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Swissconsin:

An Analysis of Mass Swiss Immigration to Wisconsin from 1870 to1930

Tyler Robert Runge

Dr. Forward

December 13, 2017

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Peter John Schurmann

August 12, 1909, The Kronprinz Frederich Wilhelm pulls into the harbor of Ellis Island

overshadowed by the towering Statue of Liberty, symbolizing freedom and opportunity.1 Staring

in amazement and awe is a wide eyed, nervous fourteen year old boy named Peter John

Schurmann. Peter arrived in America alone, with no family or friends accompanying him on his

journey.2 Peter was born November 24, 1895 in a small country town in Switzerland and was the

oldest of six children.3 His family made a modest living farming, but struggled to feed everyone

as the years went by. Switzerland was recovering from industrial and agricultural crisis in Peter’s

younger years, causing the family to lose their money and struggle to feed everyone. This dire

situation prompted the family to search for ways to improve their living situations. Ultimately,

they decided on sending a family member to America. Peter, being the oldest, was sent to

America to live with his uncle, whom he had never met.4 He made the journey across the

Atlantic Ocean alone. Once there, he met his Uncle Henry Meyers who took him to Wisconsin.

Peter’s youth in Wisconsin was hard work on the farm and he did not in fact receive the

education he was promised.5 For his whole adult life Peter worked in cheese factories making

cheese and inspecting it. He made a meager living, just enough to raise a family and put food on

the table. Peter would eventually pass away from an injury he sustained in a cheese factory when

he fell and cracked his skull, causing a brain bleed.6

1 “American Family Immigration History Center,” The Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., September 9, 2017.2 Robert Schuerman (Son of Peter Schuerman) in discussion with the author, September 2017.3 Ibid4 Ibid5 Ibid6 Ibid

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Peter’s story of leaving Switzerland due to hunger and poverty and finding his way to

Wisconsin to work on farms and in cheese factories becomes a very common story for a vast

number of Swiss immigrants. Swiss immigrants from the late 1800’s and early 1900’s left the

country in swarms, searching for better lives across the Atlantic. Wisconsin became the

destination of choice for many Swiss immigrants arriving in America. Why would Wisconsin be

the destination of choice for people traveling thousands of miles from a small mountainous

country on the other side of the world? By examining the conditions in Switzerland, and the

community and land opportunity found in Wisconsin at the time, a very clear picture of Swiss

immigration becomes clear.

The Numbers and Economic Situation in Switzerland

The peak years of Swiss immigration to America were 1870-1930. From 1871-1880,

28,293 Swiss immigrants came to America. From 1881-1890, 81,988 Swiss immigrants came to

America. From 1891 to 1930, an average of 29,000 Swiss immigrants came to America every ten

years.7 From 1931 and on, the number of immigrants drops off severely. The census gives a more

in depth look of the Swiss already in America. In 1880, there were only 88,621 Swiss born

people in America. In 1890, that numbers jumps up to 104,069. Those numbers continued to

climb until they reach their peak in 1910 when there were 124, 848 Swiss born in the U.S. The

numbers drop slightly until the year 1940 when they plummet down to 88,293.8 According to the

7 Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 640.8 Ibid.

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immigration numbers and census information from 1870-1930 were the key years for Swiss born

people living in America, and Swiss immigrants coming to America.

Knowing the key years for Swiss immigration, we look at what the economic

circumstances were like in Switzerland from 1870 through 1930 to see if that shows any

influence on the people of Switzerland. In 1873 there was a financial panic causing the economy

to plummet and thousands to lose their money and jobs.9 In 1880 there was an agricultural crisis

causing an increase in job loss and a food shortage.10 In 1885 there was an industrial crisis that

caused even more job loss, and mass hysteria amongst the workers of Switzerland.11 All three of

these crises happened within the time period mentioned and relatively close to each other,

meaning their effects would be magnified by the crisis that followed. The financial crisis effected

everyone in the country. While struggling from the financial crisis, the farmers faced an

agricultural crisis which crippled them even more. Along with this, the farmers that left for the

cities and the unskilled laborers in the cities would face an industrial crisis which essentially hurt

every working class citizen of Switzerland. With the workers and everyone they knew struggling

to survive, immigration became a real alternative.

