esrosedotblog

You do not hear Germans proclaim their heritage very much.

I know that I do not and I am 100% American-German.

Whatever Happened to German America?

Why is this? The article is very well done. It covers many bases.

My family wiped the German out of our life before I was born.

Before a certain time, our family name was Roesse.

My Dad always said that his Aunt Mary changed it, convinced everyone else to change it too.

He was clueless as to why.

I have always suspected that it had to do with the First World War. And then the Second.

It does not happen now but there used to be many vaudeville acts about blustery Germans. A joke.

I have to admit we are ripe for ridicule. The characteristic posturing and bluster of the Germanic culture is obvious even in the music. Wagner! There is no humble German music. Bombast. Over the top mit der drums, already.

On the other hand the cultural heritage of German music is rich and, today, a basic ingredient of all repertoires.

When I was a kid, I lived next to the Bixlers who had the Pennsylvania Dutch background. Germans. But they had turned it into something different. Amish are originally Germans. Peace loving people.

The Bixlers were not ashamed of their heritage. The Dad was a chaplain in the WWII Army. The kids had a lot of Germanic stuff which I shared in. A certain pride came into it when I realized that I was German from both sides. The other one had changed its name too. Schaller to Shaller. A mild thing now but then a big thing. Before that my mother's family was Utt on one side.

I have never hidden from the Germanic thing. I suspect that is partly because of the Bixlers. It is amusing to reflect that their dog had been smuggled in from Germany when their Dad came back. Chaplains could get away with shit apparently. Lulu.

Such a thing would be impossible today. So Lulu was a full bore kraut.

I am always surprised that the Irish and Italians and other national groups hold such pride in their background. I have never made a thing about being German. Of course that is very Germanic, isn't it?

Labels: stereotypes