German Immigration History

One might look at my last name and ponder at its origin. The name “Misel” is also an Americanized variant of “Maisel,” the name adopted by my forefathers when they immigrated to this land. Despite my German surname and heritage, there is little German about me. I no longer have any connections to the country of my origin and have had little exposure to German culture and traditions. When offered the opportunity to learn German in high school, I chose Spanish instead -- a language that I viewed as more utilitarian for one living in the United States. I’ve heard of German meats such as knackwurst or liverwurst, as well as German delicacies like sauerbraten or sauerkraut. However, the closest experience I had with German cuisine up to that point …show more content…
As we moved in for a closer look, we realized that it was a boulder throwing contest. Men strong enough to pick up and hurl the 138 pound boulder, and maybe those who had drank a few too many steins, stepped up and heaved the rock with all their might, trying to beat the record. Most struggled just to lift the massive stone and were only able to lunge it forward about five feet. While interesting to watch, I had no interest in participating. I wanted to spend my day at Oktoberfest, not the hospital with my back thrown …show more content…
We decided to start at Schmidt’s, a German cuisine restaurant started by immigrants in the 1880s, who were also the founders of the Columbus Oktoberfest. As we stood looking at their selection, we wafted in the aromas of frying sausages and pastries. We decided upon their “Bahama Mama” a beef and pork, smoked sausage, and one of their jumbo half-pound cream puffs. We found a nearby table and sat down to eat as Tanz und Spielkreis, a group that performs Austrian folkdances, took the stage. The group performed a few dances before informing the crowd about the meaning of the knot on their dirndls. A knot on the left of the dirndl means they are single, whereas a knot on the right indicates that they are spoken for. One of the dancers announced to the crowd that her long-standing boyfriend had proposed that day, and she formally changed the knot to her right side. At the same time the dancers were performing, I began to dig into my meal. Opening a package of spicy mustard, I garnished my sausage and took a bite. The immediate taste was a pleasant heat from the juicy sausage and mustard, and after the heat wore off, the sausage’s excellent flavor shone through. After eating part of my Bahama Mama, I sampled the sauerkraut, something I had never tried before. The sauerkraut was sour, true to its name, a taste I was unaccustomed to with that particular texture. I had no strong like or