Good Bye Bayern--Grüß Gott America: Auswanderung aus Bayern nach Amerika 1683-2003. Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte.
Reviewed by Michael Herdick
Published on H-German (June, 2004)
Auswanderung von Bayern in die USA, 1683-2003
A new exhibit at the Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte museum focuses on the people who left Bavaria and the former Bavarian Palatinate, to emmigrate to the United States. <p> Its description of the multi-faceted history of the Bavarians emmigration to the USA focuses on the political and legal conditions, as well as the role played by emigration agents, who told the inhabitants of Bavaria only the best about the life in the "new world." There were also attempts by regional governments to prevent residents from emigrating, or to encourage others--mainly the socially disadvantaged--to emigrate. The exhibit also informs visitors about the seaports confronted with hordes of migrants and how the booming cities dealt with the various resulting social problems. Poor conditions on emigrant ships that went unaltered until the twentieth century are also treated. <p> A central focus is the integration of Bavarian emigrants into daily life in their new homeland. Of particular importance were the mutual exchanges, which led to the development of German-American cultural traditions, such as those illustrated in the exhibited paintings and photography. <p> The exhibit focuses not only on the phenomenon of mass emigration, but also aims to depict the individual personalities of emigrants. Biographies presented include famous and obscure immigrants, success stories, and failures. A accompanying catalogue published by the Haus der Bayerischen Geschichte includes essays, biographies and descriptions. The exhibit website, http://www.auswanderung.hdbg.de, offers a virtual tour, including articles from the accompanying colloquium in progress, bibliographic sources, and photographs.
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Citation:
Michael Herdick. Review of , Good Bye Bayern--Grüß Gott America: Auswanderung aus Bayern nach Amerika 1683-2003.
H-German, H-Net Reviews.
June, 2004.
URL: http://www.h-net.org/reviews/showrev.php?id=15433
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