AMERICAN CONNECTION TO THE GERMAN CULTUREI

AMERICAN CONNECTION TO THE GERMAN CULTURE

James R. Fisher, Jr., Ph.D.
© April 5, 2008


The late Alan Bloom, professor of social thought at the University of Chicago, shocked American society in general, and the education establishment in particular with his book, "The Closing of the American Mind" (1987).

Bloom's indictment of this institution's failure sent tremors through society. But that was not what was most surprising to me. I had taught graduate school as an adjunct professor at several universities for more than ten years, so was well aware of the American college student he described.

What surprised me was the indebtedness we Americans have to German culture.

I had always thought that the Irish and Italians made up the largest immigrant segment of the American population, when neither is even close to matching Americans with German ancestors. More than 60 million Americans out of a population of 300 million can trace their ancestry back to Germany.

The oldest German community was established in 1683 in Germantown, Pennsylvania, outside of Philadelphia. Coincidentally, my son is the head tennis professional there and director of one of the largest and oldest tennis clubs in the United States, the Germantown Tennis & Racket Club.

Our American culture was greatly influenced by Germany in the transplanting of German’s symphony and opera to the United States. Much of our art and literature shows a strong German influence as, indeed, does our science, philosophy, medicine, and engineering.

We are aware that King George III of Great Britain had acquired an army of Hessian or German mercenaries to fight against the Continental Army in the American Revolutionary War. What is not common knowledge is that George Washington's bodyguard was a German, as well as many of his soldiers had German ancestry.

The hamburger and hot dog are German confections and staples of our fast-food culture, as are several other dishes.

It is also true that the German “know how” is evident in our railroads and the steel industry as they have the stamp of the German influence.

Bloom ends his chapter on "The German Connection" with his acerbic prose, which as I say, alerted me to how many German thinkers introduced me to myself. Bloom writes:

"We (Americans) are a bit like savages who, having been discovered and evangelized by missionaries, have converted to Christianity without having experienced all that came before and after the revelation. The fact that most of us never would have heard of Oedipus if it were not for Freud should make us aware that we are almost utterly dependent on our German missionaries or intermediaries for our knowledge of Greece, Rome, Judaism and Christianity; that, however, profound that knowledge may be, theirs is only one interpretation; and that we have only been told as much as they thought we needed to know. It is an urgent business for one who seeks self-awareness to think through the meaning of the intellectual dependency that has led us to such an impasse." (p. 156)

I have nearly 3,000 books in my study, and it would not surprise me at all if 600 of them are of German authors or ancestors of German heritage.

Be always well,

Jim