The raw immigration numbers being known, and the overarching themes and atmosphere

in Switzerland being known, we can examine what happened when the Swiss immigrants arrived

in America. While many states fluctuated in the amounts of Swiss immigrants moving into their

states, Wisconsin is the only state that stayed in the top five from 1870 to 1930. In the year 1870,

they accepted 6,069 Swiss immigrants, in 1890 they accepted 7,181, and in 1910 they accepted

9Guy Serge Metraux, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SWISS IMMIGRATION INTO THE UNITED STATES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (New Haven: Yale University, 1949), 36.10 Ibid11 Ibid

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7,669.12 No other state can claim accepting so many Swiss immigrants over such an extended

period of time. From 1870 to 1920, the city of Milwaukee had the tenth highest Swiss immigrant

population in the country.13 It was ahead of cities like Detroit and Pittsburg, which have larger

populations and are closer in distance to where many immigrants arrived at Ellis and Angel

Islands.

Keeping the statistics and crises above in mind, we can examine the specific factors

causing Swiss immigration and the characteristics of Wisconsin that were so attractive to those

immigrants.

Goodbye, Switzerland

Economic collapses, agricultural crisis, and industrial strife were aspects of everyday life

for the people of Switzerland in the late 1800’s. The people of Switzerland have mostly been a

fiercely patriotic, and have very rarely ever considered immigration. The internal struggle

between fleeing and staying home is best written by famous Swiss poet Heinrich Bosshard, who

immigrated to Highland, Illinois where he lived for years and eventually passed away.

“The high cost of land, the weight of debts, the great competition in business,

manufacturing, and handicrafts, the unfavorable prospects in the future of Europe, and the

enticing descriptions of North America have led several thousand patriotic and worthy citizens to

12Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 640.13 Ibid

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consider emigration as a means of salvation for their generation. Emigration is a great and

decisive step, a disaster when it does not bring the benefits which are expected.”14

Immigration was a final resort for Swiss people experiencing poor living conditions in their

homeland. Not knowing if immigrating would make their lives better or worse, the Swiss took

the step to finding a new life in America.

In the centuries before the late 1800’s and mass exodus of Swiss to America, there had

been wars in the surrounding areas. Because of the conflicts, Switzerland initiated a law that

required all men to serve in the military. These wars and forced service, although not ideal, did

not result in a large-scale immigration.15 Also, in the centuries and decades before, there had

been minor food shortages. These shortages did not last long, they did however occur frequently.

Food shortages, similar to the wars and forced military service, did not force the Swiss to

consider immigration. Knowing the problems in Switzerland and the frequent crises, many

people’s feelings of loyalty were challenged, and the thoughts of immigration crept into their

minds. Other factors that played an important role in the heads and hearts of the Swiss that fueled

the narrative for immigration from their beloved homeland are religion, favoring the wealthy,

Wanderlust, and the difficulties of farming. What follows is a sixty year struggle for Switzerland

to retain its citizens.

Although not all who emigrated from Switzerland left for religious reasons, there was a

substantial faction that cannot be ignored. In the 1870’s there were two major religions among

the people. The Catholics were the first group to leave. In 1874, Switzerland adopted a new

Constitution and the goal of this constitution was to correct the abuses of the growing

14Guy Serge Metraux, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SWISS IMMIGRATION INTO THE UNITED STATES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (New Haven: Yale University, 1949), 3.15 Ibid

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industrialized cities.16 In this constitution, it became easier to discriminate. Switzerland’s large

Protestant population used the new constitution as a tool to help promote their agenda by limiting

other’s power. This agenda pushed by the Protestants was to limit the influence of Catholicism in

Switzerland. For example, new Catholic buildings and laws were not allowed to be established,

and many already existing churches began to be limited in what they could do.17 The Protestants

had a firm grasp on the religious scene in Switzerland, which made the difficulties numerous for

the Catholics related to worshiping and operating as they felt they should be able to. The feelings

caused by this shift of power became a factor for many Catholic emigrants from Switzerland; for

some it was certainly the main reason for their departure.

The Catholics were not the only religious group leaving Switzerland in droves from 1870

to 1930. The Amish were another religious group on their way out of Switzerland. The Amish

have lived in Switzerland for hundreds of years, dating all the way back to the Reformation. Due

to their beliefs they do not use electricity and live simple lives. As a result of this simple

lifestyle, their communities consist of small farms run and operated by manpower. Since farm

land was dwindling and cities crept closer to their homesteads, the Amish felt their way of life

being threatened.18 They could not expand their communities, and outsiders who clashed heavily

with the Amish and their way of life were starting to intrude on their land and lives. Needing

plentiful land for their communities to thrive caused the Amish to reconsider their situation and

question whether they belonged in the confines of Switzerland or if their way of life could be

preserved elsewhere. The clash of religion was a driving force for a sizeable number of Swiss

immigrants that played an important role in their decision to leave for America.16Roxroy West, Canadian Immigration Agents and Swiss Immigration, 1870-1930 (Ottawa: University of Ottawa, 1978), 12.17 Ibid18 Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 644.

