“Whatever Happened to German America?”
“At the turn of the last century, Germans were the predominant ethnic group in the United States — some eight million people, out of a population of 76 million. New York City had one of the world’s largest German-speaking populations, trailing only Berlin and Vienna, with about a quarter of its 3.4 million people conversing auf Deutsch. Entire communities, spreading from northern Wisconsin to rural Texas, consisted almost exclusively of German immigrants and their children…
In what is a largely forgotten chapter of American history, during the roughly 18 months of American involvement in the war, people with German roots were falsely accused of being spies or saboteurs; hundreds were interned or convicted of sedition on trumped-up charges, or for offenses as trivial as making critical comments about the war. More than 30 were killed by vigilantes and anti-German mobs; hundreds of others were beaten or tarred and feathered…
It may be that an identity lost can never be regained. But why not try? It would be good for everyone, reminding millions of Americans that they too are the products of an immigrant culture, which not long ago was forced into silence by fear and intolerance.”
I wonder if this is more useful to think about than to do? Dunno if I trust Americans to reclaim old world European identities right now; I don’t think it could be done empathetically. I think it would be more about white Americans trying to access some of what they see as the “positive aspects” of not being white — ooooh, seeming exotic and having fun cultural practices and tight-knit communities (these are things that white people have told me I am lucky to have and/or extensively complained to me about not having). Also, feeling a claim to a self-pitying victimhood (obvs so fun and exciting, must be why we brown people are always pointing our systemic oppressions).
