Germans in Minnesota

The People of Minnesota

by Kathleen Neils Conzen, Bill Holm (Foreword)

Minnesota is often associated with its Scandinavian heritage, but in fact Germans are the largest single immigrant group in Minnesota history and were the largest ancestry group in the 2000 census. Author Kathleen Neils Conzen tells the story of German Americans and their profound influence on Minnesota history and culture.Conzen recounts their triumphs and struggles over the last 150 years in a clear and concise narrative. Landing in poverty, Germans transformed acres of wilderness into productive farms and brought to America their love of art, music, and sociability. Immigrants came to America intent on creating, in the words of one agent, "an earthly paradise of this Minnesota" and "a new Germany" soon rose in Stearns County. Conzen explores not only the well-known enclaves in Brown and Stearns Counties but also looks at the smaller communities of Winona, on the Iron Range, and along the North Shore, as well as in the Twin Cities.In recent times, a renewed interest in German heritage can be seen in towns like New Ulm, home to the thirty-two-foot statue of Hermann the German, hero of the wars against the ancient Roman legions, and Heritagefest, the ethnic heritage festival that occurs every summer.

Genres: History, American History

143 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 1, 2003

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

According to the 2000 census, more than 37 percent of Minnesotans claim German ancestry making it the largest ethnic group in Minnesota. In Kathleen Neils Conzen’s book Germans in Minnesota, Cozen discusses why Germans left their lands, both in Germany and the eastern United States, to settle in Minnesota and the lasting impact they had on the state.

The forward, written by Bill Holms, was fantastic. He talks about ethnicity and how as humans we all need to feel connected. Part of how we achieve connectedness is by understanding our neighbors and ourselves. Everything after the forward was just okay for me. A lot of times the book read like a list of facts, which made for a dry read. Towards the end, the author incorporated several personal stories, which I loved. For me, the addition of more stories scattered throughout the book would’ve made for a more engaging read.