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Swiss culture is often defined by two things: neutrality and banking. Switzerland’s

banking system speaks to a larger issue within the country, mainly because it is a country that

greatly favors the rich, and pays less attention to the lower classes. Banking in secrecy is legal in

the Swiss system, which means that no other government body or person is able to access any

account or know who the rightful owner of the money is. Secret banking attracts the wealthy

because it allows for the ability to hide any and all money or valuables regardless of its

legitimacy or illegal attainment. During World War II many Jews would take their money to

Switzerland and hide it in their banks, which meant that the Germans could not get their hands

on any of the valuables. After the mass extermination of the Jews, there were many accounts in

the Swiss banking system that went dormant and had no owners. Instead of finding the rightful

recipient of the lost money, many banks kept the money as profit and thus made the rich, richer.19

Although this happened in the years following 1930, it still speaks to the climate of protecting

the rich. The secret banking in the late 1800’s existed to please the rich and harm the poor.

Stealing from murdered Jews is a prime example of the government’s willingness to allow secret

banking practices. The rich used the banking system to abuse the unfortunate and to ensure their

own wealth.

The banking system was not the only way that the Swiss government deliberately

opposed the poor. In the 1800’s and early 1900’s, the Swiss government also participated in an

event that became known as “Seelenverkauferei” which translates to “The sale of souls”. The

government of Switzerland would round up the poor, or “undesirables,” and deport them by

granting them special travel rights and donations.20 The reasons for this were overpopulation,

19Eleanor Tusk, Issues in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland (London: Greenwood Press, 2003), 157.20Guy Serge Metraux, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SWISS IMMIGRATION INTO THE UNITED STATES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (New Haven: Yale University, 1949), 17.

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hunger, and the idea of the poor being lesser than the wealthy. All it meant is that the poor were

considered undesirable, and instead of helping the poor, they were removed from the country and

sent elsewhere. The Swiss government favors the rich, and they were not shy about it. As good

as the secret bank was at hiding funds, it was also capable of stealing funds. In short, Switzerland

was increasingly becoming a country for the rich, and the poor were no longer welcome in their

own country.

Stemming from the crises that arose in Switzerland from 1870 to 1930, the feelings of the

Swiss people began to change about their home country. The

dream of other lands outside of the Swiss Valley began to

take root in their hearts and minds. There were three very

distinct feelings common amongst the people of Switzerland

in this time period. The first feeling was Wanderlust, or the

want to explore.21 For generations the people of Switzerland

were stuck on their homesteads. Not often were they able to

explore the continent they lived on. With a large majority of

the people in Switzerland living off their own land, there was

generally not adequate time available to explore. Also,

Switzerland is a very tiny country, surrounded by large countries. When the feeling of being

stuck on their own farm is combined with the feeling of being trapped in a tiny land locked

country, a very strong sense of Wanderlust can be born. After generations of only seeing their

farms, the Swiss began to wonder what else was out in the world.

21 Ibid

Image One

Switzerland is a very small country, completely land locked by the other states of Europe. With half of the country being locked off by mountains, the country can have a small, confined feeling.

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On top of Wanderlust, and the overwhelming feeling of wanting to explore, was the

feeling of Europamude, or the feeling of being tired of Europe.22 Similar to Wanderlust, the

countryside of Switzerland was no longer appealing and many Swiss people were fed up with the

continent of Europe as a whole.23 Similarly to Switzerland, many other countries in Europe had

similar struggles from 1870 to 1930. Germany went through its own economic collapse where

their money became essentially worthless. Combined with this weariness of Europe was the draw

of America. Many people had heard about the wonders and opportunity in America. The

idealization of America combined with the resentment of Europe, or Europamude, without a

doubt legitimized the large scale emigration from Switzerland.

Possibly the strongest feeling at the time is the feeling of Fernweh, which means the

feeling of being trapped in the tiny, constricting

Swiss Valley.24 Switzerland is a small country to

begin with, as seen in image one, but half of the

country is covered by mountains. The mountains

make the tiny country, even smaller. The valley

under the mountain is where the people of

Switzerland must live. Image two shows just

how small the living space in Switzerland really

is. Half of the living space in Switzerland is covered in land that cannot be farmed, and is very

harsh. The whole country’s population lived in the same valley on top of one another, causing

the people to feel like they need to escape. This feeling of fernweh is evident in many Swiss

22 Ibid23 Ibid24Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 642.

Image Two

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narratives, but is best described in a quote from a man named Ulrich who was born and raised in

Switzerland, only to leave when he got his chance. Ulrich said, “I have no attachment to the

place (Switzerland) whatever… I have no attachments at all, not to my parents not to my siblings

not to my country- I’m really liberated.”25 Ulrich, feeling like many Swiss immigrants, began to

resent his home country. Fernweh was a very real feeling of the people within Switzerland. Their

discomfort and distain for their homeland led them to leaving when they got the chance, and

disassociating themselves from Switzerland once freed.

