The Effect of World War One on German-Americans in Erie, Pennsylvania

Abstract

At the beginning of the First World War in 1914, German-Americans in Erie were enjoying the apogee of their political, social, and cultural power. They dominated the mayor’s office and elected numerous city councillors. Their singing societies and social clubs were centers of entertainment for this city of nearly 80,000 people. With such a strong influence in city life, it stands to reason that the anti-German nativism that ran rampant throughout the country following our involvement in the Great War would have been somewhat diminished in Erie. This, however, was not the case. Most of Erie’s Germans suffered no persecution at all, but one group was targeted, German Socialists. Although more mainstream German organizations such as the German-American Alliance simply curtailed their activities while pledging their allegiance to the United States, Erie’s Socialist Party was outspoken in its opposition to the war. Prior to the war and even before United States’ involvement, the local socialists received very little attention, but as their popularity grew and they became a seemingly larger and larger threat they attracted more and more attention, which resulted in a series of arrests that were consistent with national trends. The large proportion of Germans in Erie may have insulated the general population from the negative repercussions that took place in other parts of the country due to the war, but it did nothing to save Erie’s German Socialists.