Willkommen, Y’all: A History of Germans in Texas

German immigrants have shaped Texas culture more than almost any other group. Their influence can still be seen across the state in its towns, buildings, food, music and even the way many Texans celebrate. Today, millions of Texans can trace at least part of their family tree back to Germany.

The First German Texans

Germans began arriving long before Texas joined the Union in 1845. In 1831, Friedrich Ernst settled at a place he named Industry, in what is now Austin County. His glowing letters home described Texas as a land of opportunity, and they were published in Germany, encouraging many more families to follow. Ernst is often called the father of German immigration to Texas.

New Braunfels and Fredericksburg

In the 1840s, a society of German noblemen known as the Adelsverein organized large-scale immigration to Texas. Prince Carl of Solms-Braunfels founded New Braunfels in 1845, and the next year John O. Meusebach founded Fredericksburg in the Hill Country. In 1847, Meusebach negotiated a treaty with the Comanche that allowed German settlers to live in peace on the frontier, one of the few treaties with the Comanche that was never broken.

Thousands more Germans followed, settling a broad belt of Central Texas that became known as the German Belt.

Texas Germans in the War

When the war came, Texas Germans were divided. Many in the Hill Country had opposed secession. But many others answered the call of their adopted state and served the Confederacy, including in units such as Waul’s Texas Legion, which had several largely German companies, and in Texas artillery and cavalry regiments.

A Lasting Legacy

German Texans left their mark everywhere. Stone houses and limestone churches still line the streets of Fredericksburg and New Braunfels. Gruene Hall, built in 1878, is the oldest continually operating dance hall in Texas. The Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, founded by German and Czech settlers in 1909, is named for Kosmos Spoetzl, the Bavarian-born brewmaster who ran it for decades. German sausage and smoked meats helped shape Texas barbecue, and the German accordion became a key part of Texas music. Every fall, Wurstfest in New Braunfels celebrates that heritage.

Celebrate the Lone Star State with our Texas flags, and read about another proud Texas unit in Terry’s Texas Rangers: They Fight Like Devils.

Thanks for reading. Please share our posts with your friends and family so they too can learn more about Southern Heritage and History.

Brought to you by: Ultimate Flags