It is good to know that this Stammtisch is well read across the country. At the conference in Denison, Iowa this last fall, I was pleasantly surprised to see a number of people there, who are regular readers of Germerica.net. (http://www.moin-moin.us )

This July, travels will bring me to northern Ohio and southwestern Minnesota and I would like to invite friends of Germerica.net to them, should their travel plans bring them to the same areas.

BP’s origins go back to before the First World War, when Great Britain’s Empire was still in place. Without the Empire it is doubtful that such a corporation could have gained the foothold, some might say stranglehold, it has on the oil industry today.

BP’s origins go back to before the First World War, when Great Britain’s Empire was still in place. Without the Empire it is doubtful that such a corporation could have gained the foothold, some might say stranglehold, it has on the oil industry today.

Bernhard von Bülow’s comments about Place in the Sun remind us that Germany had been seeking a place for centuries, one that it thought it had finally attained by means of unification in 1870. His comments reflected this century long search for a place in the international community.

The series began as there was nothing like it available. "I felt that there was a definite need for such a publication series for books relating to German-Americana," said Tolzmann, its founder and editor.

The work consists of scholarly monographs, published in German or English, dealing with topics in the humanities or social sciences pertaining to the German-American experience.

Have you ever read works by Hesse (1877-1962)? If so, you are not alone, as the works of this best-selling German author have been widely translated. Shortly after his death, his works soared to world-wide popularity, especially in the 1960s/70s, and continue to rank highly on the charts.

The August Schell Brewing Company was established in 1860 in New Ulm, Minnesota. This was just a few years after the town had been established by German settlers, first from Chicago and then from Cincinnati.

In 1902, Rep. Richard Bartholdt of Missouri introduced a bill in Congress for a monument of Baron von Steuben to honor his contributions to the winning of the American Revolution.

The bill was approved and Albert Jaegers, a German-American artist, set to work on creating a statue for Lafayette Park, which is located directly in front of the White House in Washington, D.C.

We live in an age of diversity when multiculturalism is stressed, so one would think that German-Americans would be mentioned in school text books. More often than not, they are not.

Not only that - the most well-known names in German-American history often are not even mentioned.

Take any school textbook, for example, and go to the index and look for the names of Baron von Steuben or Carl Schurz and you are likely to find them not listed.

Not too many are aware of the important role German-Americans played in the Civil War. For example, when I first saw Ken Burns’ PBS film on the Civil War I was surprised that no mention was made of German-Americans in the Union Army, especially the many German regiments that they had formed. Photo: Carl Schurz statue in New York

The oldest Bockfest in the U.S. takes place Friday-Sunday, 5-7 March, in Cincinnati in the old German district known as Over-the-Rhine.

There was a canal around the district with bridges leading over the canal, so that when crossing the bridge, it was said that you were going “Over-the-Rhine.”

Our Pennsylvania German Groundhog promises six more weeks of winter, but there are a couple of events on the calendar that point the way towards springtime.

First, there is Fat Tuesday – Fastnacht, which takes places on this year on Tuesday, 16 February. This is the last day before the beginning of Lent and is also another sign that winter is slowly coming to an end.

Interesting how many customs and traditions celebrated in America are of German origin and one of the best examples is Groundhog Day. The second of February was celebrated in the Old Country with a Lichtmesse, or candle-lit mass.
This brightened up the dark and dreary days of winter as it was almost at the mid-point of winter.

Nominations are being sought for candidates for the statue in the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C. Each state is represented there with two statues and one is now being sought for Ohio.

The German-American Citizens League of Greater Cincinnati (GACL) has endorsed the nomination of Jacob Mueller (1822-1905) to represent Ohio in the National Statuary Hall.

2010 marks the 300th anniversary of the arrival of the Palatines in America, an event that led to the creation of the German element in colonial America.
Why did the Palatines suddenly uproot themselves and come in such great numbers to America in the early 18th century?

Gemerica.net has come a long way since its beginning and has done a great job in bringing news to its readers everywhere.

This past year has also marked the first full year of this Stammtisch column. Altogether, a total of thirty-four columns have appeared thus far, covering a wide range of topics.

Much like the German-American press of history, Germerica.net brings news and information from the German-speaking countries of Europe, as well as from German-American communities across the U.S.

Many thanks to all of our readers, wherever you are. Also, I would like to thank all friends of this Stammtisch. And, I enjoyed meeting several of you at the recent German heritage conference in Denison, Iowa.

Aside from conducting the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra and appearing on PBS for many years, Erich Kunzel conducted many other orchestras, including the Boston Pops.

The home of the Cincinnati Pops Orchestra in Cincinnati was Music Hall, which is located in the old German district known as Over-the-Rhine.

In recent years, another German contribution to the celebration of Christmas has emerged – the Christkindlmarkt.

We often hear about the wrongs and injustices suffered by various ethnic groups in American history, especially during the time of war. But we do not often hear about what German-Americans had to endure.

We honor the contributions made by millions of German-Americans to the building and making of America, especially those of famous individuals throughout American history. (Photo: Braeden, center, with Tolzmann in Denison, IA)

Having met, dined with and heard the Candy Bomber speak, I soon found out that this is a man with a message and one this country needs today. Photo: Col Halvorsen, flankd by his wife, Lorraine (to his right), Dr Andrea Fieler of NKU who organized the Candy Bomber's visit, and Dr. Don Tolzmann.

Yes, it is not only possible, it apparently is true – two of the most recognizable names in French history are those of Frenchmen of German descent. Their names are known on both sides of the Atlantic, because they created two of the most famous landmarks in the world.

Who are they?

A recent example of the German tradition of thrift comes from New Ulm, Minnesota. At Martin Luther College, trays have been done away with in the student cafeteria as a cost-saving strategy that will save not only on labor costs, but other related items, such as dish soap, etc.

The Washington Historical Society in Washington, Missouri has put together a great new exhibit on the history of the Washington Turnverein. This highlights the history of the Turners in Washington, but is of interest to all those interested in learning about the history of the Turners in America.

Who was America's most remarkable and unique immigrant group?   Surprisingly, many historians feel it may have been a small group of a few thousand revolutionary refugees from Europe who arrived in the United States between 1847 and 1856.

One of the most widely used items used everyday and everywhere on the globe is cologne! Even its name is taken from the German city of Cologne, or Kőln.

Goethe’s Faust belongs to world literature and has been translated into numerous languages. Today German culture is represented world-wide by means of an institution bearing his name, the Goethe Institute.