LIFE IN PENNSYLVANIA IN THE EARLY DAYS.
Poverty of early Settlers.--Lack of Houses to live in.--Some
made their Homes in Caves at First.--Food was Plentiful.--Game
was Abundant.--Lack of Roads.--Country a dense Forest.--Only
Indian Trails to get from one Place to Another.--Early Roads
Projected.--Wild Animals numerous and Destructive.--Early
Iron making.--The Crime of Horse Stealing.--Health of new
Settlers.--Courts and Penalties.--Early Laws.
As has already been learned, German emigration into Pennsylvania
began with Penn’s first visit to his province, but the great tide
of emigration did not set in, until the beginning of the eighteenth
century.
Penn was an early reformer in England, with notions of his own
concerning both spiritual, and secular matters, which were considered
at that time as heretical, visionary, and impractical. In his new
province in America, he was not hampered with any of the traditions of
European governments, with their arbitrary rule, religious persecution,
and political oppression. He was free on this side of the Atlantic,
to give a practical turn to his schemes of an ideal government which
should be a religious and temporal paradise.
His notions of government involved entirely new ideas, and were not
at all consonant with the times in which he lived. He did not believe
in much governmental restraint, but believed that a people were best
governed who felt the restraints of government the least. On this basis
he undertook to lay the foundation of civil government for his province.
People who beheld the elements with which he would have to contend,
despaired of his success in forming a government of law and order, with
the material at hand. As in all new countries there were among the
people whom he found here, the idle, the vicious, and the depraved,
to say nothing of the incongruous elements, of people of different
nationality, language, customs and manners. His task must have seemed a
formidable one; but he succeeded as the framers of no government ever
succeeded before him, nor since.
The German emigrants on their coming here found a beneficient
government on their arrival, and they were rid of the fearful
persecution from which they had been made the sufferers in their
native land, yet they had an appalling task before them, in making for
themselves homes in the forest wilderness, to which they had come. But
they were free men for the first time in their lives. The wrongs of
their cruel oppressors no longer beset them by day, nor haunted their
dreams by night. Most of the emigrants were very poor and had to make
their new start in life, with nothing but stout hearts and willing
hands. Many on their arrival at Philadelphia had not the means to
procure shelter and it could not be procured very often at any price,
so that not a few made their temporary homes in caves along the shores
of the Delaware river, which had been previously occupied by native
Indians. It is said that the first white child born of English parents
at Philadelphia, was born in one of those caves. John Key, who became
an honored citizen, and who lived a long life of usefulness, had such a
humble birthplace in 1682. He died in Chester county in 1767.
It was not long however before the early arrivals were provided with
more substantial dwellings, for in less than two years after Penn
had laid out his ideal city, it contained 300 houses built of wood;
affording a fair degree of comfort.
After that more substantial buildings began to be erected of brick
brought from England, some of which still remain standing, well
preserved to testify to the thrift and enterprise of the settlers two
centuries ago.
The mode of living at first corresponded with the early means of
shelter, and pretty much all except the few rich, shared the same
conditions. After the newcomer had succeeded so far as to be able
to live under the roof of his own modest log cabin, he had made an
enviable start, and soon forgot his earlier privations, while the
recollections of his wretched condition in his native land, made him
happy and contented in his new home. After he succeeded to a log cabin,
a horse, cow, plow, axe, saw, and a table of rough hewn timber, a
bedstead and bench in keeping, he regarded himself on the high road to
fortune, and was happy in the contrast between his condition in his
new home, and his former home in the desolate Palatinate. With the few
primitive household goods, clothing aptly corresponded. Woolen fabrics
were unknown. The clothing of the new settlers consisted of home-made
cloth, woven from tow, made from flax grown on the virgin soil. Their
apparel was neither rich nor gaudy, and did not admit of much change
of dress, which was chiefly confined to a shirt, trousers, and coat.
In warm weather the shirt and trousers sufficed; in cold weather an
additional top coat was worn for protection. Shoes were made to last
a long time, and were only worn when absolutely necessary. Cobblers
traveled through the country, among the settlers and mended their
shoes; in that way procuring a livelihood.
The foregoing observations apply only to the rural population in the
early days. In Philadelphia the residents fared better. That city soon
developed into a prosperous commercial town, and it remained for many
years the chief mart in Pennsylvania, to which settlers came to trade
from all parts of the province.
Most of the early settlers in Pennsylvania took to farming on their
arrival as soon as they were able to do so, because they were trained
to that occupation at home, and it also brought them the quickest
return, and surest employment.
But to make farms in those days was no easy task. It was necessary
first to subdue the wilderness, which was an unbroken forest
everywhere. There were no roads, and to travel from one part of the
country to another was a difficult undertaking. The Indian trails
furnished the only means to get through the forest, which in many
places was practically impenetrable. There were innumerable streams to
be crossed, without bridges. The building of roads of course received
early attention, but its progress must necessarily have been slow,
owing to the nature of the country through which they had to be built,
and the making of them did not keep pace with the constantly increasing
population.
In 1686, four years after Philadelphia was founded, a road to Trenton
was projected. This was done no doubt to bring the settlements already
existing in southern parts of New Jersey in easy communication with
Philadelphia. In 1729 a road was laid out to Lancaster; by that time
many thousands of settlers had located between the latter place and
Philadelphia, with no direct means of communication. Before that time
people traveling between those two places had to go in a round about
way, by Chester; and the projected road to Lancaster was not built
until 1733. A road from Philadelphia to Upper Milford township in what
is now Lehigh county, was built about the same time. From that time
on, many roads were projected and built throughout eastern Pennsylvania.
Before the building of roads was begun the farmers had no need for
wagons, so that horses were made the chief vehicles for the purposes
of transportation, while the shoulders of the stalwart farmers were
made to perform similar service. Road building through the dense forest
was not easy. Large trees had to be felled, and the roadway cleared of
stumps and brush. After roads were thus opened, many farmers at first
improvised wagons, by making wheels out of the butt ends of large
trees. Untanned hides furnished materials for harness. Settlers during
the early years of their coming here lived far apart, so that they
could not be of much service to each other, and when winter came on,
all communication between them practically ended, until the following
spring.
The early settlers surely found no earthly paradise when they first
came here, and their descendants who to-day occupy the rich and highly
cultivated farms which their ancestors hewed out of the primeval
forest, cannot realize the poverty and privations of the first comers
to Penn’s El Dorado; yet they were content, because they were no longer
the victims of a ferocious soldiery, whose crimes made their lives
intolerable in the land of their birth.
The great discomforts and privations of the earliest settlers were of
not long duration. It did not take those that came first long to get
a fair start, and they soon acquired an abundance of the most urgent
necessities, which they were ever ready to share with their newly
arrived countrymen. There does not seem to have been at any time any
great scarcity of food, for it seems that the streams and forests
supplied that in abundance. Penn on the occasion of his first visit
to his province, wrote to a friend in England: “Of food there is an
abundance, and of the best quality.” One newly arrived emigrant wrote:
“Wild pigeons come in clouds, and frequently fly so low as to enable
one to knock them down with a stick. Wild turkeys are so large and fat;
some of them weigh 46 pounds. Some that weigh as much as 30 pounds are
sold for a shilling. A deer can be bought for two shillings and six
pence. The streams are full of fish, and so they are in New Jersey. The
Indians often bring in seven or eight deer at a time; of geese, ducks,
wild swan, and pheasants there are plenty.”
In 1750 the farmers complained to the government, that the bounty
offered for the destruction of squirrels, was an injury to them,
because laborers, instead of helping in harvest, would go squirrel
hunting, because they could make better wages thereby, than by working
in harvest.
According to an act of the Colonial Assembly, the government paid a
bounty for each dozen crows, blackbirds, and squirrels, one shilling
and six pence. Even at that price those destructive creatures did not
seem to diminish, so that in 1754 an appeal was made to the Assembly
to compel every settler to destroy a certain number of them, for which
he was to receive certain compensation, and in case anyone failed to
destroy his share, he was to forfeit a _pro rata_ penalty. It was hoped
by such means, to save the farmers’ corn after it was planted and came
up, which the crows, blackbirds, and squirrels destroyed. Deer were
also so numerous as to become very destructive of the grain after it
came up in the fall. Foxes and muskrats were also very destructive of
poultry, and wolves were very numerous and would sometimes destroy
entire flocks of sheep. The farmers were never without their guns;
it was customary for them to carry them wherever they went. These
animals had their homes in the dense forests which were inaccessible
on account of the lack of roads. Farmers frequently lost their horses
if allowed to stray away in the endless wood. The dense forests made
horse-stealing an easy occupation for the lawless, and it constituted
one of the chief crimes of the early days of the settlement of the
province, as the forests made a convenient hiding place for them with
their prey. During a period of three years after Northampton County was
organized, nine horse thieves were tried and punished in that county,
while a great many more escaped arrest. The punishment prescribed at
that time for horse-stealing, was public whipping, which did not have
the effect to deter the lawless from committing that sort of crime. The
field of operation of the horse-thieves was so large and their chances
of escape so great, that they carried on their occupation with little
hindrance. The extent of the evil was so great, that the citizens
petitioned the Assembly to create the death penalty for the crime of
horse-stealing.
The horse-thieves seem to have had a monopoly of crime. For a new
country there was none of that lawlessness which has characterized the
new frontier settlements of our western domain. The “tough citizen”
of our western frontier had not then yet been developed. He seems to
have made his appearance later, and is especially, an American product,
unique in his character, without a rival, or counterpart in any other
part of the world, outside of the United States.
After agriculture had made a fair start other industries began to
attract the attention of the more wide-awake settlers, who had cast
their lot with the future of Penn’s province. As early as 1696, only 14
years after Penn laid out his ideal city on the Delaware, the question
of making iron began to be discussed, and in 1726 a German by the name
of Kurtz gave the matter a practical turn, by the erection of a furnace.
A firm named Grubb Bros., also built a furnace and iron-works about
the same time in Lancaster County. By the time of the middle of the
eighteenth century, the province of Pennsylvania had made much progress
in agriculture and the industrial arts, and its boundless resources
and great hidden wealth, began to attract great attention, when many
persons of wealth in England and Germany, were attracted hither, who
began the development of the iron, and other resources, and establish
various industrial enterprises, to meet the growing needs of the
province.
* * * * *
In those early days, the traffic in spirituous liquors as a beverage
was already a perplexing question. The manufacture of the product
became a profitable industry soon after the settlement of the province,
and the early settlers were not exempt, from the craving for some
artificial stimulant, which has been implanted in mankind ever since
Noah planted a vineyard among the hills of Ararat, and became “drunken”
on the fruits thereof. The excessive use then, as it always has been,
brought along with it its attendant evils. In 1721 a convention of
leading citizens was held at Philadelphia, to consider the question, of
restraining the traffic in strong drink, and to encourage the use of
light beer instead, as being less injurious. It would seem from this
proposition, that the German citizens sought to introduce, and enforce
the custom of beer drinking which then prevailed in their native land
and which still continues, instead of the use of spirituous liquors as
a beverage, which are vastly more injurious. In South Germany at this
day, the people confine themselves almost exclusively to light wines
and beer, with the result that an intoxicated person is scarcely ever
seen in that part of Germany.
