Central Europeans
Central Europeans, People of the Former Soviet Union (FSU)
and Scandinavia
Chapter 7
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Introduction
- Some of the earliest and largest ethnic groups to the US
- Contributions include
Bread baking
Dairy farming
Meat processing
Beer brewing
| Central Europe | FSU/Russian Federation |
| Germany | Armenia |
| Austria | Azerbaijan |
| Hungary | Belarus |
| Romania | Georgia |
| Czech Republic | Kazakstan |
| Slovakia | Kyrgyzstan |
| Poland | Rep of Moldavia |
| Switzerland | Tajikistan |
| Liechtenstein | Turkmenistan |
| FSU/Baltic States | Ukraine |
| Estonia | Uzbekistan |
| Latvia | |
| Lithuania |
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Immigration Patterns: Germans
- Largest ethnic group in US and least visible
- Earliest in early 1700’s
Pennsylvania Dutch seeking religious freedom
German farmers in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana
- Second group in 1800’s
Farmers and their families
- Early 1900’s
Unmarried industrial workers
Descendants of Germans who had settled in Russia
- 1930’s brought Jewish refugees
- After WWII there were German refugees
Immigration Patterns: Poles
- Earliest to US was 1608
- Most came between 1860 and 1914
German ruled areas of Poland
Western Germany
- After 1890 Poles from areas under Austrian and Russian rule
Chicago, Buffalo, and Cleveland
- After WWI came from political dissatisfaction
Immigration Patterns: Others
- Austrians
Initially classified with Hungarians and unskilled
Austrian Jews fled Hitler’s arrival
- Hungarians
Early immigrants were wealthy political refugees after 1848
Later Ohio, West Virginia, N Illinois, Indiana coal mines
- Czechs
Nebraska, Wisconsin, Texas, Iowa, Minnesota farmers
Skilled laborers settling in the urban areas of New York, Cleveland, and Chicago.
Immigration Patterns: Others
- Slovaks
Northeast and Midwest
Coal mines, steel mills, and oil refineries
- Swiss
Artisans or professionals
Urban areas of New York, Philadelphia, Chicago, Cincinnati, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Los Angeles
- Gypsies or Roma
Insular ethnic group found throughout the world
In US primarily from central Europe
Immigration Patterns: FSU
Often listed as Russians
- Lithuania
After 1861 and then after WWII
- Ukraine
Recruited to coals mines of Pennsylvania
Factory work in Ohio, New York, and Michigan
- Armenia
First in 1890 for economic opportunity
Armenians from Turkey came after both WW
Los Angeles, Boston, New York, Detroit, Chicago, and the agricultural region of Fresno, California.
Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status
- Germans
Some maintain aspects of their heritage
higher in economic achievement and are generally conservative in attitudinal ratings
Heavy anti-German sentiment after WWI
Rapid assimilation
- Poles
Just below or solidly at middle-class level
Formation and leadership in labor unions
Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status: Others
- Austrian
Clothing and tailoring, mining
Bakeries, meatpacking operations, and restaurants
- Hungarians
Urban, white collar workers
Engineers
- Czech
Sales, machinist, or white-collar jobs
Founded businesses in cigars, beer and watches
Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status: Others
- Slovak
White collar families with high incomes
Strong family and cultural ties likely
- Swiss
Multicultural, multilingual
Work in Swiss companies
- Gypsies
Tradition of roaming, are very mobile
Independent trades and service positions
Women are often in the mystical arts
Fortunetelling
Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status: Russia/FSU
- Recent immigrants settle in urban areas
Ukrainians in PA
Armenians in CA
- Most have easily assimilated
In part due to anticommunist sentiments
- Recent immigrants with advanced degrees
- Recent Armenian immigrants may be far below poverty line
Worldview – Religion: Germans
- Early immigrants primarily Lutheran
- Some Jewish
- Some Roman Catholic
- Mennonites
From the Anabaptist movement
Simple lifestyle
Rejection of oaths, public office, military service
- Amish
Strict sect of Mennonites
No electricity or cars
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Worldview – Religion: Poles, Others
- Poles
Devout Catholics
- Austrians
Most Catholic
Some Jewish
- Hungarian and Slovaks
Primarily Catholic
- Czech
Catholic, but many have left the church
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Worldview – Religion: Gypsies
- From Asian Indian religions
- Worldview called Romaniya
Believe in God, devil, ghosts, and predestination.
Persons and things are either pure or polluted.
Preserve purity
Avoid contamination through contact with non-gypsies
- Some Gypsy Americans are Christian
Often fundamentalists
Combined Christian and Gypsy concepts
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Worldview – Religion:
Russians and People of the FSU
- Russia
Majority are of the Russian Orthodox Church
Soviet Jews
- Ukrainian and Lithuanian Americans
Roman Catholic
- Armenian Americans
Armenian Apostolic Church
Armenian Rite of the Roman Catholic Church
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Worldview: Family
- Germans
