1. Into A New World (1618-1762)

Between 1618 and 1748, thousands of German-speaking people fled to North America and Eastern Europe to escape famine, disease and religious persecution. A huge refugee camp was established in London. European rulers began to compete for new settlers, making refugees a political weapon.

2. The Promised Lands (1750-1848)

By 1750, the Promised Land in North America had already attracted almost 100,000 German-speaking emigrants. Without money for the long crossing, new arrivals had to work as indentured servants, ending up in the Brazilian jungle or in the French colony of Algiers. A few decades later, German-speaking immigrants contributed to the industrialisation of the USA.