PREFACE, In this monograph the writer has endeavored to trace in outline the introduction, dissemination, and developmelit of German socialistic ideas in the United States from about 1835, to recent years, and to show their influence 011 German American literature. It begins by showing their influence on certain communistic experi ments, labor orga lizations, and socialist political parties. Until about 1890 German immigrants were the chief heralds ald disseminators of nlodern socialistic ideas in the United States. Since that time the movement has become more and more Americanized. The socialist German American press, largely under the guidance of educated liberals, served as a convenient medium for spreading these ideas. Likewise, the Turnersocieties and Independent Congregations served similar ends. Ail these agencies had an important bearing on the development of German American literature. The final chapter, which is limited chiefly to the consideration of poetical productions and also contains essential biographical details, seeks to show this influence on the content of German American literature. Among the authors that tend to reflect the social, political, and economic questions of the times are Weitling, Erbschloe, Koch, Rothacker, Straubenmiiller, Schnauffer, Ziindt, Castelhun, Hernpel, Kniep, Dorsch, Binder, Bretthauer, Nies, Fritzsche, Lange, Glaucb, Beidenkapp, Rosenberg, Reitzel, Drescher, and Sattler. The writers sources are indicated in the bibliography and footnotes. His purpose was to give an objective account based on these sources. No doubt other valuable source material such as rare files of newspapers, books, and pamphlets of Iimited distribution, have escaped hisnotice. Some were inaccessible to him. The usual difficulty of clothing an accurate statement of fact in a readable garb presented itself constantly. The writer feels deeply indebted to Professor IiI. D. Learned, of the University of Pennsylvania, for inspiration, encouragement, and most valuable assistance rendered him in this work. He is indebted also for courtesies extended by the authorities of the city libraries of St. Louis, Belleville Ill., hlilwaukee, and New York, 51 6 Preface and of the libraries of the University of Visconsin, the Philadelphia Turngemeinde, the Philadelphia Independent Congregation, and the Philadelphia German Society. Further, he fccls under obligation to Mr. G. A. Hoehn, of St. Louis Hon. V. L. Berger, of Milwaukee Dr. JV. L. Rosenberg, of CIeveIand Mr. Louis Werner, of Philadelphia, and Mr. Herman Schlueter, of New York, for kind assistance rendered. WILLIAM F REDER K IC A IMAN. University 01 Pennsylvania, lalzziary, 1917. CONTENTS. Page. . CKAPT R I. HISTORICAL IN TRODUCTI E O a N rly . Cornmu nism. The Transition to Modern Socialism. Modern German Socialism in America .... 9 CHAPT 1 R 1. SOCIALIS A N I D THE GERMANA MERICAN PRES . S . ............................. .. 34 CHAPTER 11 1. THE INDEP NDECXOTN GREGATIO AN N D S SO-CIALISM ................................ s1 CHAPTE I R V . THE T URNE A R N S D SOCIALIS . M .. .......... 58 Ye can discern the face of the sky and of the earth but how is it that ye do not discern this time - Luke 12 56. There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, Than are dreamt of in your philosophy. - Hamlet, I, 5. Socialism in German American Literature. CHAPTER I. WO ich niitze, ist mein Vaterland. The beginnings ofmodern Socialism as a fairly well defined movement may be considered as dating from the publication of the Co n nlla M is o t z i f c t o o f Marx and Engels in 1848...