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2016 Midterm2 (assignment) Index to Sample Student Midterm2 Answers Part 3. Research Report Starts |
LITR 4340
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Christina Marie Sapp
Der Flug Für Freiheit (The Flight For Freedom)
Doing
this research has helped me have a better understanding of my heritage and the
German immigrant’s history to Texas. Many Germans who left their fatherland
arrived in the new world of Texas as the Germans called it “Die Neu Welt aus
Texas”. I started my research by analyzing what I already know and from online
research for facts. When I lived in Germany, I became ingrained in the language
and customs of the German people. I am part German from my mother’s side: her
family were some of the first Germans to settle in what is present day New
Braunfels TX. Texans of German descent make up one of the largest cultural
groups in the state from the old world immigrants.
During the 1840s, the 1848 revolution broke out as a failed attempt to unify
German states after the fall of the Holy Roman Empire in 1815. Many Germans were
hoping to find jobs or trying to escape the overcrowding of their country. A
real prince named Prince Carl of Solms Braunfels Germany heard of a new frontier
that offered much needed farmland to Germany’s overcrowded citizens. He
purchased 1,265 acres of land in San Antonio and began immigration of Germans to
Texas. New Braunfels TX was named after this prince. Germans started arriving in
Texas in 1844 on a ship called “The Hershal,” which carried 102 passengers
leaving Germany in late September and not arriving in Galveston Texas until
December 5th 1844. In April 1846, “The Anna” sailed with 65 people.
When the immigrants in December 1844 arrived in Galveston, they traveled to
Indianola and waited for wagons to arrive for several months. The first
immigrants arrived in New Braunfels on March 21st 1845 on Good
Friday. I was able to find out this research through a book that I created in
summer school when I was in 5th grade. Every Thursday, the teacher
would walk with us as a class in the historical areas of the town. Some days we
would draw pictures and write research information.
Buildings, houses, and an economy started the footprints for New Braunfels. The
newly arrived immigrants founded a Protestant church called First Protestant
church and Saints Peter and Paul catholic parish in 1845. The two churches are
the oldest in town. The catholic parish has been remodeled twice. Once in the
1970s and then again in 1998. I remember the 1998 remodel very well. We had to
have mass in the school guy and my nephew was baptized in the gymnasium. I was
baptized in the church when I was three months old. The first textile mill was
founded along the river and the original building still stands but the business
had to be relocated because of frequent flooding. I found out about the textile
mill from a YouTube video on the history of New Braunfels. The textile mill was
the main employer of the town. When my grandmother was in high school, many of
her classmates quit school to go work in the mill because the pay and benefits
were great at the time. Two of my aunts used to work in the mill as well.
There’s also the Dittlinger flour mill now called ADM. My grandfather used to
work at the flour mill, and this place still exists, just under another name.
The first brewery was also founded and the oldest dancehall in Texas called
Gruene hall is in the city. New Braunfels has also founded the brand Gebhart’s
chili powder. The Schmitz hotel was founded in 1854 and Henne’s hardware store
was founded in the 1860s. Nagelin’s
bakery is the oldest in the state founded in 1845.
I am
more knowledgeable of New Braunfels than what I knew before. In the present, New
Braunfels still has the German influence but not as strong as in 1845. This is
mainly because the next of kin from the old world immigrants have all
assimilated into the dominant culture. Some stores especially in the downtown
area still have Wilkommen (German for welcome) posted on their entrance. The old
Krause’s café has been renamed Friesenhaus and has new management from Germany.
Since the 1960s, a man from Hawaii created a yearly sausage fest called
Wurstfest by learning about New Braunfels’ history. Many streets have German
names; for example Friesenhaus and Sts. Peter and Paul are located on Castell
ST. The two high schools in town still teach the German language. The town’s
most famous restaurant New Braunfels smokehouse is notorious for their sausages.
When I was growing up, Krause’s café and Oma’s house were the only German
restaurants in town. The Schmitz hotel was abandoned and empty. New Braunfels
was just a hole in the wall town with nothing to do and was dead by 9 PM.
Since
2001, New Braunfels has gotten a makeover with the downtown area revitalized.
Best Buy finally arrived, JC Penney came back, and more than one Movie Theater
arrived. The dominant culture is more prevalent in New Braunfels than the German
culture though. Many citizens have German last names, but there’s also a lot
with Scotch-Irish last names. Most of the restaurants serve the bland hearty
food from the dominant culture. Only two German restaurants exist after Oma’s
Haus closed its doors in 2015. Most of its citizens speak English and maybe only
a handful might know some German. Nagelin’s bakery serves some German pastries
but the vast majority of their sweets are from the dominant culture. I used to
dislike being from New Braunfels and my German heritage. Once I lived in Germany
and moved to Houston, I feel like I am reclaiming my ethnic identity and can be
confident of my heritage and leave the past behind.
Works
Cited:
www.texancultures.com\GermanTexans
You
Tube video New Braunfels History from AMMO advertising
Early
days in New Braunfels book created in summer 1994
