Kapitel 1 - Victor Huls - dissolved Mensch.

Throughout this article is the dualist discussion of German culture retaining its distinct heritage and being distributed into a community's unconscious. The resilience, adaptability and specific achievements of these emigrated people is amazing to me.

There are different situations which I will put forth. Firstly, those small enclaves where German tradition solidified and became the essence of the region. An example of this would be Watertown, Wisconsin, where clubs ("Verein") were established to promote the retention of their language and customs. Specific identities were defended in such places, as seen in the Plattdeutscher Verein party clubs, where only the "low-German" dialects were fostered. The wonderful nature of this place, and which is characteristic of Germans, is to encourage strength within the community.

Such examples of strength via collectivity can also be seen in the Turner reform groups. These libertarian, free thinking groups showed the temerity of their culture in the various cultural institutions that they formed. By their hard work were founded numerous athletic and gymnastic societies which so flourished that they produced the first "American" team to win in the Turnfest of Frankfurt.

Religious groups also formed, but acted more like a multiplying organism which produced numerous offspring. From the Turners their were both religious and secular communities. Everything from Catholics and Jews to Omish and Quakers developed.

Yet, what also occurred was the insemination of Germans into the standing communities, such that strongly individual groups of Germans were not realistic. Instead, they became part of their environment, working hard to learn new ways while retaining the old.