Wanderlust, Europamude, and Fernweh were all evident from 1870 to 1930, so it is no

surprise that the Swiss people felt they needed to escape Switzerland. Hunger, poverty, and

persecution are all reasons to feel the need to flee one’s home land. If the mind is not ready or

willing to flee, one will find reasons to stay. In the absence of Wanderlust, Europamude, or

Fernweh the dilemma to leave for the people of Switzerland would certainly have been more

difficult too navigate, and perhaps many would have remained in their home had these gripping

ideals not remained the people’s hearts. With all of these strong feelings, it made the idea of

immigration much more plausible and the actual action much easier.

Most important of all, there was no work. Farmers and unskilled laborers were all

struggling to make ends meet. Switzerland having so little habitable land makes getting farm

land difficult. This lack of farm land not only affects the family running the farms, it affects the

country as a whole. In 1845 Switzerland produced enough wheat to feed its own people for 290

days, by 1927 they only produced enough wheat to feed its people for 72 days.26 Farm land

25Doris Shupback, Shared Languages, Shared Identities, Shared Stories (Frankfurt: Peter Lang, 2008), 97.26Guy Serge Metraux, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SWISS IMMIGRATION INTO THE UNITED STATES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (New Haven: Yale University, 1949), 8.

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difficult to come by, and with Switzerland consuming so little of its own product, farming

became difficult to survive off of.

Farming also started to decrease in the late 1800’s due to the increase of urbanization and

industrialization.27 The farmer, no longer able to make a living off of farming, had to move to the

cities to do unskilled labor in the factories. This was a suitable way to survive until the Industrial

Crisis of 1885.28 At this time, people were either working for next to nothing, or getting laid off

because the factories were making little money. By now, the farmers had left their home land to

move to the cities where the work was, and now they were getting laid off from the only jobs

they could find. On top of all of that, the living conditions in the cities became uninhabitable due

to the lack of maintenance and primal living conditions in early industrial cities. By combining

the terrible urban life with having to leave their family farms, life in Switzerland became

miserable for a large chunk of the population. After the Industrial Crisis of 1885, many people

were fed up and could no longer take living in Switzerland. After former farmers were laid off or

relegated to meaningless work many had begun to ponder life in America, and many more

committed to finding a place where they could farm on vast amounts of land in the countryside

and live their lives peacefully.

Starting in 1870 and ending in 1930, there was a mass exodus from Switzerland. With so

many people leaving, where were they going? Turns out the land they were looking for was

Wisconsin. So, why would a state in the heartland of America with relatively few people in it be

such an attraction for people leaving a cramped country half way around the world? All of the

factors above play a role in the decision to immigrate to Wisconsin, but there are many more as

27 Ibid28 Ibid

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well. From 1870 to 1930 the state of Wisconsin became a haven for the Swiss immigrants like no

other country or state would come close to being.

Why Wisconsin?

Wisconsin is a state that has vast amounts of wilderness and acres upon acres of farm

land. Among other things, it is also known for its cheese. The citizens of Wisconsin

affectionately call themselves “cheese heads.” The roots of Wisconsin culture are seen in the

lasting effects of the large influx of Swiss immigrants from 1870 to 1930. No other state

accepted large numbers of Swiss immigrants. Its terrain is nothing like that of their home country

and the level of difficulty to travel so far with so little money could not have been easy. Even

with all the difficulties accompanying the decision to move to Wisconsin, they still did it. All of

the reasons they left Switzerland and their life experiences played into the decision to move to

Wisconsin. All of these factors included, there is a very clear pattern for Swiss immigrants, and

although every life is different, their reasons tend to be similar and evolve around central points

that are uniquely Wisconsin.

America is known as “the land of the free” and its constitution guarantees the right to

religion, meaning anyone can worship whatever religion they want and no one is allowed to stop

you. These reasons attracted the Catholics to America in which there are many choice to live.

New York would be easy because that’s where they arrived, or why not go somewhere similar to

Switzerland, like Colorado? Out of all the states in the union, Wisconsin was the chosen state.

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The reason why the Catholics chose Wisconsin actually lies in the small town of St. Meinrad,

Indiana.

