Speaking German in Texas

Windy City Joe · December 07, 2009, 08:18:50 PM

Harley Starr · December 07, 2009, 08:34:14 PM

Hope he got enough to drink.

Dr. Bob · December 08, 2009, 12:27:05 AM

Some early Texas settlement were comprised of German immigrants and German was the language spoken in them. Look at a Texas map and you will find many towns & cities with very German names. These German settlement go back to when Sam Huston was recruiting immigrants for the "Mexican" state of Tejas!

S. Quentin Quale, Esq. · December 08, 2009, 12:06:29 PM

Quote from: Dr. Bob on December 08, 2009, 12:27:05 AM
Some early Texas settlement were comprised of German immigrants and German was the language spoken in them. Look at a Texas map and you will find many towns & cities with very German names. These German settlement go back to when Sam Huston was recruiting immigrants for the "Mexican" state of Tejas!

Early Texas was very culturally diverse. The oldest Polish-American settlement in America was Panna Maria, between San Antonio and Corpus Christi. There were Basques in Hondo. Czechs in Brenham. I suspect you'll find lots more if you look around.

SQQ

captmack · December 08, 2009, 01:00:06 PM

My wife is from Cotulla which is in deep South Texas. When her Great Grandparents immigrated to Texas from Germany they did not speak English. Her Grandmother only spoke German when she entered grade school and learned to speak English rather quickly.

Capt Mack

Harley Starr · December 09, 2009, 12:15:36 AM

Quote from: Dr. Bob on December 08, 2009, 12:27:05 AM
Some early Texas settlement were comprised of German immigrants and German was the language spoken in them. Look at a Texas map and you will find many towns & cities with very German names. These German settlement go back to when Sam Huston was recruiting immigrants for the "Mexican" state of Tejas!

A great deal of street names in my old Fort Worth neighborhood had mostly German names. While we're talking about it, I've read "The Texian Iliad" from cover to cover, there's a passage that mentions a young German immigrant who managed to escape from Goliad during the massacre.

WaddWatsonEllis · December 09, 2009, 02:17:25 AM

Couple of interesting facts:

My uncle, himself of German descent, lived in New Braunfels, TX ... home of the annual Sausage Festival.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Its_sausage_time_in_New_Braunfels.html

Tejano music is culturally thought to be made up of French-Mexican-German inspiration ....

S. Quentin Quale, Esq. · December 10, 2009, 04:05:39 PM

Quote from: WaddWatsonEllis on December 09, 2009, 02:17:25 AM
Couple of interesting facts:

My uncle, himself of German descent, lived in New Braunfels, TX ... home of the annual Sausage Festival.

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Its_sausage_time_in_New_Braunfels.html

Tejano music is culturally thought to be made up of French-Mexican-German inspiration ....

There's also a style called "conjunto" which is very clearly influenced by German and Anglo (mostly country) rythms. Flaco Jimenez is a noted practitioner.

SQQ

Texas Lawdog · December 10, 2009, 06:07:40 PM

Flaco played with the "Texas Tornados" regularly and one of the "Mavericks" songs.

Guns Garrett · December 10, 2009, 08:38:37 PM

Was it the Germans who introduced the accordion to Tex-Mex music?

Pancho Peacemaker · December 10, 2009, 08:49:31 PM

The Hill Country is thick with Barvarian immigrants. The region from Mason south to San Antonio was a very popular region for Barvarians to settle. Many of these settlers were from rural farming families in the "old country". A good number of the families were Roman Catholic and left Germany due to religious persecution. You still can find many 100+ year old ranch homes that have hallmarks of German stonework in their construction.

There are 100's of great historic sites to visit in the Hill Country that exhibit it's strong Barvarian roots. One of my favorite: the town of Walburg. It is north of Georgetown and about 5 miles east of I-35. The town center has a 100+ year old structure called "Walburg Mercantile". It was a regional dry goods store at the end of the 19th Century. The well made structure has been maintained and has been a very good Barvarian restaurant since the 1980's. On warm weather weekend nights, they open a 1 acre Biergarten in the back with local men playing polka music. They've even put out a CD: "The Walburg Boys".