In 1733 the owners of certain iron works petitioned the Legislature, to
enact a law prohibiting the traffic in strong drink in the neighborhood
where their works were operated, as it was injurious to the management
of their industries; but asked that the sale of beer and cider be
permitted.
* * * * *
Unlike most new countries the province of Pennsylvania was singularly
exempt from many of those diseases with which new countries have to
contend, and outside of the few small towns which existed in the early
days there were no doctors, and the obstinate Quakers did not seem to
think that there was any need for them, and did not encourage their
coming. They seemed to have had nearly or quite as much aversion to
doctors as they had to lawyers. One Quaker wrote in 1690 concerning the
needs of the colony: “Of lawyers and doctors I will make no mention
as the country is very peaceable and healthy.” This complacent Quaker
probably changed his mind about doctors, when later malignant fevers,
and the smallpox broke out among the settlers, which resulted in very
many deaths. In later years Philadelphia had a visitation from the
yellow fever which carried its citizens off by hundreds. As late as the
middle of the last century, Philadelphia did not have a single paved
street, and until 1793 the water for culinary, and other household
purposes was obtained from wells which could not be saved from becoming
polluted, by surface drainage. After Philadelphia had been scourged by
the yellow fever well water fell into disfavor, and the Schuylkill and
Delaware rivers were drawn upon for water.
COURTS AND THE ADMINISTRATION OF JUSTICE.
During the early years after the founding of the province, there were
no courts. The Quakers who were then in control discouraged them, as
they also did lawyers, and all litigation. One of the first laws passed
by the Colonial Assembly, was one to prevent litigation. It was not
until 1701 that courts were considered necessary. In that year a Court
House was built at Philadelphia, which answered for the whole province.
The justices appointed to preside over the courts, were empowered to
make final settlement of all disputes.
The business of the courts in those days, was conducted with great
formality and solemnity. The judges wore three-cornered hats, and
when they returned from court to their homes, the constables with the
emblems of their office led the way. The judges on the bench wore a
grave and serious aspect. The common folks in attendance were inspired
with great awe. It is needless to say that things in this respect
have changed since then. In those days judges were the appendages of
royalty, while in these later days, the people make and unmake them at
their pleasure.
The penalties inflicted on offenders against the law were peculiar,
and in many cases revolting; savoring more as viewed at this day, of
primitive savagery, than that of a criminal code of a civilized people.
Malefactors for certain offences were branded in the hands with red hot
irons; others had their ears cut off, or were nailed fast by their ears
to the whipping post; or sentenced to a certain number of lashes, while
others for more trivial offences were made to stand in the pillory
for a specified time. The pillory was usually erected in the market
place, and the sentence usually carried out on market days. Watson in
his “Annals” says that upon such occasions the price of eggs usually
advanced for obvious reasons. The penalties here enumerated were dealt
out to persons found guilty of crime, without regard to rank, station
or sex.
* * * * *
In Christoph Sauer’s newspaper of date of March 16, 1775, an amusing
incident is related, as having occurred at Easton. A man was sentenced
to receive a certain number of lashes, for having stolen an axe. The
sheriff, who was not inclined to inflict the punishment, offered
four dollars to any one who would perform the duty for him. No one
came forward to perform the job, when the culprit’s wife came along,
and undertook to perform the task. She laid on the number of lashes
decreed, with all her might, after which she added one more, remarking
at the same time that the last one was for the occasion when her
husband boxed her ears. She was paid her four dollars by the sheriff,
and the law was vindicated. Sometimes a malefactor’s entire property
was forfeited; sometimes only a fine was imposed, and if the condemned
was unable to pay it, he was put up at public auction, and sold to the
highest bidder to serve a certain length of time, which was governed
by the price bidden. This latter feature of the law remained in force
until 1786, while the whipping post was not abolished until 1790.
EARLY LEGISLATION.
The first Colonial Assembly of Pennsylvania met at Philadelphia January
10, 1683, and was of course dominated by Penn, and his co-religionists.
Some queer laws were proposed, and some of them were enacted, and put
in force. One legislator wanted a law passed to encourage matrimony;
another sought to make it unlawful for any one to wear more than two
kinds of clothing. One kind was prescribed for summer, and another kind
for winter.
It was made unlawful for any one to introduce, or frequent “stage
plays,” and the penalty was fixed at ten days’ imprisonment at hard
labor in the house of correction, or forfeit twenty shillings. It was
also made unlawful for any one to play cards for amusement, under a
penalty of five shillings, or in default of payment, imprisonment in
the house of correction, at labor five days.
The price of ale and beer at a public house, was fixed at two pennies a
Winchester quart.
A law was passed, changing the names of the days of the week,
“according to Scripture,” making them first, second, third, etc.,
instead of the “heathen names,” Monday, Tuesday, etc. The names of the
months were similarly changed.
Any one convicted of lying in conversation, was to suffer a penalty
of half a crown for each offense, or in default of payment suffer
three days imprisonment at hard labor. If such a law were in force in
these days the revenues therefrom would soon create a surplus, and the
government would not be embarrassed by a deficit.
Any one found guilty of speaking derogatorily of the sentence, or
judgment of any court, or of speaking disrespectfully of a judge, was
to be fined at the discretion of the court.
Any one found guilty of stealing hogs a third time was to receive
thirty lashes, and be banished from the province.
It was made the duty of parents to have their children taught to read
and write, by the time they were twelve years of age; then taught some
useful trade, for neglect of which, the parents were fined five pounds
for every child so neglected.
UNJUST CRITICISM OF PENNSYLVANIA GERMANS.
The Pennsylvania Germans have often been made to suffer by calumnious
reports concerning them, by reason of the prejudice, and oftener
perhaps of the ignorance of a certain class of writers for the press.
A number of years ago, an editorial appeared in the Public Ledger,
defending them against the aspersions and mendacious misrepresentations
of a Yankee scribbler for a newspaper who said: “The immigrants came
over here with their priests, a fragment of the middle ages, uneducated
and uncultivated. What is the consequence? We see before us the
petrifaction of a social and mental condition which has long since
disappeared from Germany. We behold a picture of the dark ages.”
It is remarkable that such dense ignorance should have existed
anywhere, even among only half educated people, at any time within
the present century concerning a people, who have always occupied an
honorable and conspicuous place in the history of their state and
country; who to-day number not less than a million and a half of
people, many of whom are filling some of the highest stations in every
walk of life. All that is necessary to put to shame such base libellers
as the foregoing is to point to the long line of Pennsylvania’s
German Governors, and to the men of the same blood in our halls of
legislation, on the bench, at the bar, in the pulpit, among the
men eminent in the sciences, among the educators, business men and
financiers, not only in Pennsylvania, but wherever the Pennsylvania
Germans and their descendants have spread.
The following extract from the editorial of the Ledger is just as
timely now as when first written, in case there are still any people as
ignorant and misinformed, as the one who wrote the foregoing libel:
“No one familiar with the German farmers of Pennsylvania need be
told that this is a stupid and ignorant libel. Its author has either
never traveled through our state, or has maliciously misrepresented
what he saw. So far from our German farmers being on a level with
the serfs of one hundred and fifty years ago, they are vastly in
advance of cotemporary German and French farmers, or even of English
farmers of similar means. On this point we need go no further for
authority than to Mr. Munch, the fellow laborer with Mr. Herder in
the late campaign, who though hostile in politics to our German
farmers in general, was forced, during his tour through Pennsylvania,
to admit their sterling worth. Mr. Munch is an experienced and
practical agriculturist, and not merely a speculative man of letters,
so that his judgment on such a question is worth that of a score
of visionary, ill-informed, prejudiced, disappointed demagogues or
partisan editors. After eulogizing the picturesque natural features
of the landscape of our German counties, praising the excellent taste
which has preserved the woods on the hill sides, and extolling the
appearance of the farms, this gentleman adds significantly that he
found the people of a genial, solid and respectable stamp, enviably
circumstanced in comparison with the European farmer, and very far
superior in intelligence and morals. It is time that the truth
should be spoken, and justice done to our German population. We are
willing to go as far as any one in testifying to the value of books,
newspapers and schools; we are willing to admit that our German
farmers, as a class, have cared less for these things than they
ought; but we are not silly enough to say that a man is necessarily a
bad farmer, a disorderly citizen, or a profligate husband because he
does not speak English, is not crammed with book-learning, or does
not take in a half a dozen journals. Our German farmers prove the
reverse. Whether a denizen of a state be valuable to it on account
of what he annually adds to the realized wealth of the community, or
for his faithful obedience to the laws, or for his sacredness with
which he preserves the family compact, our German farmers certainly
merit as much as any other class for the practice of either of these
virtues, or indeed for the harmonious exercise of them all. Even
their intelligence is underrated. As Mr. Munch of Misso, has said,
they are a ‘genial, solid and respectable stamp;’ there is no false
mental glitter about them; in a word, they are rather men of sound
judgment, than brilliant rhetoricians, or one-sided ideologists. All
persons who have had transactions with our German farmers, love to
respect the excellent sense they display in the ordinary concerns of
life. * * * *
In many particulars, German farmers surpass even the people of New
England, who of late have put in a claim, it would seem to be the
_ne plus ultra_ in all things. The German farmers understand, or if
they do not understand they observe the laws of health, better than
even the rural people of Massachusetts; and the result is that they
are really the finest race of men, physically, to be found in the
United States. In certain favorable localities of Kentucky, or on the
frontier, where from being a dominant caste, or from the immediate
vicinity of the unpeopled wilderness, the inhabitants live a half
nomad life, there are as fine, perhaps finer specimens of men to be
seen; but there is nowhere in America, an agricultural population,
the members of which personally till the soil, that has such thews
and sinews, such a healthy development, or such generally prolonged
life, as our much abused “Pennsylvania Dutchmen.” To be plain, if
some of our crotchetty, one-idead dyspeptic, thin cadaverous, New
England brethren would emigrate to our German counties; follow for a
generation or two, the open air life of our German farmers; and last
of all marry into our vigorous anti-hypochondrical German families,
they would soon cease to die by scores of consumption, to complain
that there were no longer any healthy women left, and to amuse
sensible people with such silly vagaries of Pantheism, or a thousand
and one intellectual vagaries which are born of their abnormal
physical conditions.”
In these somewhat desultory and digressive pages, the author sought
to tell the “Story of the Pennsylvania Germans,” but he realizes
that the task has been but imperfectly performed. If however he has
succeeded in encouraging some one else with the energy and inclination
to undertake the task on a more extended scale, he will be amply
paid for all the time and labor which this volume has cost him. The
story of the Pennsylvania Germans has never been told, and is only
partially chronicled in these pages. It still remains for some faithful
chronicler to give them their proper place in the history of their
State, and of the nation, in behalf of which they rendered invaluable
services at the birth of the Republic.
APPENDIX A.
EXAMPLES OF PFÄLZISCH, AND SOUTH GERMAN DIALECTS.
The following poem, in the Pfälzisch dialect, is from Professor Franz
von Kobell’s “Gedichte in Pfälzisch Mundart.”
(Franz von Kobell, was born at Munich in 1803, and died there in 1882,
where he had been Professor of Mineralogy, in the University of Munich
for many years. He was also a poet of considerable distinction.)
’S Lob vun Binge’.
