Society

In a four-part television series, Germans in America recounts the story of German immigrants to the United States, using gripping stories about naive settlers and successful farmers, about devout free-thinkers and political refugees, about the heyday of the German-language press in America, and about the founders of industrial dynasties in the new homeland.

Program 1: Into the Promised Land
Program 2: The Price of Freedom
Program 3: Little Germanies
Program 4: A People Disappears

Sixty million Americans have their origins in German-speaking countries. As America’s largest ethnic group, the Germans made a significant mark on America’s cultural, business, and public life for centuries until their identity fell victim to feelings of shame and repression during and after two World Wars. But their achievements are still the basis for much of American culture.

Location shooting, archival footage, the descendants of immigrants, and carefully done historical recreation bring German-American history to life.


This series was originally created for broadcast in Europe. Thanks to generous support from the German Information Center USA, South Carolina ETV and the Goethe-Institut released the English-language version starting in March 2008 (satellite feed) via NETA, the National Educational Telecommunications Association.

General inquiries to medien@washington.goethe.org

Program details for the US offering available at the NETA link below. Public television programmers should contact Polly Kosko at South Carolina ETV kosko@scetv.org

DVDs (bilingual German/English) are available for homevideo and also for educational use from South Carolina ETV. To purchase a DVD of one program or the entire series, please call +1 800 5537752, visit the ETV Store link below, or write to this address:

SCETV Marketing
1101 George Rogers Boulevard
Columbia, SC 29211

Please refer to Catalog #363-000
$24.95 for individual program; $85 entire series.
This offer (homevideo or educational use) made via SCETV.

Teaching materials for the US social studies classroom are available for download (PDF Format) (see link below).

For synopses and press photos of the four-part series, follow the link below to the production company, Engstfeld Film.

Download Press Release