German Americans (German: Deutschamerikaner) are Americans who are of German or Alsatian descent. They comprise about 50 million people,[1] making them the largest self-reported ancestry group ahead of Irish Americans, African Americans and English Americans.[5][6][7][8][9][10] They comprise about 1⁄3 of the German diaspora in the world.[11][12][13]
None of the German states had American colonies. In the 1670s the first significant groups of German immigrants arrived in the British colonies, settling primarily in New York and Pennsylvania. Immigration continued in very large numbers during the 19th century, with eight million arrivals from Germany. They were pulled by the attractions of land and religious freedom, and pushed out of Europe by shortages of land and religious or political oppression.[14] Many arrived seeking religious or political freedom, others for economic opportunities greater than those in Europe, and others for the chance to start fresh in the New World. The arrivals before 1850 were mostly farmers who sought out the most productive land, where their intensive farming techniques would pay off. After 1840, many came to cities, where "Germania"—German-speaking districts—soon emerged.[15][16][17]
German Americans established the first kindergartens in the United States,[18] introduced the Christmas tree tradition,[19][20] and originated popular American foods such as hot dogs and hamburgers.[21]
An overwhelming number of people with some German ancestry have become Americanized and hardly can be distinguished; fewer than 5% speak German. German American celebrations are held throughout the country, one of the most well-known being the German-American Steuben Parade in New York City, held every third Saturday in September. Traditional Oktoberfest celebrations and the German-American Day are popular festivities. There are major annual events in cities with a strong German heritage including Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, and St. Louis. The Economist magazine in 2015 interviewed Petra Schürmann, the director of the German-American Heritage Museum in Washington for a major article on German-Americans. She notes that all over the United States celebrations such as German fests and Oktoberfests have been appearing. They go beyond "brats and beer" to encompass genealogy, wearing historical costumes and demonstrating traditional craftsmanship. Schürmann says, "Germany has never been as popular as it is today."[22]