The first German immigrants
came to
The German
Society of Pennsylvania was founded to relieve these
fellow
countrymen and women who were being sold into a form of slavery. The founding members of
the Society preached
humanity and the maintenance of German practices, moral standards, and
charitable acts.
Officially founded on
December 26, 1764, The German Society of Pennsylvania is the oldest
German
organization of its kind in the
The original home of the
German Society (GSP) was the German Lutheran Schoolhouse on
The surge in membership
around the turn of the century can also be attributed to the founding
of the
Women’s Auxiliary
on May 22, 1900. Started
by twelve ladies, led by Antonie Ehrlich, the Women’s
Auxiliary soared to 800
members after its official incorporation in 1908.
World War II was a difficult
time for the Germans of the Society.
It
was a deeply personal struggle to stand by while two countries they
loved
dearly were at war with each other. At
the end of
the war, the GSP partnered with the “American Relief for
In the 1960s, the Society
began to take a further interest in students and the youth of the
Since the 1960s, the Society
has been able to hold its own. The
membership is now approximately 700.
The
calendar is packed with all different types of events
– lectures, dinners,
movies, concerts, tastings, and much more.
The language program
for adults and children is taught in a fun, relaxed, and affordable
atmosphere. The
Library’s holdings are
growing. The halls
are abuzz just about
everyday with volunteers
cooking, cleaning, and maintaining the building.
It is only through
generous donations from our supporters that we will be able to further
the
understanding of German and German-American contributions to the growth
of American
history into the future.
Interesting
facts:
In
1764, when the GSP was founded…
The French Revolution
was twenty-five years in the future.
Wolfgang von Goethe was
beginning
his travels for the
Friedrich Schiller was only
five years old.
Mozart was writing his first
symphony – at the age of eight.
Beethoven would be born six
years later.
The French and Indian War
had just come to a close.
The
complete historical summary can be found in “A
History of the German Society of