Die herrlichsht’ Gegend am ganze Rhei’
Dess is die Gegend vun Binge’,
Es wachst der allerbeschte wei’
Der Scharlach wachst bei Binge’.
Die g’schick’schte Schiffleit’, die mer find’t,
Dess sin die Schiffer vun Binge’,
Un’ sicht mer in Meens, e’hübsches Kind,
Wo is es her? Vun Binge’.
Ke’ Loch is uf der ganze’ Welt
So berühmt wie des vun Binge’,
Ke’ Thorn so keck in’s wasser g’stellt,
Wie der im Rhei’ bei Binge’.
Die Mäus’ vum Bischof Hatto, sich!
Sin g’schwumme’ bis noch Binge’,
Ke G’schicht’ war je so ferchterlich,
Wie selli dort bei Binge’.
Un’ die heilig’ Hildegard die war
Halt aach drheem in Binge’,
Un war Aebtissen dort sogar,
Dess alles war in Binge’.
Es is e’ wahri Herlichkeit
Dess liebe kleene Binge’,
Mei’ Vater and Mutter un’ all mei Leut’
Ja mir sin all’ vun Binge’.
In the foregoing poem there is not a single word that is not identical
with Pennsylvania German except the word “keck” (bold, or saucy) in the
third line of the third stanza, and the author can recall that word
being used by Pennsylvania Germans a generation and a half ago, but it
seems to have dropped out of the dialect, in recent years.
The word “Loch” in the third stanza, has reference to the so-called
“Bingerloch,” or “Hole of Bingen,” which derives its name from the
narrowing of the Rhine near Bingen, to a dangerous rocky channel; and
the “Thorn” in the same stanza, refers to the famous “Mouse Tower,”
which received its name from the legend, concerning the cruel Bishop
Hatto of Mainz, who as the legend tells us burned a number of people in
a barn, during a famine, and who was afterwards attacked by swarms of
mice, when he took refuge in the tower on the rock in the middle of the
river, and was there devoured by the mice, that followed him thither.
This is one of the many legends of the Rhine, preserved in a volume of
“Legends of the Rhine,” by H. A. Guerber, and is as follows:
BINGEN.--THE RAT TOWER.
In the year 914, when Hatto was Bishop of Mainz, a protracted rain
entirely ruined the harvest, occasioning a terrible famine from which
the poor people suffered sorely. As they were perishing from hunger,
they finally applied to the bishop, whose granaries were filled to
overflowing with the produce of the former, more favorable years.
But the Bishop was cruel and hard-hearted and utterly refused to
listen to them until at last they so wearied him by their constant
importunity, that he bade them to assemble in an empty barn, where he
promised to meet them on a certain day and hour to quiet all their
demands.
Almost beside themselves with joy at the promise, the people hastened
to the appointed spot, gathering there in such numbers that the empty
barn was soon quite full. Anxiously they watched for the bishop,
whom they greeted with loud cries of joy, as soon as he appeared.
Their acclamations were however soon changed into blood-curdling
cries of distress, for the cruel prelate after bidding his servants
fasten the doors and windows so that none could escape, set fire to
the building and burned them all, declaring they were like rats and
should perish in the same way.
This wholesale massacre ended, the bishop retired home, sat down
before his lavishly spread table, and ate with as healthy an appetite
as usual. When he entered the dining room on the morrow, however,
he stood still in dismay, for during the night the rats gnawed his
recently finished portrait out of the frame, and it now lay an
unseemly heap upon the floor. When he stood over it his heart filled
with sudden nameless terror, for he fancied it was a bad omen; a
servant came rushing into the room, bidding him to fly for his life,
as a whole army of hungry, fierce looking rats were coming that way.
Without waiting for his usual escort, the bishop flung himself on
his messenger’s steed, and rode rapidly away. From time to time he
nervously turned his head to mark the gradual approach of a dark
line, formed of thousands of rats, animated by the revengeful spirit
of the poor he had so cruelly burned.
Faster and faster Hatto urged his panting steed, but in spite of all
his efforts, he had scarcely dismounted, entered a small skiff and
rode out into the Rhine, ere an army of rats fell upon his horse
and devoured it. The bishop shuddering with fear, rowed with all
his might to his tower in the middle of the Rhine, where he quickly
locked himself in fancying that he had escaped from his hungry foes.
But the voracious rats having disposed of his steed, now boldly swam
across the Bingerloch to the tower, and swarmed up its sides, seeking
some crevice through which they could get at their foe. As they found
none, they set their sharp teeth to work, and Hatto quailed with
dread as he heard them gnawing busily on all sides. In a very few
moments the rats had a thousand holes through which they rushed upon
their victim.
Southey, who has versified this legend, which he calls “God’s Judgment
upon a wicked Bishop,” describes their entrance thus:
“And in at the window, and at the door,
And through the walls, helter skelter they pour,
And down from the ceiling, and up through the floor,
From the right and the left, from behind and from before,
From within and without, from above and below,
And all at once to the bishop they go.
“They have whetted their teeth against the stones,
And now they pick the bishop’s bones;
They gnawed the flesh from every limb,
For they were sent to do judgment on him.”
Ever since then, that building in the Rhine has been known as the “Rat
Tower.” Tradition relates that the bishop’s soul sank down to the
nethermost hell, where it is ever burning in a fire far hotter, than
that he kindled around the starving poor. At sunset a peculiar red glow
may be seen over the tower, and this, the people declare is only a
faint reflection of the infernal furnace, to warn all mankind against
cruelty to God’s poor.
POEM IN SOUTH GERMAN DIALECT.
The following is a characteristic poem in the South German dialect,
taken from the “Fliegende Blätter,” a humorous periodical, published at
Munich:
_E’ Frühling’s Poesie._
Wan die Beem un’ Hecke
Gans voll Veggle hucke,
Un’ die Deckel-schnecke
Aus de Häuser gucke
Dann isch’ Frijohr worre.
Wan die Schlee bliehe
Un’ die Veilcher kumme,
Wann die Keffer fliehe
Un’ die Imme summe,
Dann isch’ Frijohr worre.
Wann die Fresch un’ krötte
Ihre junge hortzle,
Uffem Wiesebodde
Wie besoff’ umporzle
Dann isch Frijohr worre.
Wann die junge Mere
No’ de Buwe gucke
Un’ vor alle Dere
Omds die Alte hucke
Dann isch Frijohr worre.
A POEM IN THE PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN DIALECT.
The following from “Gedichte in Pennsylvanisch Deutscher Mundart”
by the late Rev. Heinrich Harbaugh, is an excellent example of
Pennsylvania German dialect, showing the sublimity, and deep pathos of
which the dialect is capable:
HEEMWEH.
Ich wees net was de Uhrsach is--
Wees net, warum ich’s du:
’N jedes Johr mach ich der weg
Der Alte Heemet zu:
Hab weiter nix zu suche dort--
Kee’ Erbschaft un kee geld;
Un doch treibt mich des Heemgefiehl
So schtark wie alle Welt;
Nor’d schtärt ich ewe ab un geh,
Wie owe schun gemeldt.
Wie nächer dass ich kumm zum Ziel,
Wie schtärker will ich geh,
For ebbes in mei ’m Herz werd letz
Un dhut m’r kreislich weh.
Der letschte Hiwel schpring ich nuf,
Un eb ich drowe bin,
Schtreck ich mich uf so hoch ich kann
Un guck mit luschte hin;
Ich seh’s alt Schtee’haus dorch die Beem,
Un wott ich wär schun drin.
Guk wie der Kicheschornschtee’ schmokt--
Wie oft hob ich sel g’seh,
Wann ich draus in de Felder war,
’N Buwele jung un klee’
O, sehnscht die Fenschterscheiwe dort?
Sie guk’n roth wie Blut;
Hab oft cunsiddert, doch net g’wisst,
Dass sell die Sunn so dhut.
Ja, manches wees’n Kind noch net--
Wann’s dhet, wär’s ah net gut!
Wie gleich ich selle Babble Beem,
Sie schtehn wie Brieder dar;
Un uf’m Gipple--g’wiss ich leb!
Hockt alleweil’n Schtaar!
’S Gipple biegt sich--guk, wie’s gaunscht--
’R hebt sich awer fescht;
Ich seh sei’ rothe Fliegle plehn,
Wann er sei’ Feddere wescht;
Will wette, dass sei’ Fraale hot
Uf sellem Baam ’n nescht!
O, es gedenkt m’r noch gans gut,
Wo selle werri Beem
Net greeser als ’n Welschkornschtock
Gebrocht sin worre heem.
Die Mammi war an’s Grändäd’s g’west,
Dort ware Beem wie die;
Drei Wipplein hot sie mitgebrocht,
Un g’sa’t “Dort blanscht sie hie.”
M’r hen’s gedhu’--un glaabscht du’s nau--
Dort selli Beem sin sie!
Guk! werklich, ich bin schier am Haus!--
Wie schnell geht doch die Zeit!
Wann m’r so in Gedanke geht,
So wees m’r net wie weit.
Dort is d’r Schap, die Welschkornkrip,
Die Seiderpress dort draus;
Dort is die Scheier, un dort die Schpring--
Frisch quellt des wasser raus;
Un guk! die sehm alt Klapbord-Fens,
Un’s Dheerle vor’m Haus.
Alles is schtill--sie wisse net,
Dass ebber fremmes kummt.
Ich denk, der alte Watsch is dodt,
Sunscht wär er raus gedschumpt;
For er hot als verschinnert g’brillt
Wann er hot’s Dheerle g’heert;
Es war de Träw’lers kreislich bang,
Sie werre gans verzehrt:
Kee’ G’fohr--er hot paar Mol gegauzt
Nor’d is er umgekehrt.
Alles is schtill--die Dheer is zu!
Ich schteh, besinne mich!
Es rappelt doch en wenig nau
Dort hinne in der kich.
Ich geh net nei--ich kann noch net!
Mei’ Herz fiehlt schwer un krank;
Ich geh’n wenig uf die Bortsch,
Un hock mich uf die Bank;
Es seht mich niemand, wann ich heil,
Hinner der Drauwerank!
Zwee Blätz sin do uf däre Bortsch,
Die halt ich hoch in Acht,
Bis meines Lebens Sonn versinkt
In schtiller Dodtes-Nacht!
Wo ich vum alte Vaterhaus
’S erscht mol bin gange fort,
Schtand mei’ Mammi weinend da,
An sellem Rigel dort;
Un nix is mir so heilig nau
Als grade seller Ort.
Ich kann sie heit noch sehne schteh,
Ihr Schnuppduch in d’r Hand;
Die Backe roth, die Aage nass--
O, wie sie doch do schtand!
Dort gab ich ihr mei’ Färewell,
Ich weinte als ich’s gab,
’S war’s leschte Mol in däre Welt,
Dass ich’s ihr gewe hab!
Befor ich widder kumme bin
War sie in ihrem Grab!
Nau wann ich an mei’ Mammi denk,
Un meen, ich dhet sie seh,
So schteht sie an dem Rigel dort
Un weint, weil ich wek geh!
Ich seh sie net im Shockelschtuhl!
Net an keem annere Ort;
Ich denk net an sie als im Grab;
Juscht an dem Rigel dort!
Dort schteht sie immer vor mei’m Herz
Un weint noch liebreich fort!
Was macht’s dass ich so dort hi’ guk,
An sell End vun der Bank!
