In May of 1884, Mr. Oswald Ottendorfer stood on a temporary platform at the grand opening of the new German Dispensary building, eulogizing his wife Anna. Each of the event’s speakers shared the stage with a large portrait of Mrs. … Continue reading →

1835 brought with it the Great Fire of New York, which tore through southeastern Manhattan and racked up millions in damages. It was the first of a series of major urban fires across the country that called attention to the … Continue reading →

Many words can be used to describe John Jacob Astor, not all of them complimentary. He was a millionaire, a slumlord, a war profiteer and a ruthless jobber who shipped opium to China and sold liquor to Indians fully aware … Continue reading →

June 15th 1904 was the day of the seventeenth annual picnic of St. Mark’s Evangelical Lutheran Church whose members were mostly of German birth or origin. Some 1300 church members boarded a triple-decker wooden ship called the General Slocum. Since … Continue reading →

The tranquility of Tompkins Square Park is misleading. The Elms, many dating back to the 1870’s, the dog run, the playground and the grass typical to many urban parks, are but a thin mask to the turbulent events that took … Continue reading →

It all started as a practical joke. The Prince of Wales was visiting New York, and a great ball was given in his honor. German-American musicians, who were at the time victims of anti-immigrant feelings, were not asked to perform … Continue reading →

It is 1888 and opening night of the German-American Shooting Society Clubhouse. The 1400 club members, made of 24 shooting companies, gather for the last time in their temporary meeting place at the Bowery, and march in unison the short … Continue reading →

To the many “firsts” that German-Americans can take credit for we can add the first branch of the New York Public Library, the Ottendorfer library. While today this area around St. Marks’s place is crowded with Indian curry restaurants, when … Continue reading →