The German Way of Connection
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Start Date
23-4-2026 12:00 AM
Description
Throughout the 1800s, German immigrants settled in the St. Louis area. As in many other U.S. cities, they created societies that organized groups for singing, gymnastics, and other performing arts. Scholars have examined the activities of German American performing arts societies in St. Louis and described the immense popularity of these cultural activities. But why were these social art activities so important to these German immigrants? Many scholars attribute the importance of these cultural activities to a desire to keep ties to the homeland. However, such cultural practices connected Germans in St. Louis not only to their homeland in the past, but also to each other in the present. This paper will demonstrate how German immigrants were able to find community in Missouri through German-specific performing arts groups.
Recommended Citation
Michelson, Kendall, "The German Way of Connection" (2026). 2026 Student Academic Showcase. 3.
https://digitalcommons.lindenwood.edu/src_2026/oral_presentation/1/3
The German Way of Connection
Throughout the 1800s, German immigrants settled in the St. Louis area. As in many other U.S. cities, they created societies that organized groups for singing, gymnastics, and other performing arts. Scholars have examined the activities of German American performing arts societies in St. Louis and described the immense popularity of these cultural activities. But why were these social art activities so important to these German immigrants? Many scholars attribute the importance of these cultural activities to a desire to keep ties to the homeland. However, such cultural practices connected Germans in St. Louis not only to their homeland in the past, but also to each other in the present. This paper will demonstrate how German immigrants were able to find community in Missouri through German-specific performing arts groups.