Immigration in Indiana: Introduction

Soon global events were changing nations worldwide. World War I - lasting from 1914 to 1918 - significantly affected life throughout North America and much of Europe. Immigration to Indiana was restricted during the war, and many expressions of virulent racism took place. The patriotism of ethnic communities whose countries of origin were fighting American allies was intensely challenged in the English-language press and legislature. The most visible actions were taken against Indiana residents of German descent, even though German-American communities were among the oldest and most widespread ethnic groups in the state.

In cities like Evansville, for example, German immigrants comprised some 40 percent of the population by 1900. First and second-generation families were concentrated on Evansville's North and West sides where they could attend German churches, send their children to German parochial schools, and do business with German merchants and banks.

During World War I, the German language was banned in schools, churches, and on the streets. In May 1917, the re-enactment of the 1798 Alien Law required non-citizens to register as enemy aliens or face arrest and prison. Enemy aliens were considered residents of foreign birth who had not yet completed the two sets of registration papers required for naturalization. Eventually, institutions also felt the effects of restrictions on German culture. The German-American Bank changed its name to Lincoln National Bank (now Norwest), communities such as New Germany, Indiana changed their names and several local German newspapers, such as the Evansville Demokrat, were pressured to stop publishing by anti-German sentiment.

As I have said in other books, the anti-Germanism in this country during the First World War so shamed and dismayed my parents that they resolved to raise me without acquainting me with the language or the literature of the music of the oral family histories which my ancestors loved. They volunteered to make me ignorant and rootless as proof of their patriotism. This was done with surprising meekness by many, many German-American families in Indianapolis, it seems to me. Uncle John [Rauch-a prominent Indianapolis lawyer] almost seems to boast of this dismantling and quiet burial of a culture, a culture which surely would have been of use to me today.