user.69169
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2009
- Messages
- 1,306
Heavy German immigration to US came in 3 waves, before WW-1 mostly due to fight between government & Catholic Church. Mostly skilled craftsmen wid der tools Lot of stone cutters also lot offarmers knew skills of developing newcrop plants & trees. First public Christmas tree and December 25 day off work in city begun by Bausch & Lomb Optical who closed factory for whole day instead of just giving workers 6 hours off in afternoon for family meal together. . Rochester developed 2 Dutchtowns where low German primary language. Lot of fathers pressured sons to go back and fight for Kaiser. Most didn't go.
Lot of Germans came to NYC on boat & switched to train goin west. Dey already in contract for farmland railroads were sellin. Train company learned quick to keep train movin when passin thru farmland in daytime. Train lost passengers when dey saw farms along Lake Ontario. Train only made station stops in dark from den on.
Whole different world back den. Food might have been better cause der no freezers and few refrigerators.
Second wave came after war, moved into Dutchtowns and built community almost subcity around churches. Not so many Catholics in secind wave but still lot of tradesmen who survived world war. Even had own newspaper and was strong community thru Great Depression. Lot of German beer halls and social clubs sort of immitation of Old Country. City was sort of mini europe wid every nationality in own neighborhood. Many did well in industry thru 2nd War. Owning house wid big yard maybe 40 x 80 for garden and house all spiffy real big thing wid dem neighborhoods. Festivals big thing too, and marching bands and concerts. Very tight neighborhoods only minimal interaction wid next community over. Dang little boyin & girlin across border either.
Last wave after Second World War kinda different. Seems like did their best to loose nation of origin. Didn't allow kids to speak mother language and relied on kids to teach dem English and American ways dey learned in school. All hard workers wid good work ethic had no problem finding jobs in industry. Still enough old timers in work mother language worked on job till dey learned English.
Seems like TV ruined all de old ways along wid owning cars. Even got to be boyin & girlin across neighborhood borders.
Bout only community left in Rochester Ukrainians and maybe some newcomer Russians. Old ladies of Ukrainian Church make up huge piles of food twice a year and sell it. You gotta be early in line, before sunup to get de best stuf. Got der own bank & Churches too.
Russians pretty much keep to selves & work at University.
Lot of Germans came to NYC on boat & switched to train goin west. Dey already in contract for farmland railroads were sellin. Train company learned quick to keep train movin when passin thru farmland in daytime. Train lost passengers when dey saw farms along Lake Ontario. Train only made station stops in dark from den on.
Whole different world back den. Food might have been better cause der no freezers and few refrigerators.
Second wave came after war, moved into Dutchtowns and built community almost subcity around churches. Not so many Catholics in secind wave but still lot of tradesmen who survived world war. Even had own newspaper and was strong community thru Great Depression. Lot of German beer halls and social clubs sort of immitation of Old Country. City was sort of mini europe wid every nationality in own neighborhood. Many did well in industry thru 2nd War. Owning house wid big yard maybe 40 x 80 for garden and house all spiffy real big thing wid dem neighborhoods. Festivals big thing too, and marching bands and concerts. Very tight neighborhoods only minimal interaction wid next community over. Dang little boyin & girlin across border either.
Last wave after Second World War kinda different. Seems like did their best to loose nation of origin. Didn't allow kids to speak mother language and relied on kids to teach dem English and American ways dey learned in school. All hard workers wid good work ethic had no problem finding jobs in industry. Still enough old timers in work mother language worked on job till dey learned English.
Seems like TV ruined all de old ways along wid owning cars. Even got to be boyin & girlin across neighborhood borders.
Bout only community left in Rochester Ukrainians and maybe some newcomer Russians. Old ladies of Ukrainian Church make up huge piles of food twice a year and sell it. You gotta be early in line, before sunup to get de best stuf. Got der own bank & Churches too.
Russians pretty much keep to selves & work at University.