Weescht du’s? Mei’ Herz is noch net dodt,
Ich wees es, Gott sei Dank!
Wie manchmal sass mei Dady dort,
Am Summer-nochmiddag,
Die Hände uf der Schoos gekreizt,
Sei Schtock bei Seite lag.
Was hot er dort im Schtille g’denkt?
Wer mecht es wisse--sag?
Verleicht is es’n Kindheets-Draam,
Dass ihn so sanft bewegt;
Oder is er’n Jingling jetz,
Der scheene Plane legt!
Er hebt sei’ Aage uf juscht nau
Un gukt weit iwer’s Feld;
Er seht v’rleicht d’r Kerchhof dort,
Der schun die Mammi helt!
Er sehnt v’rleicht nooch seiner Ruh
Dort in der bessere Welt!
Ich wees net, soll ich nei’ in’s Haus,
Ich zitter an der Dheer!
Es is wol alles voll inseid,
Un doch is alles leer!
’S is net meh heem, wie’s eemol war,
Un kann’s ah nimme sei;
Was naus mit unsere Eltere geht
Kummt ewig nimme nei’!
Die Friede hot der Dodt geärnt,
Das Trauerdheel is mei’!
So geht’s in däre rauhe Welt,
Wo alles muss vergeh!
Ja, in der alte Heemet gar
Fiehlt m’r sick all allee’!
O, wann’s net vor der Himmel wär,
Mit seiner scheene Ruh,
Dann wär m’r’s do schun lang verleedt,
Ich wisst net, was ze dhu.
Dock Hoffnung leichtet meinen Weg
Der ew’gen Heemet zu.
Dort is’n schee’, schee’, Vaterhaus,
Dort geht m’r nimmeh fort;
Es weint kee’ guti Mammi meh’
In sellem Freideort.
Kee’ Dady such meh’ for’n Grab,
Wo, was er lieb hat liegt!
Sell is kee’ Elendwelt wie die,
Wo alle Luscht betriegt;
Dort hat das Lewe ewiglich
Iwer der Dodt gesiegt.
Dort find m’r, was m’r do verliert,
Un b’halt in Ewigkeit;
Dort lewe unsre Dodte all.
In Licht un ew’ger Freid!
Wie oft, wann ich in Druwel bin,
Denk ich an selli Ruh,
Un wott, wann’s Gott’s Willie wär,
Ich ging ihr schneller zu;
Doch wart ich bis mei’ Schtindle schlägt
Nor’d sag ich--Welt, adju!
PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN AND HIGH GERMAN COMPARED.
A comparison of Pennsylvania German with High German, will prove the
quality of the former. For that purpose, Goethe’s Erlkönig is given,
and also rendered in Pennsylvania German.
_Erlkönig._
Wer reitet so spät durch Nacht und Wind?
Es ist der Vater mit seinem Kind;
Er hat den Knaben wohl in dem Arm,
Er fasst ihn sicher, er hält ihn warm.
“Mein Sohn, was birgst du so bang dein Gesicht?”
Siehst, Vater, du den Erlkönig nicht?
Den Erlkönig mit Kron’ und Schweif?
“Mein Sohn, es ist ein Nebelstreif.”
“Du liebes Kind, komm’, geh mit mir!
Gar schöne Spiele spiel’ ich mit dir!
Manch’ bunte Blumen sind an dem Strand;
Meine Mutter hat manch gülden Gewand.”
Mein Vater, mein Vater, und hörest du nicht,
Was Erlkönig mir leise verspricht?
“Sei ruhig, bleibe ruhig, mein Kind!
In dürren Blättern säuselt der Wind.”
“Willst, feiner Knabe, du mit mir geh’n?
Meine Töchter sollen dich warten schön;
Meine Töchter führen den nächtlichen Reih’n
Und wiegen und tanzen und singen dich ein.”
Mein Vater, mein Vater, und siehst du nicht dort
Erlkönigs Töchter am düstern Ort?
“Mein Sohn, mein Sohn, ich seh’s genau,
Es scheinen die alten Weiden so grau.”
“Ich Lieb’ dich, mich reizt deine schöne Gestalt,
Und bist du nicht willig, so brauch’ ich Gewalt.”
Mein Vater, mein Vater, jetzt fasst er mich an,
Erlkönig hat mir ein Leids gethan!
Dem Vater grauset’s, er reited geschwind,
Er hält in den Armen das ächtzende Kind,
Erreicht den Hof mit Müh’ und Noth;
In seinem Armen das Kind war todt.
PENNSYLVANIA GERMAN FORM.
Wer reit so schpote dorch Nacht un Wind?
Es is der Vater mit seim Kind;
Er hat den Bu woll in seim Arm,
Er fascht ihn sicher, er halt ihn warm.
“Mei Soh, mei Soh, was bischt du so bang dei G’sicht”
Sehn’scht, Vater du ken Erlkönig net?
Der Erlkönig mit Kron’ un Schweef,
Mei Soh, es is en Newel schtreefe.
“Du liewes Kind, kum geh mit mir!
Gar scheene Schpiele schpiel ich mit dir!
Manch’ fiel-fart Blume sin am Schtrand
Mei Muter hat manch’ guld’ne G’gleed.”
Mei Vater, mei Vater, un heerscht du net,
Was Erlkönig mir schtille verschprecht?
“Sei ruhig, bleib ruhig, mei Kind
In der Blätter merwelt der Wind.
“Wilscht feiner Bu, du mit mir geh?
Mei Döchter solle dir abwarte schee,
Mei Döchter feih’r’n den nachtliche Danz
Un schockle un Danz’n un singe dich ei.”
Mei Vater, mei Vater, un sehnscht du net dort,
Erlkönig’s Döchter am dunkle platz,
“Mei Soh, mei Soh, ich seh’n es ganau
Es scheme die alte Weide so gro’.”
“Ich lieb dich, mich ziegt dei schee Muschter
Un bischt du net willig, so brauch ich g’walt.”
Mei Vater, mei Vater jetzt fascht er mich ah,
Erlkönig hat mir en wee’s ge-dhu.
Dem Vater fürcht’s, er reit g’schwind
Er halt in ’em Arm dess seif’ziches Kindt
Erreecht den Hof mit Meeh un Noth
In seim Arm dess Kindt war dodt.
In rendering the “Erlkönig” in Pennsylvania German no English words are
employed, and only such words are used, as are in daily use by people
speaking the dialect. Harbaugh in his poems makes use of a number of
pure German words, such as are rarely used by Pennsylvania Germans at
this day, but in the main he followed the Pennsylvania German usages.
It will also be observed that in the foregoing examples of the
Pfälzisch and South German dialects, that both approach closely the
spelling, accent, and phonology of the Pennsylvania German, which
attests their intimate relationship.
[Illustration]
APPENDIX B.
VOCABULARY.
The following vocabulary contains numerous Pennsylvania German words
and idioms, with their Pfälzisch, High German, and English equivalents.
The Pennsylvania German words are spelled, on the High German basis
wherever it could be done without sacrificing the Pennsylvania German
sound; where that could not be done, the plan of Pennsylvania German
dialect writers has been followed, as near as their diversified
spelling would admit of. The Pfälzisch words are taken from South
German dialect writers, chiefly from Kobell’s “Gedichte in Pfälzischer
Mundart,” and Ludwig Schandein’s “Gedichte in Westricher Mundart,” both
of which books were written, and published in South Germany.
A.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Ah, Ah,
allenig, allenig,
allegebott, allegebott,
anne’geh, anne’geh,
anner, anner,
appel, appel,
artlich, artlich,
alleweil, alleweil,
awer, awer,
ängsterlich, ängsterlich,
_High German._ _English._
Auch, Also,
allein, alone,
jeden augenblick, every moment,
hin gehen, to go there,
ander, other,
apfel, apple,
sonderbar, wonderful,
ebenjetzt, even now,
aber, but,
ängstlich, afraid.
B.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Backoufe, Backoufe,
ball, ball,
baam, baam,
beem (bame), bam,
batsche (im wasser), batsche,
babbere, babbere,
bass uf, bass uf,
beer, beer,
beerebaum, beerebaum,
bibi, bibiche, bib’che,
buchele, buchele,
bissel, bissel,
blabbere, blabbere,
blo, blo,
blosbalk, blosbalg,
bollere, bollere,
bu, bu,
buwe, buwe,
buddle, buttle,
_High German._ _English._
Backofen, Bakeoven,
bald, soon,
baum, tree,
bäume, trees,
waten, to wade,
schnell schwetzen, rapid talk,
pass auf, take care,
birne, pear,
birnebaum, pear tree,
kleines huhn, little chicken,
buchlein, small book,
wenig, little,
eilig blabbern, idle talk,
blau, blue,
blasebalg, bellows,
poltern, make noise,
büblein, boy,
knaben, boys,
flasche, bottle.
C.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Christ owet, Christ owet,
Christel, Christel,
clafeer, clavier,
_High German._ _English._
Christ abend, Christmas eve,
Christiana, Christian,
clavier, piano-forte.
D.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Dabber, Dabber,
dahl, dahl,
dambnudle, dambnudle,
dochterle, dochterle,
deheem, deheem,
deiwel, deiwel,
deel, deel,
dir, dir,
der wu, der wu,
dichel’che dichel’che,
dings, dings,
dodte-lad, dodte-lad,
darmlich, darmlich,
dreckich, drecket,
dummele, dummele,
dun’er, dun ihr,
drick’le, trickele,
der wo, der wo,
der zwett, der zwett,
_High German._ _English._
Geschwind, Hurry,
thal, dale,
dampfnudle, dumpling,
tochterlein, little daughter,
daheim, at home,
teufel, devil,
theil, part,
dir, your,
der welcher, that who,
tuchlein, small cloth,
dinge, things,
tode-lad, coffin,
taumlich, dizzy,
schlammig, muddy,
eilen, hurrying,
thut ihr, do you,
trockenen, to dry,
der welche, which one,
der zweite, the second.
E.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Ebber, ebber,
ebbes, ebbes,
eche, eche,
eifrig, eifrig,
ehnder, ehnder,
egens, egens,
e’letzig, e’letzig,
elle-bohe, elle-boh’,
eme, em’,
er’beere, er’beere,
emol, emol,
end, en’,
ent, ent,
_High German._ _English._
etwer, some one,
etwas, something,
eiche, oak,
eifrig, industrious,
früher, sooner,
eigens, own,
vereinzelt, single,
ellbogen, elbow,
ihm, him,
erdbeere, strawberry,
einmal, once,
eine, one,
ende, end,
ente, duck.
F.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Flicke, flicke,
fraa, fraa,
fremm, fremm,
frog, froh’,
_High German._ _English._
flicken, mend,
frau, woman, wife,
fremde, stranger,
fragen, ask.
G.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Gackere, gackere,
galje, galje,
gale, geel,
g’for, g’for,
geh, geh,
geloffe, geloffe,
gedu, gedu,
gelle, gel’,
g’nunk, g’nunk,
glawe, glaw’,
glei, glei’,
gro, gro’,
geblanzt, geplanzt,
grumbeere, grundbeere,
gummera, gurken,
_High German._ _English._
gackern, to cackle,
galgen, gallows,
gelb, yellow,
gefahr, danger,
gehen, to go,
gelaufen, walked,
gethan, done,
gelt, is it not true?
genug, enough,
glauben, believing,
gleich, soon,
grau, grey,
gepflanzt, planted,
kartoffeln, potatoes,
gurken, cucumbers.
