Institute of Texan Cultures' Texans Series
Texans of German descent make up one of the largest cultural groups in the state. The 1848 war in Germany caused many to leave their homeland. Some German immigrants came to Texas hoping to have better lives, while others wanted to leave behind narrow beliefs of the rulers. Many were hoping to find jobs, trying to escape overcrowding of their country, or simply seeking adventure in a new land.
John Friedrich Ernst began the German migration to Texas. He purchased land in AusƟn’s Colony in 1831 and then wrote glowing letters that were published in his hometown of Oldenburg, Germany. These letters made other want to come to Texas.
The largest wave of German immigration occurred in the 1840s when the Adelsverein, The Society for the Protection of German Immigrants in Texas, assisted thousands in coming to Central Texas. These immigrants established the cities of New Braunfels and Fredericksburg.
Handbook of Texas
- GermansWritten by historian Terry Jordan, this page is an excellent brief on German-Americans in Texas.
Selected Histories
Germans and Texans by Call Number: F395 .G3 S7713 1996 (ITC Library and Special Collections)- German Seed in Texas Soil: Immigrant Farmers in Nineteenth-Century Texas byCall Number: F395 .G3 J6 1966
The History of German Settlements in Texas by Call Number: F395 .G3 B47 1987 (ITC Library)- Lone Star and Double Eagle: Civil War Letters of a German-Texas Family byCall Number: E605 .G667 1982Also, available as an e-book.
The Material Culture of German Texans by Call Number: F395.G3 H34 2016
Turning Germans into Texans by Call Number: F395.G3 T57 2010
Organizations
- Beethoven MaennerchorThe Beethoven Maennerchor’s purpose is to preserve German song, music, and language. It is the one of the oldest German singing societies in Texas. Located in beautiful downtown San Antonio, in the Historic King William District, the Beethoven Maennerchor has stood as a beacon of culture and heritage since its founding in February of 1867.
- German-Texan Heritage SocietyAs a nonprofit organization the German-heritage Society is committed to the preservation of the history and heritage of German-Texans by promoting and providing educational experiences in its culture and language and by encouraging within Texas public schools, colleges, private institutions and other organizations similar learning opportunities in all of the heritage, values and language that make up the unique culture of the state.
- Texas German Dialect ProjectThe Texas German Dialect Project (TGDP) is an umbrella organization for carrying out research in representative Texas German speech communities in central Texas. It is housed in the Department of Germanic Studies at the University of Texas at Austin.
- Texas German SocietyThe Texas German Society (TGS) has as its purpose to preserve and encourage the German heritage, culture, and language of German-Texans and to continue these through communication, exchange, and good will with our fellow German-Americans and German people in other lands.
Museums
- Texas Polka MuseumThe Texas Polka Music Museum, Inc. (TPMM) is dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of polka music in Texas by honoring Texas polka bands and musicians of Czech, German and Polish ancestry.
- Vereins Kirche-Pioneer MuseumLocated in downtown Fredericksburg, feature historic homesteads & buildings donated by founding families of Gillespie County. Among the historic homesteads & buildings are a one-room schoolhouse, a log cabin, a Sunday house, a bath house, a barn, a smokehouse that showcase artifacts and architecture which help to preserve and tell their story.
Festivals
- MaifestCelebrated annually in May, this festival celebrates German traditions in Brenham.
- Muenster German FestAnnually held on the last full weekend in April, this festival celebrates German heritage. German settlers founded Muenster in 1889.
- Texas State German ContestWhat started out by a small group of German teachers over 50 years ago as an idea to help encourage the study of German and make it fun, has now evolved into a competition with over 1,500 students from more than 90 schools across Texas participating in more than 40 different events at the state level. This makes the Texas system of German contests the largest in the nation and the only one of its kind.
- WurstfestDuring the 10-day festival, you’ll find a variety of entertainment, food and fun on the Wurstfest Grounds in Landa Park as well as many special events throughout New Braunfels and Comal County.