Dear listers, as this mailing list is rather sleepy, allow me please to re-post an article that I published some years ago. I have heard that there are two or three new members in the list, so it might be of interest to at least them. I copied and pasted the text from a MS-Word-file, so the line feeds and tabulator stops may cause some disturbances in the structure of the article. It will probably appear to be "out of whack" in parts. Can't help it. Here we go : Contemporary source : Kieler Zeitung - Abendausgabe – 12 November, 1872 Transcribed, summarized, translated, and commented by Klaus Struve, Kiel Based on an article that Mr. H. Beenke wrote about emigration to transatlantic destinations since 1836, the Bureau of Statistics in Hamburg published the following figures : 1836 – 1850 via port of Hamburg : about 40,000 persons of German States 1851 – 1870 via port of Hamburg : 466,809 persons of German States, which is 79.32 % of the total number. 1832 – 1835 via port of Bremen : an average of 10,000 persons per year 1832 – 1870 via port of Bremen : 1,196,363 persons of all origins Assuming, as above, that 79.32 % of that number were of German origin : 1832 – 1870 via port of Bremen : 948,955 persons of German States Which sums up to 1,455,750 persons of German origin in the timeframe of 1832 (Bremen) 1836 (Hamburg) through 1870. The Bureau of Statistics in Washington published some figures for the years 1861 through 1868 : 607,032 immigrants of German origin. As in those years, 205,966 Germans left through Hamburg and 235,200 Germans left through Bremen, the remaining difference of 180,000 Germans arriving in the US must have used other ports than those two major German seaports. This was the difference that resulted for a period of only 8 years that were evaluated. Which means some 29 % of those who left German territory (Germany did not exist as a state then) used other ports than Hamburg and Bremen. The author of the article hints that it must be noted that the figures include all categories of passengers, not only the emigrants, but also businessmen and visitors who would return to their German origins after a while. No statistic data are available for this group. The number of emigrants from German states rose significantly after the years 1848 and 1849, the years of revolutionary activities in many parts of the country, which resulted in defeat and political suppression. The United States of America became the land of hope for many of those who could not see a way of bettering their fate at home. The year 1854 surpassed all previous years and remained the strongest year of emigration for another decade. The years 1861 – 1865 (Civil War in the US) saw a decline in numbers of emigrants that rose significantly again thereafter, strongly influenced by the great number of "new" Prussians, from the provinces Schleswig, Holstein, and Hannover, that had been incorporated into Prussia. Not all of their inhabitants were happy with their new masters. The Franco-Prussian War of 1870 - 1871 brought the number of emigrants down again. Permits for emigration were not issued to young and not so young men who could hold a rifle. Or feed a horse. Of all transatlantic destinations, the USA were the favorite of 81 % of the emigrants, in the years 1836 – 1870. In the year 1871, they were destination of even 91 %. Other destinations : British North America, until 1868. Then the Canadian government stopped the immigration of impoverished Europeans through their ports. Through Quebec, at least. Brazil strongly attracted immigrants in the years 1854 to 1859, then again as of 1867. Australia had a strong year of immigration in 1854, when the goldrush set in in the Colony Victoria. The article ends with a chapter of statistics about trade and occupation (27 % farmers) of the emigrants, and the ratio of males and females (60 % males). Of an estimated number of 250,000 persons who emigrated out of Schleswig and Holstein between 1830 and 1930, you will find a list of more than 65,000 individuals on my website : www.rootdigger.de For your kind consideration. Klaus Struve, in Kiel, Schleswig-Holstein (genealogical researcher) -- Neu: GMX FreeDSL Komplettanschluss mit DSL 6.000 Flatrate + Telefonanschluss für nur 17,95 Euro/mtl.!* http://dslspecial.gmx.de/freedsl-surfflat/?ac=OM.AD.PD003K11308T4569a