Is Texas the Bavaria of America?

Sonali Beher

Is Texas the Bavaria of America? Or is Bavaria the Texas of Germany? When Texans in Texas clap in dirndls and lederhosen, are they clapping in Bavarian style? And when Texans in Texas bite into a German bratwurst while wearing dirndls and lederhosen, does the German bratwurst become barbecue? If a Bavarian choir sings the German national anthem in Texas, does Texas feel proud? And if a Bavarian choir sings the American national anthem, does Bavaria place its hand over its heart?

The views expressed in this text are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of the Goethe-Institut.

Sonali Beher

Sonali Beher, born in 1997 in Gießen, Germany, studied English and Political Science in Heidelberg before beginning her studies in Literary Writing at the German Institute for Literature Leipzig in 2023. Alongside her academic work, she supports NGOs dedicated to strengthening democracy. Beher writes across genres, including prose, essays, poetry, and dramatic texts, with a focus on how the personal and political intersect. Her writing often explores themes such as German identity, womanhood, and labor. In 2024, her short play Mensch mit Kopf was staged at the Kabinetttheater in Vienna, Austria.

As part of the ON THE ROAD project, Sonali Beher and Iven Yorick Fenker travel across the United States in the fall of 2025. Throughout their journey, they share regular updates in the form of notes, in-depth texts, and visual content documenting their experiences.

Houston, October 3, 2025 Is Texas the Bavaria of America?

More about this topic