H.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Hensching, han’sche,
hab, hann,
ha’mer, ha’mer,
ha’wer, ha’wer,
hell, hel’,
hem, hem’,
herr jeh, herr jeh,
he’wel, he’wel,
hickele, hückele,
hinkel, hinkel,
hucke, hucke,
hochzich, hochzich,
hunne, hunne,
hunnert, hunnert,
huscht, hascht,
heemzu, heemzu,
_High German._ _English._
handschuh, gloves,
haben, to have,
haben wir, have we,
hafer, oats,
hölle, hell,
Herr-Jesus, Lord Jesus,
hügel, hill,
hemde, shirt,
hückeln, hupfen, to hop, or leap,
huhn, chicken,
sitzen, to sit,
hochzeit, wedding,
unten, below,
hundert, hundred,
hast, have,
heim zu, homeward.
I.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Is, is,
is’m, is’m,
iwer, iwer,
iw’rig, iw’rig,
ich frog, ich frog,
_High German._ _English._
ist, is,
ist ihm, is he,
über, over,
übrig, left over,
ich frage, I ask.
J.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Johr, Jahr,
jarelich, jährlich,
jauchze, jauchze’,
junghaet, junghaet,
jud, jud,
_High German._ _English._
Jahr, year,
jährlich, yearly,
jauchzen, to shout,
jungheit, newness, or young
jude, jew.
K.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Kawfe, Kaufe,
kapp, kapp,
kenne, ka’,
knopp, knopp,
kohle, kohle,
krapsche, krapsche,
kreisch, kreisch,
krott, krott,
kumm’rad, kummerad,
_High German._ _English._
kaufen, to buy,
mütze, cap,
kein, none,
knopf, button,
kohlen, coal,
zusammen raffen, to grasp,
schrei, yell,
kröte, toad,
kamerad, comrade.
L.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Laab, lab,
lappes, lappes,
lebdag, lebdah’,
lehne, lehne,
lefze, lefze,
ledig, lerig,
letz, letz,
lewendig, lewendig,
lutzer, lutzer,
_High German._ _English._
laub, loaf,
muthloser mensch, spiritless man,
lebenzeit, lifetime,
leihen, to loan,
lippen, lips,
leidig, tiresome,
verkehrt, wrong,
lebendig, alive,
laterne, lantern.
M.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Maad, mad,
mäd, mäd, or mere,
maha, maha,
mag, mag,
mais’che, mais’che,
manch’, manch’,
meh’, meh’,
mehner, mehner,
millich, milch,
munder, munder,
_High German._ _English._
magd, maid,
mädcher, girls,
magen, stomach,
magen, may,
mäuslein, little mouse,
manig, many,
mehr, more,
milch, milk,
munter, active.
N.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Näz, näz,
nau, nau,
ne, ne,
net, net,
newel, newel,
newe, newe,
newe naus, newe naus,
nexe, nexe,
ne-wer, ’ne-wer,
nix, nix,
nochber, nachber,
nix batte, nix batte,
_High German._ _English._
faden, zwirn, thread,
nun, jezt, now,
nein, no,
nicht, not,
nebel, mist,
neben, at the side,
neben aus, out at the side,
necken, to tease,
hin über, the other side,
nichts, nothing,
nachbar, neighbor,
nichts nutzen, does no good.
O.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Oftmole, oftmal,
oufe, oufe,
ostera, ostera,
owet, owend,
owwe, owe,
_High German._ _English._
oftmals, oftentime,
ofen, stove,
ostern, easter,
abend, evening,
oben, above.
P.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Paad, pad,
pann, pann,
parre, parre,
persching, persiche,
pishbere, pishbere,
protzig, prozig,
pattereesel, perdreesel, (heard in Lorraine)
_High German._ _English._
pfad, path,
pfanne, pan,
pfarrer, parson,
pfersiche, peach,
wispern, to whisper,
mürrisch, peevish,
rebhuhn, partridge.
R.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Rappele, rappelle,
rechele, rechele,
reckel’che, reckel’che,
reche, reche,
reff, reff,
reh’ert, rehe’,
roll duwak, rool dawak,
roppe, roppe,
runner, r’under,
_High German._ _English._
rappeleln, rattle,
rechnen, reckon,
röcklein, small coat,
rechen, rake,
futter behälter, manger,
regen, rain,
rollen tabak, roll tobacco,
rupfen, to pluck,
hereunter, down here.
S.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Sag, sah’,
shank, shank,
sheckig, sheckig,
schunke, schinke,
schlosee, schlosee, hagel,
schlippe, schlüppe,
seller, seller,
sellemol, sellemol,
sehne, seh’,
sin un schand, sin un scha’,
siwe, siwe,
schtrump, schtrump,
schproch, schprach,
schun, schon,
schtee, schtee’,
schtiwel, schtieb’l,
schmeisse, schmeisse’,
schlofe, schlafe,
schornschtee, schornschtee,
schträle, schtriegel,
schpell, steck-nodel,
_High German._ _English._
sagen, say,
schrank, cupboard,
gefleckt, speckled,
schinken, ham,
hagel, hail,
schlüpen, to slide,
jener, that one,
jenerzeit, that time,
sehen, to see,
sünd und schande, sin and shame,
sieben, seven,
strumpf, stocking,
schprache, language,
schon, already,
stein, stone,
stiefel, boots,
werfen, to throw,
schlafen, to sleep,
schornstein, chimney,
kamin, comb,
stecknadel, pin.
T.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Triweliere, triweliere,
tu-wock or duwack, tabak,
tadele, tadele,
tanze, tanze,
teivel, or deivel, teufel,
_High German._ _English._
qualen, to torment,
tabak, tobacco,
tadelen, to censure,
tanzen, to dance,
teufel, devil.
U.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Uf, uf,
un, un,
unne, unne,
_High German._ _English._
auf, up,
und, and,
unten, under.
V.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Vechel’che, vechel’che,
verretsche, verrätsche,
verbunne, verbunne,
verwische, verwische,
verschreckt, verschreckt,
_High German._ _English._
vöglein, small bird,
klatschen, to slander,
verbunden, joined,
erwischen, to catch,
schrecken, scared.
W.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Witt du, witt du,
wollen’er, wollen’r,
wore-et, woret,
wu, wu,
_High German._ _English._
wilst du, will you,
wollt ihr, will you,
wahrheit, truth,
wo, where.
Z.
_P. G._ _Pfälzisch._
Zamme, zamme,
zipple, zipple,
zwee, zwee,
ze zwett, ze zwett,
zeitig, zeitig,
_High German._ _English._
zusammen, together,
zipfel, tip-top,
zwei, two,
zu zwett, both,
reif, zeitig, ripe.
APPENDIX C.
Brief sketches of the rulers in England, Germany, and the Palatinate
from 1682 to 1770, the period of the great exodus of German Palatines
to Pennsylvania.
KINGS OF ENGLAND. 1660-1820.
CHARLES II.: King of England, was born May 29, 1630, and died Feb.
6, 1685; lived four years after he made his grant of Pennsylvania to
William Penn. He was son of Charles I. who was tried for treason,
and executed at Whitehall in January 1649. Charles was not a good
king. Dr. Brewer, one of his biographers, says of him, that he was a
good-natured, shrewd, and witty; but indolent, selfish, and insincere.
His profligacy was scandalous, and his extravagance frightful. The duke
of Buckingham, one of his favorite companions, wrote a mock epitaph
for him after his death, which was as follows:
Here lies our mutton-eating king,
Whose word no man relies on;
He never said a foolish thing,
And never did a wise one.
* * * * *
JAMES II.--Charles II. was succeeded by his brother James II., a
zealous Roman Catholic. His right to the throne was disputed by the
duke of Monmouth, but the latter was taken prisoner and beheaded. James
suspended the statutes which had been passed against the Catholics,
which angered the Protestants, who invited his son-in-law William
of Orange to become their king. The prince of Orange accepted the
invitation; came to England in November 1688. James raised an army
against him, but was defeated near the river Boyne in Ireland July 1,
1690, after which he fled to France where he died in exile.
* * * * *
WILLIAM AND MARY.--James was followed by his daughter, and her husband
who reigned jointly as William III. and Mary II. from 1689 until
December 27, 1694, when Mary died, after which William reigned alone
until his death which occurred in 1702.
One of his biographers describes William as a man of middle stature,
slender, delicate, subject to asthma. He was plain in manners,
reserved, cold, and inflexible. His judgment was sound, his courage
intrepid, his penetration most acute, and the greatest general of his
age.
We have seen in these pages, how he made war against Louis XIV., the
French king, in order to succor the persecuted Palatines. England made
great progress under his rule, and William and Mary will always be
remembered as among the best of English sovereigns.
* * * * *
ANNE.--After the death of William III., Anne, the second daughter of
James II., came to the throne of England. She was born February 6,
1665, and died August 1, 1714, after a reign of 12 years. She has been
described by one of her biographers, as having been of good natural
capacity; but not well educated; her temper was mild; her manners
coarse; her disposition affectionate, and her charity unbounded. This
last virtue agrees with the statement that many Palatines came to
America, and to Pennsylvania as the result of her benefactions.
* * * * *
GEORGE I.--After Anne’s death in 1714 George I., elector of Hanover,
and duke of Brunswick, was crowned king of England. He was in the
line of succession to the British throne, by reason of being a
great-grandson of James I. He was also a cousin of Queen Anne. He was
born March 28, 1660, reigned from 1714 until he died June 12, 1727.
He has been described as having been of middle size, his countenance
and expression, and his whole appearance undignified. He was sensible
and industrious; plain and simple in his mode of life after the manner
of the Germans; and grave, and heartless. He had no love for England
when he came to the throne, and never acquired any. He was profoundly
ignorant of the English language, and of England’s laws and its
history. It is said of him that he never learned to speak the English
language with any degree of accuracy.
* * * * *
GEORGE II.: son of the former, succeeded to the throne in 1727, and
reigned until 1760, a period of a little more than 33 years. He was
born at Hanover, Nov. 10, 1683; and died Oct. 1760. His predelictions
for Germany were quite as strong as those of his father. In personal
appearance, he was low in stature, carried himself very erect; had
prominent eyes; a high nose, and receding forehead. He was reserved and
cautious in his manner, violent, and obstinate, covetous and mean. He
was a soldier and had no other accomplishment.
* * * * *
GEORGE III., who followed George II. to the British throne, was a
grand-son of the latter, having been born June 4, 1738. He was a son of
Frederick Louis, prince of Wales. He reigned from 1760, until Jan. 29,
1820, when he died.
Americans have a better knowledge of George III. than any of his
immediate predecessors, because he was on the British throne during
the Revolutionary War. As all the grievances of the American colonies
were charged against his account, the American youths have learned
to know him in history as a wicked tyrant, although the real tyrants
were his ministers, against whom the greater indignation should at all
times have been directed. The British ministry had much more to do with
shaping the British policy, with regard to the American colonies both
before, and during the war than the king had. George III. suffered
much on account of the infirmities of his mind. It gave way five times
during his reign viz: in 1764, 1788, 1801, 1804, and the last time in
1810, after which the full vigor of his mind was never restored.
