Lieutenant Friedrich Bertsch and Chaplain Wilhelm Stängel of the 9th Regiment Ohio Volunteer Infantry were not typical soldiers in the Union army. They were German immigrants fighting in a German regiment. Imbued with democratic and egalitarian ideals; the pair were disappointed with the imperfections they found in America and its political; social; and economic fabric; they also disdained puritanical temperance and Sunday laws restricting the personal freedoms they had enjoyed in Europe. Both men believed Germans were superior to Americans and other ethnic soldiers and hoped to elevate the status of Germans in American society by demonstrating their willingness to join in the fight and preserve the Union at the risk of their own lives. Bertsch’s and Stängel’s letters from the battlefront were published in German American newspapers and are historically significant for several reasons: they are among the very rare collections of letters from soldiers in a German regiment; they fill a significant void of letters from Union fighting men describing the events in the rugged mountains and valleys of western Virginia during the North’s first campaign and subsequent service in Kentucky; Tennessee; Mississippi; and Alabama; they provide a useful account of how the two German Americans viewed the war; American officers and enlisted men; other immigrant soldiers; and the enemy; they shed light on the ethnic dimensions of the war; especially ethnic identity; pride; and solidarity; and they reflect the overarching political climate in which the war was fought. Additionally; these contemporary letters are superior to accounts written years or decades after the events occurred. A German Hurrah! makes Bertsch’s and Stängel’s letters available in English for the first time. It is a valuable addition to Civil War studies and will be welcomed by those interested in ethnicity and immigration.
#1363119 in Books 2009-05-30Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.25 x 6.00 x 1.25l; 1.52 #File Name: 1602801177352 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. It is a little known fact that there is a ...By MarinaIt is a little known fact that there is a Jewish chapel at West Point. Money was raised to construct this magnificent building which houses incredible Jewish art artificats. Yes; there are Jewish cadets at Westpoint. One of my relatives significantly contributed to the realization of the chapel; and I greatly admire his efforts and achievement.3 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A down-to-earth human examination of the two-way influence that West Point has had upon Jews; and that Jews have had upon itBy Midwest Book ReviewWritten by 1949 West Point graduate Lewis L. Zickel The Jews of West Point: In the Long Gray Line consists of three portions: a studious look at the role of Jews in military history; specifically as connectd to the prestigious United States Military Academy at West Point; an autobiographical portrayal of Zickel's adolescence in New Jersey and his years of service as a cadet; and then as a member of the Army during and after the Korean War; and a selection of excerpts from a questionnaire that Zickel sent to each of the 630 living Jewish graduates of West Point. Few of the graduates recounted any personal experiences of anti-Semitism at West Point; many even reported that West Point helped bring them closer to their Jewish roots because of activities connected to the Jewish Chapel. A down-to-earth human examination of the two-way influence that West Point has had upon Jews; and that Jews have had upon West Point; especially recommended for college library Judaic studies or military history shelves.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Terrific account of an American institutionBy Hammock ManThe book offers a perspective on the military academy at West Point that is known to very few. Jews have played an important role in the history of the academy; beginning with the very first graduating class. Though at times subject to anti-semitic remarks that were made out of ignorance or tasteless humor; Jewish cadets comprise a long standing tradition at West Point; a tradition of commitment; dedication; and patriotism. It is interesting to note that; not only was a Jewish cadet one of the two first graduates in the 1790's; but also a Jewish woman was part of the first class that admitted women to the academy.
