German Immigration

1
German Immigration

• Early immigration and current organizations
  (Portland, OR)

2
German Immigration 1820-2000

• This graph shows the number of Germans who
  immigrated to the United States from 1820 through
  2000.

3
Immigration Push and Pull Factors

• Pull Factors
• 17th and 18th century Germans sought religious
  freedom in the United States
• Economic opportunities during the 1930s brought
  nearly 5 million Germans to the shores of America
• Added safety of the steamship
• Letters from family already in the United States

• Push Factors
• Anti-Semitic violence and discrimination pushed
  many Jews out of Germany and Austria
• Unemployment and land seizure

4
Historical Causes for a Decline in German
Immigration

• WW1 anti-German sentiment steered many Germans
  away from the United States
• Quotas were placed upon the number of immigrants
  who could arrive from each nation
• Suspicion of Germans as potential spies during
  WW2 forced 11,000 Germans into internment camps

5
German Population in Portland
6
Socio-economic characteristics of Germans in
Portland
7
German Organizations in Portland

• The German American Society preserves German
  culture and heritage by
• Offering scholarships to German speaking
  students, teaching German to people of all ages,
  and celebrating cultural events such as
  Nikolaustag.
• The Liedertafel Harmonie (German Singing Society
  of Portland) gives Germans a venue to
• Practice traditional songs, dances, bake sales,
  Christmas and Oktoberfest concerts, and picnics.
• The Volgagermans.net website helps German
  consumers and businesspeople alike by
• Creating a network by compiling a list of
  German businesses which include retailers,
  suppliers, and an assortment of service
  providers.

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