It is said of him, that when in full possession of his faculties,
that he was a man of great courage, and steadiness of purpose;
was temperate, faithful and conscientious; religious, moral, and
benevolent; but bigoted and obstinate. His court was a model of
decorum, and his domestic life irreproachable.
GERMAN EMPERORS.
LEOPOLD I., was born June 9, 1640; died May 5, 1705. He was emperor
of the Holy Roman Empire, from 1658 until 1705. The empire was also
called the German-Roman Empire. The name “Holy Roman Empire,” is the
result of the theoretical pretensions, that the German emperors,
were the representatives of the ancient Roman emperors, who asserted
authority over all the nations of Western and Central Europe. The
empire comprised all the German-speaking people, but so far as any
exercise of imperial power was concerned, it was more the outward show
and trappings of an empire, than one exercising and maintaining its
authority as such.
All the European nations during the centuries of the first German
empire were incessantly at war with each other, and the German
government was feeble in asserting its imperial authority, while
certain of the German states were continually at war, with one nation
or another, other of the German states, were fighting among themselves.
To meet all the exigencies of war which were constantly rising Leopold
was wholly unfitted. He was a weak and incompetent prince, and many of
the ravages of the French armies in the Palatinate during the last half
of the seventeenth century, were largely the result of his incapacity.
He was neither soldier, nor statesman, and chaos ran riot in Germany
during his long and miserable reign.
* * * * *
JOSEPH I., Leopold’s son, succeeded to the throne of the empire after
the death of his father. He was born July 26, 1678; crowned emperor of
Germany in 1705, and reigned until his death, which occurred April 17,
1711. He was involved in the war of the Spanish succession.
That war also involved France, during the reign of Louis XIV. The
latter grew tired of the war, and offered to relinquish his claims and
end it. As an inducement for Germany to make peace, Louis offered the
emperor to restore Alsatia and Strasburg which had been taken from
Germany several years before. This offer Joseph rejected, and it is
a remarkable fact that Germany was not able to recover Alsatia and
Strasburg for 160 years thereafter; not until it was returned to its
ancient owners as spoil of the Franco-German war in 1871, although
Louis offered to return it as a condition of peace in 1710. The emperor
Joseph was no improvement on his father as a ruler.
* * * * *
KARL VI., the pretender to the throne of Spain, and second son of
Leopold I., became emperor of Germany after the death of Joseph I., in
1711. Karl was elected to the imperial throne, as all German emperors
were in those days. He issued a decree about 1714, known as the
“Pragmatic Sanction,” establishing the succession to the throne of the
German empire for his dynasty.
Karl was born Oct 1, 1685; died Oct. 20, 1740. He reigned 29 years,
during which time there were the usual happenings of war, diplomatic
intrigue, without any exhibition of statesmanship, or the least
progress in advancing Germany to the rank of even a second-rate nation.
Up to this period Germany as a nation can scarcely be said to have a
history as such, and at no time could the German empire lay claim to
the exercise of authority over all the states which were theoretically
under its sway.
* * * * *
MARIA THERESA. With her coming to the throne the real history of
Germany may be said to begin. She came to the throne after the death
of her father, Karl VI. by virtue of the pragmatic sanction. She was
born May 13, 1717; died Nov. 29, 1780. With her reign began a vigorous
administration of the affairs of the empire. It has been said of her
that: “Since the death of Maximilian II. in 1576, Austria had no male
ruler so prudent, just and energetic as this woman.” Five years after
her coming to the throne her husband Francis I. died, when his eldest
son succeeded to the title as “Emperor,” but he was only emperor in
name, so long as the empress lived, for she kept the conduct of affairs
in her own hands.
Bayard Taylor, in his “History of Germany,” says of her: “Maria
Theresa, like all the Hapsburgs, after Ferdinand I., had grown up under
the influence of the Jesuits, and her ideas of justice were limited
by her religious bigotry. In other respects she was wise and liberal;
she effected a complete reorganization of the government, establishing
special departments of justice, industry and commerce; she thought
to develop the resources of the country; abolish torture, introduced
a new criminal code,--in short, she neglected scarcely any important
interests of the people, except their education and their religious
freedom. Nevertheless she was always jealous of the presumptions of
Rome, and prevented as far as she was able, the immediate dependence of
the Catholic clergy upon the Pope.”
Maria Theresa was an empress of great ability, and during her reign,
the German states made great progress in many of the useful arts, and
industries. Her usefulness came to an end with her death in 1780, and
the first German empire ceased to exist in 1806, when Francis II.
abdicated as its last emperor.
PALATINE ELECTORS.
PHILIP WILHELM.--This prince who was born in 1651, became the elector
of the Palatinate in 1685, and continued to rule for three years when
he died. During his short reign the Palatinate was comparatively free
from the ravages of contending armies. The rapacity of Louis XIV. gave
the poor Palatines a brief respite; but their misery was not long
postponed, for the French king made war again upon them immediately
upon the accession of Philip Wilhelm’s successor.
* * * * *
JOHN WILHELM.--With the death of the former prince, his eldest son,
John Wilhelm became the ruling prince Palatine. He was born in 1658,
and came to the electorate in 1688, and continued, until his death in
1716. It was during his reign, that the beautiful Palatinate was made
a desert, by the armies of Louis XIV., in his efforts to usurp the
electorate for his sister-in-law, the duchess of Orleans. He was a weak
prince, and resided away from his dominion for a great part of the time
of the French occupation of the Palatinate. He established himself at
Düsseldorf, from whence he feebly directed the operations against the
French hordes who were engaged in devastating the Rhine provinces.
* * * * *
CHARLES PHILIP.--This prince was a brother of the former, and became
elector in 1717. He was born in 1661, and his reign ended with his
death in 1742. Louis XIV. died two years before the reign of Charles
Philip began, so the latter was spared the ordeal of defending the
Palatinate, against the ravages of the French soldiers, although his
dominion continued to be overrun by the soldiers of other European
nations at war with each other. Charles Philip was a fair sort of a
prince, and tried to restore the Palatinate to some of its ancient
splendor, and made some progress in that direction. He restored the
castle of Heidelberg in a great measure, and built the beautiful
castle at Mannheim, and lived there during a part of his reign.
* * * * *
CHARLES THEODORE.--This prince belonged to a collateral branch of the
line of Palatine electors, and was born in 1724; came to the electorate
in 1742, and continued his rule until 1799, when he died. He was a
noble prince, highly educated, and devoted to the fine arts. Numerous
monuments of his reign remain around Heidelberg, and the beautiful
bridge over the Neckar is one of them, which is pointed out to the
tourists by the citizens of Heidelberg with great pride at the present
day.
In 1777, Charles Theodore inherited the throne of Bavaria, and then
removed his court to Munich. He continued however in the electorate of
the Palatinate until his death, when he was succeeded by Maximilian
Joseph, who continued in the electorate only two years, when it became
extinct, by virtue of the terms of the treaty of Luneville, which was
dictated by Napoleon; whereby France received all of the Palatinate,
on the west bank of the Rhine, and Baden received the greater part of
it, situated on the east side. That part of the Palatinate on the west
bank of the Rhine taken by France was ceded back to Germany, after the
downfall of Napoleon in 1815. Maximilian Joseph was the last ruling
Palatine elector. He came to the electorate in 1799, and in 1802 to
1803 he transferred his rights to the newly established electoral House
of Baden. In 1806 he became King of Bavaria.
There were other princes in the direct line of descent of the Palatine
electors who kept up the title for a number of years after the
electorate was abolished, but none ever reigned, and the line is now
extinct.
[Illustration]
APPENDIX D.
A CHRONOLOGICAL TABLE OF ALL THE REIGNING PRINCES OF THE PALATINATE.
1. CONRAD OF HOHENSTAUFEN.--He was the first prince invested with
the electoral dignity. He was raised to the honor by his brother the
Emperor Frederick I. (Barbarossa); was born in 1127; died in 1195.
2. HENRY THE GUELPH.--Son of Henry the Lion--duke of Brunswick; became
Pfalzgrave of the Rhine after Conrad. Born in 1169; died 1227.
3. HENRY THE YOUNGER; married Mathilda of Brabant; born in 1194; died
1214.
4. LOUIS I., duke of Bavaria, was made elector by the German emperor
for distinguished military services, although Henry the Younger’s
father was still living, and was the rightful heir of Conrad of
Hohenstaufen.
5. OTHO, the Illustrious, son of Louis I. followed the latter; he was
born in 1206; died 1253.
6. LOUIS II., the Severe, son of Otho I., married Mary of Brabant, whom
he had beheaded without cause in a fit of jealousy.
7. RUDOLPH I., son of Louis, at the beginning reigned in common with
his brother Louis of Bavaria, who afterwards became emperor. He divided
his lands, and retained the Palatinate of the Rhine, while his brother
kept Bavaria.
8. ADOLPHUS the Just, became invested with the electorate by his uncle
emperor Louis, in 1320. He was born in 1300; died in 1327.
9. RUDOLPH II., next succeeded to the electorate.
10. RUPERT I., the Elder, reigned according to the will of his uncle,
in common with his brother, and for the deceased brother Adolphus. He
was the founder of the University of Heidelberg in 1346, and he also
built the Rupertina Chapel of Heidelberg castle. He was born in 1309;
died 1390.
11. RUPERT II., the Hard-hearted, son of Adolph, came next to the
electorate. He was an impetuous soldier, who participated in most of
the numerous wars, which distracted the peace of Germany in his day.
12. RUPERT III., surnamed the Good, and on account of his love of
justice, called Justinian; the only son of Rupert II. He was popular
with all the German princes, who elected him king of Germany in 1400.
He built the Rupert’s building in the castle of Heidelberg. He was born
in 1352; died in 1410.
13. LOUIS III., surnamed the Bearded, was the ancestor of the
Heidelberg line of princes. He was patron of Conrad of Constance in
1414, and confined Pope John XXIII, for a long time in the Rudolph
building a prisoner. Born in 1376; died in 1437.
14. LOUIS IV., surnamed the Candid, came next and reigned 12 years. He
was born in 1424; died 1449.
15. FREDERICK I., the Victorious, brother of Louis IV. became elector
at the latter’s death. German affairs were in a greatly disturbed
condition, when he came to the electorate. He became arrayed against
the emperor, and likewise the Pope; but he triumphed over all his
enemies, and his name lives in history as one of the most eminent of
all the German princes. He was born in 1425; died in 1476.
16. PHILIP, the Sincere, son of Louis IV. succeeded Frederick I. He
was a prince who was devoted to the sciences, and who labored for the
welfare of the people over whom he reigned. Born in 1448; died in 1508.
17. LOUIS V., surnamed the Pacific; was so called because he labored
unceasingly, at the meetings of the diets of the German empire, to
pacify all the princes who differed in their religious opinions. He was
the son of Philip; and was a great disciple of peace; he nevertheless
prepared for war by constructing important fortifications of the castle
of Heidelberg. He constructed the Louis building of the castle, and
connected the grand rampart, the Louis tower, the watch tower, and the
big tower, by subterranean passages. His reign was a comparatively
pacific one, and lasted 36 years. It was during his reign that Martin
Luther launched his Reformation, and nailed the 95 theses on the church
door of Wittenberg; and was excommunicated by the pope from the church
of Rome. Louis was born in 1478; died 1544.
