“Before 1914, German-Americans were widely considered to be the “most assimilable and reputable of the immigrant groups” in America. They were richly diverse ethic group, differentiated by social and economic background, political and religious affiliation, stage of assimilation, and geographical location.” However, this attitude changed drastically once America declared war on Germany. The United States entering the war brought along a tremendous hysteria throughout the country and left every German-American with a target on their back and under constant scrutiny. Once the United States entered the war, German-Americans divided into three different groups. They would be the middle-of-the-roaders, pro-German militants, and the pro-Allied
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She discusses the controversy of German-American boys in America and the hatred for Kraut. Some German-American boys would claim their father was sick or dying and the boys needed to stay back to tend the farm. They would receive a draft deferment and that angered many people in the town. They believed they had to serve in the armed forces to prove their loyalty to America. To prove their dissatisfaction with the boys, they would be stripped of their clothing and would be tarred and feathered. Kraut caused a giant uproar throughout the town. A stores’ windows were smashed out just because they said Kraut. Everybody refused to eat it and demanded that it all to be thrown out. One store owner even went to the extent of throwing all of his merchandise made in Germany out in the middle of road and burning it all. The owner was known to have many German friends too all around the county and many helped him in accumulating his wealth. These actions not only describe what was occurring throughout Idaho but all throughout America during the war. These actions were rather petty in the attacks on the German-American …show more content…
This put German newspapers, German-language instruction, and pro-German textbooks as super patriots’ number one target. Senator William H. King of Utah was responsible for helping Congress attach a rider to the Trading-with-the-Enemy Act which gave the authority of the government to control the expression of opinion. Which in others terms means the government could limit newspaper company’s right to the First Amendment. The law required all German-language newspapers to supply English translation of any comments regarding the Government of the United States, its policies, international relations, the state or conduct of war, or of any other matter relating thereto. The local postmaster would receive and review the translations. If the material violated the law, the newspaper’s mailing privileges would be revoked; if over time, the postmaster saw the paper’s content as loyal, a waiver could be issued no longer requiring a translation. This piece of legislation was many small budget papers’ death sentence. For example, the publication Unsere Zeit of Chillicothe, Ohio sent out an English-language editorial that it would be ceasing publication the day the law came into effect. When it came to the hysteria in the education system it made many believe that there was so much German-language instruction and pro-German textbooks dispersed throughout the public school system that
She discusses the controversy of German-American boys in America and the hatred for Kraut. Some German-American boys would claim their father was sick or dying and the boys needed to stay back to tend the farm. They would receive a draft deferment and that angered many people in the town. They believed they had to serve in the armed forces to prove their loyalty to America. To prove their dissatisfaction with the boys, they would be stripped of their clothing and would be tarred and feathered. Kraut caused a giant uproar throughout the town. A stores’ windows were smashed out just because they said Kraut. Everybody refused to eat it and demanded that it all to be thrown out. One store owner even went to the extent of throwing all of his merchandise made in Germany out in the middle of road and burning it all. The owner was known to have many German friends too all around the county and many helped him in accumulating his wealth. These actions not only describe what was occurring throughout Idaho but all throughout America during the war. These actions were rather petty in the attacks on the German-American …show more content…
This put German newspapers, German-language instruction, and pro-German textbooks as super patriots’ number one target. Senator William H. King of Utah was responsible for helping Congress attach a rider to the Trading-with-the-Enemy Act which gave the authority of the government to control the expression of opinion. Which in others terms means the government could limit newspaper company’s right to the First Amendment. The law required all German-language newspapers to supply English translation of any comments regarding the Government of the United States, its policies, international relations, the state or conduct of war, or of any other matter relating thereto. The local postmaster would receive and review the translations. If the material violated the law, the newspaper’s mailing privileges would be revoked; if over time, the postmaster saw the paper’s content as loyal, a waiver could be issued no longer requiring a translation. This piece of legislation was many small budget papers’ death sentence. For example, the publication Unsere Zeit of Chillicothe, Ohio sent out an English-language editorial that it would be ceasing publication the day the law came into effect. When it came to the hysteria in the education system it made many believe that there was so much German-language instruction and pro-German textbooks dispersed throughout the public school system that