The very first Swiss Catholic monastery established in the United States was in St.

Meinrad, Indiana.29 This monastery began to set up other monasteries throughout the US. In all,

they established seven other Catholic monasteries for Swiss people. One of the eight total in the

United States was in Benet Lake, Wisconsin.30 Benet Lake is right next to Lake Michigan, miles

from the city of Chicago. Being the large city it was, Chicago was a large attraction for

immigrants. When the Swiss Catholics arrived in Chicago there was no community nearby for

them to feel welcomed. The closest Swiss Catholic monastery was in Benet Lake. The Swiss

would make the trip to Wisconsin to be with people of their religion, and to be a part of a

community they felt welcomed in.Thus, Lake Benet became a large attraction for all the Swiss

fleeing persecution in Switzerland. Also, because it is the closest Swiss Catholic monastery to

one of the largest cities in America, Swiss arriving in Chicago were able to learn about the

nearby communities, which led to feelings and ideas that compelled them to move to be with

their people.

In 1850 a Swiss Catholic Priest by the name of Wilhelm Streibguth moved to a Swiss

community in Wisconsin where there was a Catholic church. He became their priest and

regularly wrote back to a man named Dean J. Marti.31 In these letters he would gracefully boast

about the quality of work the church did in the community, and how grand his Catholic

community was as a whole. His purpose for writing home though was that his parish was gaining

29Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 644.30 Ibid31 Leo Schelbert and Hedwig Rappolt, America Experienced: Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Accounts of Swiss Immigrants to the United States (Rockport: Picton Press, 1996), 299.

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an unsavory reputation back in Switzerland, like many Swiss Catholic churches at the time. It

had gained this reputation because it was believed they worshiped incorrectly and were not true

Christians.32 Writing multiple letters over the course of years and sending them back to

Switzerland to revitalize his church’s reputation was a source of attraction for those immigrating

to America. In Wilhelm’s first writing back to Switzerland he wrote,

“Now that I have lived here for ten weeks, have met all church members and their families, and

had numerous opportunities to observe their comings and goings, their dealings and doings, I

cannot but repeat the expression of my gratification again. To be sure, there are many

shortcomings here – but what place in the world is free of them?... I myself have not seen any

grounds for such fears, and only rumor has marked them as such.”33

Despite reality and the thriving Swiss Catholic churches of America, the Swiss Catholics still in

Switzerland had a negative view of the Swiss Catholic churches established in America as a

whole, including Wilhelm’s church. Wilhelm often wrote many letters back to those in power in

Switzerland. Through his letters he helped debunk and put to rest the negative rumors being

spread of his church. Although this letter was written before the time period of 1870, by the time

the letters were received in Switzerland, accepted by the church, and changed their image in the

eyes of the public, the 1870’s would have arrived. In his letters, Wilhelm changed opinions on

his church which helped attract the Swiss Catholics planning to immigrate to America.

The Catholics were not the only religious group arriving in Wisconsin in droves. The

Amish were also arriving, but they were not fleeing persecution, they were searching for more

land to worship and live the way their religion required. The Amish, because they do not use

32 Ibid33 Ibid, 309

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modern technologies like electricity, live a very simplistic life. They farm and grow everything

they consume. They build all their own dwellings and separate themselves from the temptation

of society. In Switzerland, they could no longer separate themselves due to overpopulation

crowding their lands and intruding on them. They began to immigrate to find lands that suited

their needs. Similar to the Catholics, America was attractive because of the first amendment to

the constitution guaranteeing freedom of religion.

Pure coincidence is what ended up attracting the Amish to Wisconsin though. In 1874, at

the beginning of the mass immigration from

Switzerland to America, what is considered

the “last” wave of Indian removal was

taking place.34 At this time the “Ho-Chunk”

lands of Wisconsin were vacated. The Ho-

Chunk lands are a massive swath of land covering the whole south west portion of Wisconsin.

These lands were largely undeveloped due to the Native American’s not building large

communities and also leaving the natural

habitat intact. With these massive areas of

land becoming available, the Amish coming

from Switzerland had the opportunity to

live how they wanted. These lands were opened to white settlers, meaning the Amish could take

as much land as they needed, and they did. The undeveloped land made for good farming soil,

and the amount of land they could buy and live on were so great they were able to effectively

separate themselves from the rest of society.

34 Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 643.

Image Three

The large “Ho-Chunk” lands (shown by the red area) where the Native Americans were forcibly removed became a home for many white settlers, but none more than the Swiss Amish.

