> the problem that the Lutherans had with the Catholics was not a small issue > (remember religious beliefs were behind the mass emigrations from Europe). They had no problems others than those existing since 1596: a) the Catholics see Lutherans as heathen b) the Lutherans see Catholics as idolators, violating the 1st Commandment by praying to Mary and a plethora of saints The religious emigration of the early 1800s is not caused by Catholics vs. Lutherans. In 1871, Prussia had 24 Mio. inhabitants, 16 Mio. being Evange- lical and 8 Mio. being Catholic. Germans tend to equal Evangelical with Lutheran. But in Prussia that is not completely true. Because the Evangelical Lutheran Church inPrussia actually resulted from a merger of the Lutheran Church (teachings of Martin Luther) with the Reformed Church (teachings of Zwingli & Co.). And there were re and still are, some folks, who reject the merged Evangelical Lutheran church, and who adhere to the pure and unadultered Augsburgian confession, and who are referred to as "Old Lutheran". These folks, who resisted the merger, were persecuted by the Prussian state. Their church property was confiscated, the adherents were often jailed. Thus, it was not Catholic bogeymen driving hordes of Lutherans out of Prus- sia, it was Whishy-Washy-Lutherans (Old Lutheran view) going after Lutherans of the Pure Faith....