18. FREDERICK II., the Wise, was a brother of Louis V. His reign
lasted only six years; but he improved that time by completing the
fortifications of the Heidelberg castle, and built the new court in
connection with it. He was born in 1482; died in 1550.
19. OTHO HENRY, the Magnanimous, was next to obtain the electorate.
He received his name because of his generosity in protecting the arts
and sciences; and it was he who built the most beautiful architectural
monument of the castle of Heidelberg,--the Otho-Henry building. He was
born in 1502; died in 1559.
20. FREDERICK III., the Pious, had an uneventful reign, excepting the
religious contentions, in consequence of the Reformation. Born in 1515;
died 1570.
21. LOUIS VI., son of the former, reigned 15 years, from 1559 until
1576. Born in 1539; died in 1583.
22. JOHN CASIMIR, brother of the former, came to the electorate in
1576. He was a chivalrous prince; much esteemed by his subjects. He
built the first Big Tun, in the cellar of the Heidelberg castle. Born
in 1543; died 1592.
23. FREDERICK IV., son of Louis VI., reigned 18 years, during which he
erected the splendid Frederick’s building with its new chapel in the
castle. Born 1574; died 1610.
24. FREDERICK V., surnamed the Patient, married Elizabeth Stuart of
England, grand-daughter of the unfortunate Mary, Queen of Scots. He
made many fine architectural additions to the castle of Heidelberg;
among them the palace of Elizabeth, and its magnificent gate which is
still admired in the grandeur of its ruins by thousands of tourists
each year. Frederick was elected king of Bohemia in 1619, but soon
after he was defeated in a great battle near Prague by the emperor
Ferdinand, and thereby lost his crown, when he fled to Holland, where
he died without ever returning to the castle of his ancestors. Born in
1596; died 1632.
25. CHARLES LOUIS, surnamed the German Solomon, returned to his
hereditary lands in 1649, as heir to the Palatinate. He restored the
castle which had been almost ruined by the ravages of the Thirty Years’
War, and made himself useful in re-establishing prosperity to the
Palatinate, which had been severely afflicted, and he soon succeeded
in making the rich soil of the valleys of the Upper Rhine, and Neckar
bloom again like a garden. He was a noble prince; born in 1617, died in
1680 while on his way from Mannheim to Heidelberg in an orchard in the
village of Edingen.
26. CHARLES, his only son and heir succeeded him. He died without issue
and his sister married to the duke of Orleans, brother of Louis XIV. of
France, who made pretensions to the electorate, and was supported by
Louis. Her unjust claim was the signal for the unfortunate war, which
brought the ruin and desolation to the Palatinate, the details of which
have been recounted in these pages.
Sketches of the Palatine electors, 27, 28, 29 and 30 have already been
noted among the sketches of the counts Palatine, who reigned during the
period of the German emigration from the Palatinate to America.
APPENDIX E.
GLOSSARY.
Aduatuci, a German tribe formed out of the fragments of the Cimbrians
and Teutonians.
Aix-la-Chapelle, Treaty of. A treaty which ended the war of the
Austrian Succession, in October, 1748.
Alsace, a province of the German empire, a part of which was
conquered by France in the Thirty Years’ War, and the whole ceded to
France in 1791. The whole was ceded back to Germany in 1871, as a
result of the Franco-Prussian war.
Alemanni, a German race of Suevic origin, which occupied the region
from the Main to the Danube, in the first part of the third century
A. D., afterwards extending to the Rhine, including Alsace, and part
of Eastern Switzerland.
Ampsivari, a German tribe described by Tacitus, which continued until
the fifth century A. D., when it became merged in the Franks.
Anne, Queen, succeeded to the throne of England in 1702, upon the
death of William III.
Aryan, a Sanscrit word, applied to all nations who speak a language
mainly derived from the Sanscrit, or ancient Hindoo, as the Greek,
Latin, Gothic, English, German and all kindred tongues.
Arendt, Baron von, a patriot and German soldier, of the Revolution.
Attila, a famous king of the Huns, whose conquests in Europe were
a terrific marvel, leaving ruin and desolation in his trail, in
consequence of which he was called the “Scourge of God.” He died in
453 A. D.
Austrian Succession, War of. The emperor Charles VI. had no male
heirs, and he sought to get all the powers concerned to accede to
the Pragmatic Sanction, by which the Austrian possessions were to
go to his eldest daughter Maria Theresa. The elector of Bavaria,
Charles Albert, never gave consent to the pragmatic sanction, and
when Charles the VI. died, he claimed the Austrian throne, as being
next in line of succession. A desire seized the European powers to
break up the Austrian state, and divide its dominions among them.
Great Britain was the only European nation which came to the aid of
Austria. After eight years of war, Maria Theresa was confirmed as
empress of Austria.
B.
Batavi, a German tribe, which took sides with the Romans, and
enlisted in its armies, against the rest of the Germans. They became
ultimately merged in the Salic Franks.
Barbarians, foreigners; people whose names have “Bar” prefixed to
them, signifying son of.
Bingen, a city of Germany, in Hesse, situated at the junction of the
Nahe with the Rhine.
Boehm, Philip, an early German Reformed preacher in Pennsylvania.
Boufflers, a marshal of France under Louis XIV., born January, 1644;
died August 20, 1711.
Brainard, David, a missionary among the Indians, born at Haddonfield,
Conn., April 20, 1718; died at Northampton, Mass., Oct. 9, 1749.
Brandywine, Battle of. A battle fought on the creek of that name in
Pennsylvania, during the Revolutionary war, at which the Americans
under Washington were defeated by the British under General Howe.
Burgundians, a German tribe, which settled in Gaul, and founded the
kingdom of Burgundy in the fifth century.
C.
Calvert, Cecilius (Lord Baltimore). The first proprietor of Maryland;
born about the year 1605; died at London Nov. 30, 1675.
Chauci, a German tribe, first mentioned by Strabo, living about the
shores of the North Sea, on both sides of the Weser. They disappeared
in the fifth century, becoming merged with the Saxons.
Chatti, a powerful German tribe, some of whom left their abode in the
region of the Main, and became absorbed by the Salic Franks. Those
who remained, were the progenitors of the Hessians.
Cherusci, a German tribe, dwelling in the time of Caesar, west of the
Elbe, about the middle Weser. Their name disappeared in the fifth
century, when they became a constituent part of the Saxons.
Cimbrians, an ancient German tribe, inhabiting Northern Germany at
an early day. With the Teutons as allies they invaded the Roman
provinces in 113 B. C. They were afterwards “virtually exterminated,”
by a Roman army under Marius.
Clovis, born about 465; died at Paris Sept. 8, 511. He was the
founder of the Merovingian line of Frankish kings.
Conde, Prince de, born at Paris 1621; died at Fontainebleau, France,
Dec. 11, 1686. He was a celebrated French general during the reign
of Louis XIV., and took an active part in the devastation of the
Palatinate.
Condrusii, a German tribe, occupying a part of Belgium, when they
became first known. Their name disappeared from history at an early
day.
D.
Dunkers, a sect of German American Baptists, called by themselves
Brethren, founded in Westphalia, in 1708, by Alexander Mack.
Duras, de, a French general under Louis XIV.
E.
Eburones, a German tribe occupying a part of Belgium at the time the
Romans first made their acquaintance.
Erlkönig, the subject of Goethe’s well-known poem. In German legend,
a “goblin or personified natural power who haunts the Black Forest.
He is particularly addicted to destroying children.”
F.
Finns, the natives of Finland, a colony of whom made settlement on
the Delaware river within the present limits of Pennsylvania, as
early as the year 1637.
Flemish, a Low German language of which the Dutch is a type.
Frederick, The Great, born at Berlin Jan. 24, 1712; died at Sans
Souci near Potsdam Aug. 17, 1786. King of Prussia, and one of the
greatest generals and statesmen of his time.
Franche-Comte, an ancient government of Eastern France. It was at one
time a part of the old kingdom of Burgundy, but was annexed to France
more than two hundred years ago.
Franks, the name assumed, in the third century A. D. by a
confederation of German tribes, a branch of which founded the
Merovingian monarchy, under Clovis (481-511).
Frankenthal, a town in the Palatinate, destroyed by the soldiers of
Louis XIV.
Franklin, Benjamin, an American statesman, diplomat, philosopher, and
author. Born at Boston, Mass., Jan. 17, 1706; died at Philadelphia
April 17, 1790.
Frisii, a German tribe, on the North Sea, and the progenitors of the
present race of Friesians in Friesland.
G.
German: Origin, of name unknown; is said to be neither of Latin, nor
of German origin; claimed to be most probably Celtic.
“German Slave Trade,” a name contemptuously applied to the custom of
selling German emigrants for the cost of their passage.
Germantown, a former borough of Pennsylvania, now a part of the
municipality of Philadelphia. Founded by German Quakers in 1683.
Goths, a powerful Teutonic tribe, forming two historical divisions
of the Visigoths, and Ostrogoths; branches of them settled early, in
the present Servia, and Bulgaria; while others founded monarchies in
France, Italy, and Spain. They became merged later into other races.
Graffenried, a Swiss colonist, in North Carolina, who helped to found
Newbern.
H.
Hatto, Bishop, archbishop of Mainz; died about 970. According to a
German legend, he was eaten alive by mice as a punishment for having
burned to the ground a barn full of people during the time of a
famine.
“Heemweh,” a characteristic poem by the late Rev. Heinrich Harbaugh
in the Pennsylvania German dialect.
Heidelberg, a city in Baden, Germany, situated on the Neckar 12
miles from its junction with the Rhine at Mannheim. It was for many
years the seat of the Palatine electors, and contains the famous
castle built by them. Its ruins are said to be the most imposing in
Europe.
Hendrickson, Cornelius, a navigator in the service of the Dutch East
India Company, who explored the Delaware river, as far as the present
site of Philadelphia in 1614.
Hermunduri, a German tribe, a branch of the Suevi. It is believed
that they became the Thuringians.
Hessians, are the natives or inhabitants of Hesse in Germany. In this
volume, the name is employed to designate the hireling soldiers which
the Landgrave of Hesse-Cassel, and certain other German princes sold
to the British government, to fight against American independence.
Hohenstaufen. The name of a German princely family, which has
furnished the sovereigns to the first German empire, 1138-1254; also
for a long period the Palatine electors, were supplied by the same
family. The dynasty became extinct in 1268, when Conradin, the last
of the line, was executed.
I.
Indo-European, applied to the languages of India and Europe, which
are derived from the prehistoric Aryan language; also applies to the
people or nations who speak those languages.
Inspirationists, a religious sect, some of whom found their way to
Pennsylvania at an early day.
K
Key, John, the first white child born at Philadelphia, after Penn had
laid out his city.
“King of the Palatines,” Graffenried one of the founders of Newbern,
N. C., saved his life, after he was condemned to be burned at the
stake, by pretending that he was “king of the Palatines.”
L.
Lawson, Samuel, a companion of Graffenried, whom the Tuscarora
Indians burned at the stake.
Lexington, a city 11 miles from Boston, Mass. It is the scene of the
first bloodshed of the American Revolution, April 19, 1775.
Longobardi, an early German tribe, known later as the Lombards, who
founded the kingdom of Lombardy, which was overthrown by Charlemagne
in 774.