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When the Swiss were arriving in America, most of the time they were not with their

whole families. Similar to Peter Schurmann, most of them arrived alone. Some came alone with

no intention of returning home, and some arrived to test the waters. Once here though, the

immigrants wanted to keep in touch with their families and in that time letters were the only way

to stay in touch. The majority of these letters depicted America as an amazing land with plentiful

opportunities and freedoms, so an idealized image of America spread like wildfire. The people

writing these letters were not attempting to advertise America so much as they were simply

writing to their families and depicting their real experiences. The term used to describe the

effects of these letters “unintentional propaganda.”35 The people writing are unintentionally

glorifying America and spreading propaganda about how magnificent the unknown lands across

the Atlantic are. There is no evidence of a state sponsored slogans or propaganda to encourage

immigration to America or Wisconsin, but in letters home many appealing ideals were portrayed,

such as the common themes of, “reasonably priced land, well distributed natural resources,

opportunities for settlement, temperate climate, progressive ideas, promising industrial prospects

and, finally, a peaceful political atmosphere.”36 In a country where all of these aspects are

difficult to come by, letters including these topics from people that are loved and trusted could be

very convincing.

“Unintentional propaganda” happens in many different ways. Wilhelm was not

attempting to attract Catholics to Wisconsin when defending his church’s reputation, but by

revitalizing his church’s image, that’s exactly what he did. There is a letter written from a

farming community in the year 1860 by Peter Sprunger to his cousin back in Switzerland. In the

35 Guy Serge Metraux, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SWISS IMMIGRATION INTO THE UNITED STATES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (New Haven: Yale University, 1949), 18.36Ibid

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letter, he writes “I only wish to bring to your attention that land is still abundant here, and better

than Thalawang, Britschung, Tschangisboden, and Lathan.”37 Peter also writes in the same letter,

“Do not waste your time in Switzerland if you do not have a mind to stay in Europe. Good faith

and diligent hands can provide a carefree future.”38 By directly comparing the quantity of land in

America and in Switzerland he is attempting to convince his family to move to America. Also,

he makes a direct call to have them to move to America, because it is superior to Europe as a

whole. He tells them as long as they have good faith and work hard America will be good to

them. His family, whether convinced of this information or not, would not keep this information

to themselves. In fact, they would tell friends and other family members of this information,

quickly spreading what has been said around the village or community. While spreading, the

letter’s true meaning can be changed and America can be put on a pedestal and made greater

than it truly is. By simply writing one non-politicized letter Peter idealized America and attracted

more people than he believed he would. “Unintentional propaganda” was a large factor in

bringing immigrants to America because the people writing the letters were generally loved ones

and trusted, meaning the Swiss families would be more likely to leave.

Two of the largest factors in drawing the Swiss to Wisconsin over every other state in the

union are cheese and cows. Because of the final wave of Indians being removed in 1874, large

amounts of land were opened to white settlers.39 The Swiss Amish were a large group moving to

those lands, but the Swiss looking to live how they did in the homeland were also moving to

these unoccupied, underdeveloped lands to start farming again. The lands vacated in the Indian

removal of 1874 were not the only lands becoming available at this time. In the 1800’s 37Leo Schelbert and Hedwig Rappolt, America Experienced: Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Accounts of Swiss Immigrants to the United States (Rockport: Picton Press, 1996), 292.38 Ibid39Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 643.

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Wisconsin had a large population of wheat farmers. Over the years, the wheat farmers became

irresponsible. They had poor crop rotating techniques and over-farmed the lands so badly that

they could no longer grow any crops.40 Their livelihoods at stake, the wheat farmers sold their

lands. The Swiss were quick to buy them up for cheap and convert the wheat farms to cow farms

and cheese factories. With abundant lands vacated by Indians and with large amounts of over-

farmed lands the Swiss set out to Wisconsin to do what they do best, farm cows and make

cheese.

The numbers of Swiss immigrants in America are relatively low when looking at the total

numbers of immigration and population. There isn’t an exact number, but it is estimated that

only .25% of breadwinners in the United States in the year 1900 were Swiss born.41 That number

is very low, so, it is extraordinary that Swiss immigrants made up 9.6% of workers in the dairy

industry, and 5.9% of workers in the cheese and butter industry.42 In the agricultural field as a

whole, the Swiss made up 37.8% of the work force.43 Through these statistics, it is clear the type

of work Swiss immigrants did once in America. Once in America, they performed the work they

would normally do in Switzerland because it is what they knew. Wisconsin, due to the vacated

Native American lands, and the worthless wheat farms, became the prime destination for the

Swiss. Once in Wisconsin, they left their mark and made it their own.

