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Subject: [IASCOTT] 1910 Part 4 - final
Date: Fri, 13 Dec 2002 07:20:05 EST

The German press of the country has steadily gained in influence and
importance and has probably not yet reached its zenith.  The oldest German
newspaper, still published in Reading, Penn., is the Reading Adler, founded
in the year 1796.  The German newspapers now number in the hundreds.  Among
the daily publications of the first rank are the New Yorker Staats-Zeitung,
the Westliche-Post in St. Louis, the Illinois Staats-Zeitung of Chicago, and
others.  In Davenport appears as a daily newspaper Der Demokrat, a German
paper which was founded by Theodor Guelich in 1851.  Its proprietor, from
1856 to 1903, was Henry Lischer and it is now published by the H. Lischer
Printing Company, whose members are the sons of Henry Lischer.  Another
Davenport newspaper is the Semi-weekly Iowa Reform which was founded by the
writer of this article in 1884 and who has continued its publication from
that year with the assistance of his brother Gerhard Petersen, with good
success.  Last year, to celebrate the 25th anniversary, a jubilee edition was
issued, a piece of journalistic achievement rarely equalled in the
German-Aerican field.  Concerning the German-American press the distinguished
historian Rudolph Cronau says in his latest work, "Three Centuries of German
Life in America," from which work many of the dates above given are taken:
 "The tone of the German-American press is genuinely American.  It is
everywhere the constant defender of the best elements in our political
system, sharp in its criticism of political mistakes, and an untiring
champion of the general welfare, of order and of personal liberty.  To the
praise of the German-American newspapers it may be further said that with few
exceptions they are free from the disgusting sensationalism through which
many American newspapers endeavor to enlarge their circle of readers."

Brief mention has already been made of what the German turning societies did
in the time of the country's greatest need.  Hastily will be sketched what
the German immigrants have accomplished in the realm of music in this mighty
land.  To them thanks are due for the development of orchestral music and
much that is admirable in vocal music.  The names of the following pioneer
conductors:  Leopold Damrosch, Theodore Thomas, Carl Zerrahn, Christoph Bach
and Friedrich Stock are household words.  In Davenport Jacob Strasse was the
founder and pioneer of good orchestral music.  In the realm of grand opera
may be written the noted Wagner directors and singers; Anton Seidl, Walter
Damrosch, Alfred Hertz, Andreas Dippel and others and the eqully noted
song-birds, Ritter-Geotze, Marcella Sembrich, Schumann-Heink and others.  On
occasions of great saengerfests the four-part choruses for male voices have
been given with immense effect, a recent example being the male choruses at
the saengerfest of the Northwestern association in July, 1898, in Davenport.
The German theater in the United States has contributed much to the elevation
of public taste, although in many cities where it formerly flourished it is
now struggling for existence.  In New York, St. Louis and Milwaukee the
German theater still prospers.  In Davenport where for more than fifty years
the "Deutches Stadttheater' was able to exist, giving pleasure at all times
and instruction on many occasions not only to the Germans but also to the
English speaking population, there is now being given at the Grand Opera
House a series of plays by a dramatic organizations of St. Louis.  The
present director of the German theater in Davenport is the excellent
character-actor, G. C. Ackermann.  Formerly for many years John Hill was the
manager of the locat theater.  Fritz Singer also rendered valuable service in
this line, as before him did Berthold Kraus.  The most famous of those who
have appeared upon the local stage as artistic managers are Gustav Donald,
Hans Ravene, H. Neeb, G. C. Ackermann and Hans Wengefeld.  The qualities
which made the German immigrant successful in this country and caused him to
be recognized among the most substantial of American citizens found their
finest expression in the exhibits of Germany at the World's Fair in Chicago
in 1893 and at St. Louis in 1904, where she was the equal of all exhibiting
nations, and surpassed most.  But greater than this excellence in material
benefit is the gift to Americans and the foreign born citizens of this land
other than the Germans of those influences toward the higher life, and in
this consists their greater debt to the German-Americans, which is most
manifest in its influence upon the younger generation.  We brought America
not only German industry which helped to change the bare prairie into
laughing, fruitful fields, we also brought it the systematic physical
training now taught in many schools of this country, according to German
methods, the fostering of the best in vocal and instrumental music, true love
of liberty, and the Christmas tree with its many sparkling lights, which is
now to be found in nearly every American home.
America has profited much by the addition to her life of all that is German.
 By far the larger portion of German immigration, grown less in later years
through more favoring conditions in the fatherland, has been a blessing to
this country.  The very large portion of the present population of the United
States made up of Germans and their descendants is shown by the fact that out
of 80,000,000 souls, about one-fourth, or 20,000,000 have German blood in
their veins.  And if to these be added the English and Scandinavian people,
which addition is just, as they are of Germanic stock, it is easy to see that
all other elements are exceeded, and that makes for the greatness of America.
 That the German language may be kept alive by those descended from the
German immigrants and also by other American citizens and fostered to a
degree greater than ever before to me seems of great importance.  It is
gratifying to note that the practical American has found a value in a
knowledge of the German tongue.  It is equally euphonious with the English
and ranks next to that language in use among civilized nations.  German
commerce enlarges its field each year, and it is to be hoped American
commerce will expand in the same way.  These two great leaders in the world's
civilization are dependent on each other.  May the goodfellowship between
them become incresingly cordial.


Debbie Clough G-erischer
Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County
<A HREF="http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/">http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/</A>;
IAGENWEB: Special History Project:
http://iagenweb.org/history/
G-erischer Family Web Site http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/
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