No Picture
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Trailer

This story is about Rhinelanders who left their home to build up a new life for themselves in America. Nonetheless, they always kept in touch with their German relatives. We will accompany them through German and American […]

No Picture
Uncategorized

Main characters and family businesses

New Homeland Pennsylvania America Anton Tombach, master-builder in the service of the Elector-Archbishop of Cologne Andrew, also called Andy, his foster son Cathy, his wife, an Irish emigrant Sean, Cathy’s brother, Bradock, their fatherly friend Lady Meredith, […]

Carl Schurz
Historical background

Carl Schurz

“Before I left the house I went for a moment to my study. From the window I had a free outlook on the Rhine and the lovely Seven Mountains. How often, gazing upon this charming picture, had […]

Map of the colonies
Historical background

Historical background

My emigration story begins around 1700 in the Rhineland. Back then, our region belonged to the Holy Roman Empire of the German Nation, a conglomerate of a few big and medium and many small and micro states. […]

General Henry T. Allen
Historical background

General Henry T. Allen

Major General Allen was in command of the American Forces in Germany from July 1919 until January 1923. Since May 21, 1920 he was also the American representative on the Interallied Rhineland High Commission. For all his […]

Old mill in Germantown, PA
Colonial America

Colonial America (1714-1781)

Part 1 takes place around 1700 in the Rhineland, and then in colonial America. Anton from Bonn and his Mennonite foster son Andy fell in disgrace and had to flee. They found a new home in Pennsylvania.

Bonn around 1700
Colonial America

The Escape

[Rhineland, 1714]  After many years of fighting, the War of the Spanish succession (1701-14) was finally over. But large parts of the region lay in ruins, and many people suffered hardships or were prosecuted.

Map of the colonies
Colonial America

To America

[Atlantic Ocean, 1714]  The coast of Europe became smaller and smaller, then it was out of sight. Anton was feeling anxious and heavy-hearted. He had barely had time to come to terms with what had happened.

Amish family
Colonial America

Pennsylvania

[America, 1715] On the ship to North America, Anton and Andy had made friends with Irish emigrants and an English lady. Together they settle at the Brandywine Creek, and a new life begins for all of them..

Merry Dragon
Colonial America

Colonial America

[America, around 1725] For ten years Anton and his foster son Andy had been living in Pennsylvania. They had a fine stone house at the Brandywine Creek, and all their friends lived nearby.

Quebec 1760
Colonial America

King George’s War

[America, around 1740] Andy and Cathy, now husband and wife, own a country inn, the “Merry Dragon”. They have two children, Ambrose and his little sister Betty, named after Anton’s beloved wife Lizbeth.

Battle on the Plains of Abraham, 1759
Colonial America

French and Indian War

[America, 1754] England and France, colonial powers and in dispute for supremacy in Europe, fight over the St. Lawrence River in Canada. After the English king, is called King George’s War.

March to Valley Forge
Colonial America

American Revolutionary War

[America, 1776] After winning the French and Indian War, Great Britain was the dominant colonial power. Yet, the war had doubled the British Empires’s national debt, and the Crown sought sources of revenue to pay it off.

USS Constellation
Colonial America

Citizens of the USA

[America, 1781] Finally the Revolutionary War was over, and a new nation had come into being. Ambrose and his relatives returned sound and safe. Also Fritz, the Hessian, could soon go back home to his family.

Independence celebrations in Philadelphia, 1819
Revolutions

Revolutions (1781-1852)

Part 2 takes place at the time of Napoleon and the following years of bitter oppression. Back home on the Rhine, the Bergmann brothers had been subjects of their sovereign, now they were citizens of the USA.

Napoleonic Era
Revolutions

Napoleon at the borders

[Rhineland, 1794]  While at the Potomac the new capital came into being, no stone remained unturned in Europe. The French Revolution shattered Europe’s monarchies, soon war broke out.

Fort McHenry, Baltimore
Revolutions

British-American War

[America, 1812] Napoleonic wars in Europe. Although the United States were neutral, again and again American vessels were captured by British ships and Americans were forcibly recruited.

Russian campaign 1812, defeated Grande Armée at Beresina
Revolutions

Napoleon’s defeat

[Europe, 1812] Napoleon’s “Grande Armée”, reinforced by troops from Prussia, Austria and the Confederation of the Rhine, set out to invade Russia. The Bergmann brothers Heinrich and Niklas were among them.

Bergmann brothers, at home
Revolutions

The Bergmanns leave

[Rhineland, around 1815] After 20 years of war, life in the countryside was very hard. Many soils were ruined, there was too little to live on, almost no medical care and infant mortality was very high.

Bergmann brothers, Castle Garden
Revolutions

Transatlantic Cousins

[America, around 1815] A few months later, Hedy Bergmann and her sons had left their home in the Duchy of Berg, to build a new life for themselves in America. Yet, parting had been hard.

Mountain Men vineyard, 1821
Revolutions

Bergmann and Mountain Men

[America, 1821] The entire Bergmann family was in Washington. President James Monroe, on whose ship Emmett, John and Laurie had sailed to Europe about twenty years ago, was sworn in for his second term.

Niklas and Jenny, Merry Dragon
Revolutions

No time for books

[America and Europe, around 1830/1840] For some years now Niklas and Heinrich Bergmann had been living in America. It was a good life, they had worked hard and could live in financial security.