During the time period of 1870 to 1930, Green County in Wisconsin became known as

“Cheese County,” due to the large number of Swiss cheese factories ad cow farms.44 It is then no

40Elisa Neckar, Forward: Living Wisconsin History, Legends, and Culture (Milwaukee: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2011), 156.41Guy Serge Metraux, SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SWISS IMMIGRATION INTO THE UNITED STATES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY (New Haven: Yale University, 1949), 42.42 Ibid43 Ibid, 3444Elisa Neckar, Forward: Living Wisconsin History, Legends, and Culture (Milwaukee: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 2011), 156.

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surprise that Green County has such large Swiss population. Giving a county with a high Swiss

population a nickname about cheese shows the impact the Swiss and their jobs in cows and

cheese had on the community. In fact, by 1922, Green County had 2,807 cheese factories, the

most of any county in Wisconsin by far.45 Many of these cheese factories were Swiss owned,

showing the large amounts of Swiss that immigrated to Wisconsin over the years to work in the

dairy fields. The significance of the cow farming and cheese factories cannot be overstated.

Many of the Swiss worked in the same industries in their home land. Wisconsin, being the only

state that could support a large population in cow farming and cheese industries, was a perfect fit

for the Swiss immigrants.

The attraction of cow and cheese jobs ring true in the story of Peter Schurmann’s

immigration to Wisconsin. He arrived there to be picked up by his uncle. Immediately, they took

off for Wisconsin where he worked on a farm his whole childhood.46 Once he was an adult, Peter

worked in cheese factories his whole life. He started in Shellsburg making cheese, moved to

Lancaster Wisconsin to work in a cheese factory, left for Rewy Wisconsin where he was a

cheese factory operator, moved to Mineral Point Wisconsin where he worked in another cheese

factory. His last job was a milk inspector in cheese factories.47 Peter lived his whole life doing

the farming and cheese jobs that attracted so many to Wisconsin. His life gives credence to the

story that Wisconsin was such a large attraction for the Swiss, because of the amount of jobs

available in cheese factories and the amount of land available for cow farms.

After years of immigration, there were strong Swiss communities established in

Wisconsin. These Swiss communities provide a common place for other Swiss immigrants to

45 Ibid46 Robert Schuerman (Son of Peter Schuerman) in discussion with the author, September 2017.47 Ibid

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join and feel welcomed. The desire to feel included and to be with similar people is a strong

human instinct and led many new Swiss immigrants to go to Wisconsin. For some, this desire for

a sense of community and belonging was greater than even the desire for land or job

opportunities. There is one town in all of America where this sense of community and belonging

is strongest, and that is New Glarus, Wisconsin. New Glarus was founded by Swiss Immigrants

from Canton Glarus, Switzerland.48 Over the years, New Glarus affectionately became known as

“America’s Little Switzerland” because of its strong Swiss heritage and roots. New Glarus

became the main attraction for Swiss Immigrants to Wisconsin because it was able to hold onto

its heritage and Swiss culture. New Glarus was able to do this because they did not fully

assimilate, and “WASPification” failed49 (WASP stands for “White Anglo Saxon Protestant”).

With WASPification failing, this means the people of Switzerland did not completely assimilate

to the American way of life. By not becoming the traditional American WASP, the community

stayed predominantly Swiss and the Swiss immigrants found the comfortability and community

of Switzerland in Wisconsin.

New Glarus, and its thriving Swiss community held onto its deep rooted culture and

Swiss heritage through the acceptance of the idea that American is a melting pot and that they

have every right to stay true to themselves. They accepted parts of American culture and melded

it with their Swiss culture, making a hybrid culture that looks Swiss with American influences.50

The way the community of New Glarus most tightly held onto their heritage was through

festivals and celebrations. Every year they hold traditional Swiss festivals, and semi-Swiss semi-

48Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 645.49Steven Hoelscher, The Invention of Ethnic Place: Creating and Commemorating Heritage in an Old World Wisconsin Community, 1850-1995 (Madison: University of Wisconsin Madison, 1995), 26.50 Steven Hoelscher, Heritage on Stage: The Invention of Ethnic Place in America's Little Switzerland (Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1998), 32.

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American hybrid festivals. Every third weekend in May New Glarus holds the Polka Fest.51

Every June they hold the “Heidi and Little Switzerland Festival,”52 another celebration of Swiss

culture. There are also the “Volks Fest” on the first Sunday in August and the “Wilhelm Tell

Paseant and Alpine Festival” on every Labor Day. These celebrations attract around 3,000

people and are a big attraction to the town of New Glarus.53 With thousands pouring into the

town multiple times a year the word gets out about a Swiss town in Wisconsin very quickly.