Lorraine, a region on the border between France and Germany, formerly
an independent duchy, conquered by France in the 17th century. The
German part of it was ceded to Germany in 1871, in consequence of the
treaty between France and Germany after the Franco-German war.
Lothaire, king of Lorraine, died 869.
Louis XIV., surnamed by the French, “Le Grand”--(the Great). He was
born Sept. 5, 1638; died at Versailles Sept. 1715. The devastation of
the Palatinate, by his soldiers, under his direction and approval,
will always cause his memory to be execrated, throughout the
civilized world.
Louvois, Francois, Marquis de, born at Paris Jan. 9, 1639; died July
16, 1691. A noted French statesman, minister of war under Louis XIV.
and one of the chief instruments in the devastation of the Rhine
provinces, 1666-1691.
Luneville, Treaty of. A treaty which the First Napoleon dominated,
and in which most of the powers of continental Europe participated.
It was concluded Feb. 9, 1801. By its terms France received all the
territory on the west bank of the Rhine; Tuscany was ceded to Parma;
and the Cisalpine, Ligurian, Helvetic, and Batavian republics were
recognized. The end of the “Holy Roman Empire,” soon followed this
treaty.
M.
Maintenon, Francoise d’Aubige, was born in prison at Niort, France,
Nov. 27, 1635; died at St. Cyr near Versailles April 15, 1719. Her
parents were in prison for political offenses when she was born. She
became the second wife of Louis XIV. and is said to have exercised
great influence over him with regard to his religious bigotry and his
persecutions in the Palatinate.
Mannheim, a city of Baden, situated at the junction of the Neckar
with the Rhine. It was founded in 1606; was destroyed during the
Thirty Years’ War; rebuilt, and became the capital of the Palatinate
in 1720.
Mainz, a city on the Rhine, and capital of Rhine-Hesse.
Marcomanni, a German tribe, branch of the Suevi. Drusus in his
campaign found them on the middle and upper Rhine stoutly resisting
his advance. They disappeared from history as a separate tribe in the
fourth century.
Marsi, a German tribe, mentioned by Strabo, which dwelt in the region
about Saxony, at the commencement of our era, which disappeared as a
distinct tribe after the campaign of Germanicus.
Melac, a French officer under whose immediate direction Heidelberg
was sacked and burned.
Mennonites, a religious sect founded in Europe in the 16th century.
To escape persecution many of them emigrated to Pennsylvania.
Michel, Louis, a Swiss colonist in North Carolina who assisted in the
founding of Newbern.
Muhlenberg, Heinrich Melchoir; born at Einbeck Prussia, Sept. 6,
1711; died at Trappe, Pa., Oct. 7, 1787. A German clergyman, and
chief founder of the Lutheran Church in the United States.
Muhlenberg, John Peter Gabriel, son of the former, born at Trappe,
Pa., Oct. 1, 1746; died near Philadelphia Oct. 1, 1807. He was a
Lutheran clergyman, Major-General in the Revolutionary army; member
of Congress, and United States Senator from Pennsylvania.
Mystics, a name common to several religious sects some of whose
members came to Pennsylvania with the early German emigration.
O.
Oppenheim, a town in the province of Rhine-Hesse, 11 miles southwest
of Mainz. It was one of the towns destroyed by the French soldiers.
Orleans, Duchess of, sister-in-law of Louis XIV. for whom the latter
tried to usurp the Palatine electorate after the death of the elector
Philip Wilhelm, which resulted in the war which devastated the
Palatinate, and drove thousands of the inhabitants from their homes.
P.
Palatinate, a former German state, which ceased to exist as an
independent state in 1801.
Pfalz, the German term for the Palatinate.
Pfälzer, an inhabitant of the Palatinate; and German term for
Palatine.
Philippsburg, a town of Baden which suffered much from the wars of
Louis XIV.
Purrysburg, a town in South Carolina, founded by German emigrants
from the Palatinate early in the 18th century.
Penn, William, founder of Pennsylvania, who gave the province its
first code of laws; born in London Oct. 14, 1664; died in England,
July 30, 1718. He was a son of Admiral Sir William Penn. He was
carefully educated, studied at Oxford; was converted to Quakerism,
after which he was expelled from the university. He was repeatedly
imprisoned, for preaching the Quaker doctrines, but continued in his
faith to the end. After his father’s death, he inherited a claim
against the British government of 16,000 pounds, on account of which
Charles II. gave him the grant of Pennsylvania.
Q.
Quaker, one of a religious sect founded by George Fox, in England
about the year 1650. The sect suffered much persecution in England
which resulted in very many of them emigrating to Pennsylvania.
R.
Redemptioner, as applied to emigrants who were sold for their passage
upon their arrival at American ports, one who redeemed his freedom by
a term of service.
Reformation, specifically the religious movement commenced by Martin
Luther, in the early part of the 16th century, which resulted in the
formation of the various Protestant sects.
Rhenish Bavaria, the present Rhine Palatinate, with Speyer as the
capital.
Roman Empire, founded about 500 years before the Christian era, and
embracing at one time nearly the whole civilized world. It began to
decline about the fifth century of our era, and later was compelled
to give up nearly all its conquests of many centuries.
Ryswick, Treaty of. At the treaty signed at Ryswick, a village in
Holland, Sept. 21, 1697, between France on the one side, and England,
the Netherlands, Germany, and Spain on the other, by which Louis
XIV., among other things, recognized William III. as king of England,
thereby abandoning the cause of the Stuarts. As William III. had
espoused the cause of the Palatines, against whom Louis had carried
on a frightful war of devastation for many years, and as Germany was
a party to the treaty, one of its conditions was that Louis was to
withdraw his armies from the Palatinate.
S.
Sauer, Christopher, the pioneer printer of German newspapers in the
United States. He began the publication of a German newspaper at
Germantown, Pa., in 1739, which continued to be printed many years,
exerting a great influence among the German settlers in Pennsylvania.
Salzburgers, refugees from the archbishopric of Salzburg in Austria,
who emigrated on account of religious persecution. Many of them found
their way to Georgia, and South Carolina.
Saxe-Gotha, an early German settlement in South Carolina, named from
the principality in Germany, whence the first settlers came.
Saxon dialect, a dialect which came from a Low German dialect, and
developed into the present literary or High German.
Schwenkfeld, Hans Kasper: Born in Silesia 1490; died in New Ulm,
Germany, 1561. A German Protestant Mystic, persecuted by the
Lutherans; founder of a sect of Schwenkfelders, or Schwenkfeldians,
who emigrated to Pennsylvania in the 17th century.
Semnones, a German tribe, and a principal branch of the Suevi. Their
name disappeared from history, at the end of the second century.
Separatists, a sect of religionists, who refuse to conform to, or be
governed by any church or its forms.
Sicambrians, a powerful German tribe, in ancient times, which
afterward became merged in the confederation of the Franks.
Spanish Succession, War of, a war arising out of the disputes about
the succession in Spain on the death of Charles the II., which lasted
from 1701 until 1714. It was fought between Louis I., emperor of
Germany on the one side, and Louis XIV. of France, and his allies
on the other. The emperor of Germany, and the king of France, each
claimed the right to name the successor.
Speyer, the capital of the Rhenish Palatinate, situated at the
junction of the Speier with the Rhine. It was totally destroyed by
the French in 1689.
Suevi, is the collective name of a German people, known to Cesar, who
describes them as the largest, and most warlike of the German tribes.
In the fifth century the Suevi appeared as neighbors and allies of
the Alemanni, with whom they acted as one people. They settled in the
region of the headwaters of the Danube, where their name is still
preserved in Swabia.
T.
Tesse, a French General operating in the Palatinate, afterward a
Marshal of France; born 1651; died 1704.
Teutonians, a German tribe who with the Cimbrians, defeated several
Roman armies, near the end of the second century B. C., but were
defeated, and nearly destroyed, by Marius, at what is now Aix,
France, in 102 B. C. They afterwards settled near the Lower Elbe.
Thirty Years’ War. A religious, and political war, which involved
Germany, and other countries in Europe, and continued from 1618,
until 1648. The struggle was begun between the Roman Catholics and
Protestants, for the ascendency both religious and political. The
immediate cause of the war was the result of the persecutions of
Protestants by Ferdinand, when he became king of Bohemia. Protestant
churches were closed in some places, and pulled down at others.
Disturbances and persecutions of Protestants soon spread into
Germany, and elsewhere. Protestant and Catholics alike armed, for the
coming conflict, which continued for thirty years; coming to an end
with the treaty of Westphalia, Oct. 24, 1648.
Tilly, a famous German general in the Thirty Years’ War, serving in
the Imperial army. He was born in Belgium in February, 1559; died
from a mortal wound received in a contest with Gustavus Adolphus,
April 30, 1632.
Tory, one who during the Revolution, adhered to the British crown.
Trenton, Battle of. A victory gained by the Americans under
Washington, over the British and Hessian mercenaries, Dec. 26, 1776.
Turenne, a celebrated French marshal; born at Sedan, France, Sept.
11, 1611; he devastated the Rhine provinces in 1674, and was killed
by a cannon ball, while on a reconnoissance, near Sasbach, Baden.
Treves, a city in Rhenish Prussia, on the Moselle, noted for its
Roman antiquities.
U.
Ubii, a German tribe, first mentioned by Caesar, who found them
situated on the right bank of the Rhine, north of the Taunus region;
their principal place was where the Cologne of to-day stands. They
became ultimately merged in the Franks.
Utrecht, Treaty of. By this treaty the war of the Spanish succession
came to an end, in 1713, between France on the one side, and Great
Britain, the Netherlands, Savoy, and Portugal on the other. By it,
Philip V. of France was confirmed as king of Spain, and France
recognized the Protestant succession in England; Prussia was
recognized as a kingdom, and Great Britain received Newfoundland,
Nova Scotia, etc., in North America.
V.
Vandals, a German tribe, which made its first appearance in middle
and southern Germany, in the first half of the fifth century. They
ravaged Gaul, Spain, and North Africa, etc., and in 445, they ravaged
Rome, doing much damage to treasures, art, and literature. They
founded a kingdom in Africa with Carthage as its capital.
Verdun, Treaty of. A treaty made at Verdun, France, in 843, between
the French emperor Lothaire, and his brother Ludwig the German. By
this treaty, Lothaire was confirmed as emperor, and received Italy,
and in general the region west of the Rhine and Alps, and east of the
Rhine, etc.; Charles the Bald obtained the region west of Lothaire’s
dominions, and Ludwig the region between the Rhine and the Elbe,
which formed the nucleus of the first German empire.
W.
Weber, an imposter, who was executed at Charleston, S. C., for murder
in the early days of the settlement of that state.
Westphalia, Treaty of. This treaty was concluded in 1648, and ended
the Thirty Years’ War. Among the conditions of that treaty, the
electoral house of the Palatinate received the Rhine Palatinate; and
religious freedom was guaranteed, thereby saving Protestantism to
Europe and to the world.
William III., King of England, 1689-1702.
Wolf, George, a son of a German emigrant from the Palatinate, and
Governor of Pennsylvania 1829-1835, and founder of the Common School
System of that state.
* * * * *
Transcriber’s note
Typos fixed; non-standard spelling and dialect retained.