German

Resources are listed in alphabetical order. More information can always be found by using our website search bar, or contacting a member of our staff.

A Community in Conflict

Digital Exhibit

1 item

1918

When the U.S. entered World War I, anti-German sentiment began to grow across the nation. At the time German immigrants represented about three percent of McLean County’s population.

Digital Exhibit

Articles

Pages from our Past articles written by Bill Kemp

2 items

Highland Park Golf Course site of old German brewery

A Brief History of Meyer Brewing by Bill Kemp...

Article

Turner Hall lost monument to German pride

More than a century ago, Turner Hall was the cultural hub of Bloomington’s large and influentia...

Article

Biographies

18 items

Bach, Maria Sophia

Maria Sophia (Koehler or Kahler) Bach was the wife of pressman and political dissident, William...

Biography

Becker, Augusta "Gussie"

Augusta Becker, known as “Gussie” to most, was born in Berlin, Germany on November 13, 1882, to...

Biography

Dietrich, Julius R.

Julius R. Dietrich was born in September of 1858 in Heinichen Saxony, Germany. He spent most o...

Biography

Funk, Henry

Henry Funk was a career orchardist, apiarist, poultry man, and horticulturalist. Though not to ...

Biography

Hanson, Ethel Hamilton

Ethel Hamilton Hanson was a popular member of society circles and active in educational, politi...

Biography

Jung, Jacob

Jacob Phillip Jung was born on February 9, 1850 in Nauvoo, Hancock County, Illinois to parents ...

Biography

Klemm, C.W.

Carl Wilhelm (C.W.) Klemm was born on May 1, 1845 in Haynrode, Saxony, Germany. His grandfather...

Biography

Livingston, Hilda

Sigmund Livingston was born on December 27, 1872 in Giessen, Germany. He was one of eight child...

Biography

Mandler, Christoph

Christoph Mandler was born on April 23, 1858 in Daubringen, County of Gressen in the Grand Duch...

Biography

Moratz, Palma

Palma Moratz was born on April 6, 1879 in Bloomington, IL to German-born parents, Hermann and E...

Biography

Moratz, Paul

Paul O. Moratz had a passion for building and design that started at a young age. For 34 years ...

Biography

Muxfeld, Louise

Louise Muxfeld, known as “Lizzie” by all, was born as Johanna Louise Catherine Tobecksen on Jun...

Biography

Riebsame, Christian

Captain Christian Riebsame (1839-1913) was a German-born citizen who came to the United States ...

Biography

Roeder, John Conrad

John C. Roeder was born in Nordeck, Germany in about 1836. He was the son of Conrad and Elizab...

Biography

Schroeder, Baroness Maria von Buchau

Much of what we know about Herman Schroeder comes from his own accounts. Some of this informat...

Biography

Schroeder, Dr. Herman

Much of what we know about Herman Schroeder comes from his own accounts. Some of this informat...

Biography

Seibert, Leonard

Leonard Seibert was born on August 18, 1831 in Koenig, a borough of Essen, Germany. He came to ...

Biography

Thompson, Jennie

Jane “Jennie” Lynd Thompson was born on October 28, 1860 in Bond Head, Canada—located in the pr...

Biography

Blog

2 items

McHistory: Sigmund Livingston and the Anti-Defamation League

Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big momen...

Blog Post

McHistory: Workin' In A Coal Mine

Listen to the audio on WGLT's website hereMcHistory goes back in time to explore big momen...

Blog Post

Farming in the Great Corn Belt

Digital Exhibit

1 item

Draining the Prairie

With most savannah land claimed by 1836, some farmers chose to take a chance by trying to produ...

Digital Exhibit

Finding Aids

Archival collection finding aids (full contents of collections available on site)

2 items

Biederman Correspondence

Originally from Altenberg, Saxony, Germany, (Christian) Philipp Biederman (18 Jan 1814- Apr 189...

Finding Aid

Miller, George

George H. Miller (1856 - 1927) was one of eight children born to German immigrants in Bloomingt...

Finding Aid

Making a Home

Digital Exhibit

3 items

Livingston Family

In 1860 Hannah Eliel, age nine, boarded the sailing ship Clobus with her teenage sisters Betty ...

Digital Exhibit

Mau Family

The Mau family was lucky. Unlike many other German immigrants, they knew exactly where they wer...

Digital Exhibit

Zook Family

Yost and Susan Hoestetler Zook arrived in 1850 with sons Adam and Jacob, and daughters Catherin...

Digital Exhibit

Publications

Digitized books and pamphlets. To see all books in our collection, search our library catalog.

1 item

Bloomington's Deutsche in Wort und Bild.I Baud

German-language publication....

Publication

Speakers Bureau

2 items

German Brewers in Bloomington, IL 1859-1920

Speakers Bureau

McLean County Holiday Stories

Speakers Bureau

Videos

Livestreamed and recorded presentations by staff, experts, and community members.

3 items

Augusta “Gussie” Becker and Francis Cahill performed by Carolyn Stucky and Will Lovell

Video

Hilda & Sigmund Livingston -- 2021 Evergreen Cemetery Walk

Video

Hot Dog! It Could be Wurst: German Cookery

Video