the Adelsverein, but he has
made excellent use of the archival and secondary sources in his bibliography,
which is indeed extensive. He has also had the enviable privilege of personally
examining the source materials in several archives in the U.S. and Germany. I
noted only a few conspicuous omissions in the bibliography, notably John O.
Meusebach's Answer to Interrogatories ... (1894) about the Adelsverein; H. P. N.
Gammel's The Laws of Texas 1822-1897 ... (1898); and, in the list of reference
works, the Handbook of Texas.
The book has four major divisions: "Conditions in Germany (The Develop-
ment of the Colonial Concept in German Writing until 1860/Colonization Plans
and Emigration Societies/Emigration Policy of the German States and Their
Plans for Colonies) "; "The Establishment of Colonies (A Regenerated Germany
in the Midwest/The Colony of the Mainzer Adelsverein: Texas as a Buffer-State) ";
"Conditions in the Society of Settlement (Organized European Immigration and
the Politics of the U.S./Contemporary Criticism of the New-Germany Projects by
Germans in America)"; and "Prospects and Opinions (Agitation in the German
Empire for Emigration and Colonies)."
As is evident from these section headings and subheadings, this book con-
cerns itself more than most previous studies with the political issues and public
opinion in the U.S. and Germany that affected German migration to North
America. As such, it represents a valuable addition to the scholarly foundation153
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This issue can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Periodical.
Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 97, July 1993 - April, 1994, periodical, 1994; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth117154/m1/181/?rotate=90: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.