If you are driving down I-35, take the "Walburg" exit. You will not regret it.

WaddWatsonEllis · December 10, 2009, 09:48:25 PM

Yep, and the polka ....

And there is the French side ... when Maximillian was in charge of Mexico, there were accordions as well, but I don't think they really got tat far north .... but the Germans brought the instruments (and rhythms) with them ....

Guns Garrett · December 11, 2009, 11:15:19 AM

Had a gr-great uncle (or sumpin - maybe a cuzzin) who was postmaster for a little burg not far from the present Lost Maples Park. Called "Bugscuffle" - he hated the name, so he named it after himself - Vanderpool. I think more people are in the cemetery than what live there now.

Dr. Bob · December 11, 2009, 06:08:08 PM

I reckon Vanderpool sound a bit better than Bugscuttle!

Texas Lawdog · December 11, 2009, 08:16:01 PM

We have a lot of polka music here in Texas. The Czechs and Poles, as well as Greamans settled Texas and these cultures mixed with the Spanish cultures.

Shotgun Franklin · December 11, 2009, 08:59:23 PM

From the late 1840s until WWI, German was the second most spoken language in San Antonio. There were German Newspapers, theater, Social Groups and Public Schools. Before WWI the southern area of Downtown was called Kaiser Wilhelm, it was changed to King William as a patriotic move. Most elected officials could only get elected if they won the German vote. I'd bet that there are more German descendants in SA than any other town in Texas.
JSYK, there were several 'Nazi' organizations in SA up until Dec 7, 1941, they quickly died and the Texas Germans fought for Texas, or the US, in large numbers.

WaddWatsonEllis · December 11, 2009, 09:22:38 PM

I have been feeling a tug to go back to the Dilly area. The chapel is gone, but the cemetary where much of my mother's ancestors is now been restored as a historic area. I was even looking into the family name, and there is a bed and breakfast room named after my great aunt .....

But on my bucket list is a trip to Dilly, and some pictures of me with Great Great Grandpa and Great Great Grandma's graves ....

http://www.txgenweb6.org/txfrio/covey_chapel_cem.htm

His name is spelled Wat on the listing ...

Pitspitr · December 13, 2009, 09:24:25 AM

Quote from: captmack on December 08, 2009, 01:00:06 PM
My wife is from Cotulla which is in deep South Texas. When her Great Grandparents immigrated to Texas from Germany they did not speak English. Her Grandmother only spoke German when she entered grade school and learned to speak English rather quickly.

You know Capt. I was perusing the images page of the GAF website and I'm assuming that that fine looking Texas belle on your arm is your wife. What I can't understand is what the heck is she doing married to someone like you?!!!!

Pancho Peacemaker · December 14, 2009, 08:40:14 AM

Here's a little extra info on Walburg, Texas:

http://www.walburgrestaurant.com/

Steel Horse Bailey · December 15, 2009, 08:52:20 AM

Gruss Gott! (A traditional Bavarian greeting, akin to saying "Howdy!")

I want to eat at that restaurant, Pancho!

If any of y'all fancy fine Germerman cooking and are visiting Disney World, there's a GREAT German restaurant there in the park.
(Epcot Center area)

I had the pleasure of being stationed in Fulda, FRG (Federal Republic of Germany, otherwise known as the former West Germany) for nearly 8 years with the 11th Armored Cavalry. (Border Duty) I sure miss the Schnell Imbiss (fast snack bar) where one could get Currywurst (bratwurst and fries, covered with Curry Catchup & curry powder; Rindswurst - a beef sausage, cut & eaten on a Brotschen (small bread roll) with hot mustard and/or sauerkraut and fries; Jaeger Schnitzel - a fine breaded pork steak covered with a flavorful gravy containing mushrooms & onions; and ...

Oh, ~~hell~~ heck, now I'm really hongry! Fortunately, my Frau, Billie, is a wizard at the stove and makes killer Jaeger Schnitzel and of course, good Bratwurst is readily available.

Yummy!