[78-L] New Member^

[Steven]

From: Julian Vein
Kristjan Saag wrote:
> david.diehl at hensteeth.com wrote:
> The reason there are so many German records in the US is that there were
so many German-Americans. By the first World War Germans were the
largest ethnic minority in the U.S. -about 20% of the total population.
> And still is the largest - but now "only" 15 per cent.
>
In fact, where I grew up (central Illinois) there were a large number of 
towns
and villages where German was the "lingua franca!" Bloomington had a
flourishing German newspaper, in fact. Of course, this all came to a quick
halt when the US entered WWI...!

Steven C. Barr