The story of the Pennsylvania Germans: embracing an account of their origin, their history, and their dialect

The story of the Pennsylvania Germans by William Beidelman is a historical account written in the late 19th century. It traces the Germanic roots of Pennsylvania’s settlers from the Alemannic peoples of the Upper Rhine, recounts the Palatinate’s wars and devastations, and explains why large numbers emigrated to William Penn’s province. The work also examines settlement patterns across the colonies, the community’s politics and role in war, and, notably, defends the Pennsylvania German dialect as authentically German. Overall, it blends history, migration, language, and culture to present a cohesive portrait of the Pennsylvania Germans.

The opening of the book states its purpose: to give Pennsylvania Germans a concise account of their origin, history, and dialect, to correct popular misconceptions (especially that “Pennsylvania Dutch” is not German), and to draw on major German and American sources. It then sketches early Germanic history, emphasizing Roman contact, the rise of the Alemanni, and their settlement along the Upper Rhine, before outlining the creation and fate of the Palatinate. A vivid section recounts the Palatinate’s repeated ravaging—especially under Louis XIV—arguing these wars drove mass emigration. Next comes the attraction of Pennsylvania: Penn’s charter, tolerant laws, fair land terms, and treaties with Native peoples, which catalyzed settlement (including German Quakers at Germantown). The narrative surveys the redemptioner system and grim Atlantic voyages, the German preference for fertile limestone valleys, and estimates of their growing numbers. It also briefly maps German dispersal to other colonies and to Ireland, and describes Quaker–government tensions, Christoph Sauer’s influential German newspaper, and the Germans’ evolving stance in Anglo-French conflicts. The section concludes with English anxieties about “anglicizing” the Germans, noting proposed but unexecuted measures.