John Blankenbaker's Germanna History Notes

Note 1677

The first wave of immigration to America from the German-speaking lands came from southwest Germany, from Switzerland, and from the lands on the west bank of the Rhine River; however, the first emigration from these regions was not to America, but to regions to the east.

The first half of the Sixteen Hundreds had the Thirty Years' War as its marker.  The second half of the Sixteen Hundreds was a period of rebuilding, and this continued into the Seventeen Hundreds.  Because of the heavy destruction during the Thirty Years' War, there was much rebuilding to do and the burden fell, as usual, on the workers who were taxed for money and labor.  By the middle of the Eighteenth Century, Carl Friedrich could contemplate his realm in Baden-Durlach with some satisfaction.  His capital was Karlsruhe, where the palace was in good condition.  The general living conditions in the realm were improving.

If one placed a triangle on a map of Germany with the corners at Karlsruhe, Heilbronn, and Heidelberg, then the enclosed space was the German home of much of the Second Germanna Colony.  If conditions were improving, why did they leave?

Not every ruler followed the example set by Karl Friedrich.  He was ambitious and enlightened and implemented reforms in the judicial system, industry, agriculture, science, education, and social welfare.  It took a little while (1767) before he abolished torture and serfdom (1783) but improvements had been made before these dates.  He believed that if his subjects prospered, they would be able to contribute more to his treasury (his motivations were in part self centered).  If he had more income, he could make more baroque structures, make his army stronger (though he was not inclined to war), make his bureaucracy stronger, which would allow him to collect even more revenues.  At least, he was enlightened in the sense that he saw that he and his subjects prospered together so he was all for the improvements.

There were problems in Baden-Durlach though.  His advisers said that as the Eighteenth Century advanced that the territory was becoming overpopulated.  This was true throughout Germany, as rebuilding after the war took place.  There were minimal wars and these were constrained to smaller regions.  The population did grow and as it did problems arose.  Lands were being subdivided by inheritance and the pieces were becoming too small to afford a living.  A new, large class of landless people was being created.

I am following along with Aaron Spencer Fogleman in his book, " Hopeful Journeys ".  Of the few books of a general nature that I recommend, this is one.
(See earlier Note on Fogleman's book, on Page 67, Note 1665 .)
(See additional discussion of Fogleman's book on Page 68, Note 1686 .)
(23 May 03)