When word gets out, the Swiss immigrating to America hear about it and wish to join a place

where they are similar to everyone.

New Glarus was not the only town in Wisconsin where Swiss heritage was celebrated and

held onto tightly. Monroe, Wisconsin every year has “Cheese Days” in the third weekend of

September. Up to 20,000 people visit this festival every year that started in the early 1900’s.54

This festival celebrates the country of Switzerland, and the immigrants that came here during the

Swiss immigration from 1870 to 1930. During this festival, Swiss folk artists play, Swiss singers

perform, yodelers show their talents, alp-horn players show their skills, and old-world cheese

makers display their talents and the process.55 Since the early 1900s, these festivities have been

going on, displaying Swiss life. Some of these are more modern additions to the festival,

showing how strong the Swiss influence was and still is in Wisconsin. New Glarus and Monroe

Wisconsin are prime examples of the lasting culture and influence of the Swiss immigrants who

settled in a community of flourishing heritage. These places become magnets for Swiss

51Elliot Robert Barkan, Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration (Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO, 2013), 645.52 Ibid53 Ibid54 Ibid55 Ibid

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immigrants because people feel that they belong and want to be a part of a growing, thriving, and

prosperous community.

Cultural connections play a large role in the attraction of Swiss immigrants to Wisconsin.

From 1915 to 1921 the governor of Wisconsin was a man named Emanuel Lorenz Philipp.56

Emmanuel was the son of two Swiss immigrants. With both of his parents being immigrants, and

being raised in a Swiss household, there is no doubt that Emanuel would have a different view of

the Swiss then the average American born man. Swiss immigrants hear that there is a man in

charge of a state who was born and raised in Swiss culture. This Swiss achievement of hold a

public office in Wisconsin certainly acted as an instant attraction for the immigrants. Whether

Emanuel issued laws and governed in a way that benefitted the Swiss immigrant population or

not, the Swiss immigrants would view him as one of their own and be more willing to move to

his state and trust him over any other political official. The sense of community and belonging is

important to the story of Swiss immigration and Governor Emanuel Lorenz’s story is another

example of how the Swiss roots stayed strong, but melded with American ideals. When

immigrating the Swiss would see a governor similar to them and might be attracted to a state ran

by “one of their own.”

Wisconsin was an attractive option for Swiss immigrants for many reasons. The vast

amounts of land that were available, through the removal of Native Americans and destroyed

farm land, was what most Swiss immigrants were seeking. Whether an Amish family looking to

live their life, or farmers trying to make a living, Wisconsin had what they needed. The Catholics

found one of the few Swiss Catholic monasteries in the whole United States, and letters

promoting the churches in Wisconsin had a lasting effect in the minds of Swiss people

56 Ibid

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considering the move to America. Communities like New Glarus and Monroe created a heritage

that was proudly Swiss, and did not give into “WASPification” or assimilation. They celebrate

their Swiss heritage, creating a community, which attracted Swiss immigrants that felt alone and

needed to belong. “Unintentional propaganda” attracted large numbers of immigrants. Letters

home glorified America to a point where it seemed too good to be true. When the people in

Switzerland heard, they told other friends and family members, and the letters spread like

wildfire. The reasons the Swiss came to Wisconsin range from physical needs, like work and

farming so that they can survive, and emotional needs, like community and belonging.

Wisconsin had the means to meet the Swiss immigrants’ physical and emotion needs. It was the

only state that could provide this, and the Swiss found that out quickly.

How Wisconsin became Swissconsin

The Swiss began to flee the country in mass amounts starting in 1870 to 1930. The key to

starting this trend was the Agricultural Crisis of 1880 and the Industrial Crisis of 1885. Farmers

could no longer make a living farming after the Agricultural Crisis, so they either immigrated or

moved to the cities of Switzerland. Once in the cities they found unskilled jobs that were

difficult. Furthermore, many were fired due to the Industrial Crisis of 1885. Knowing they could

no longer trust the economy of Switzerland, the loyal Swiss began looking for ways out. To

make things worse for the Swiss people, they ran out of land. The small Switzerland became

overpopulated, crowding the very little land they had. There was no farm land and there was no

land for the Amish. The Catholics were being prosecuted and the rich were taking advantage of

Runge, 25

the poor. All of these crises and poor living conditions compiled in different feelings of

wanderlust, Europamude, and Fernweh. The Swiss realized they could no longer live peacefully

in Switzerland and needed an escape.

All of these reasons directly influence the decision thousands of Swiss immigrants made

when they settled in the state of Wisconsin. The prosecuted Catholics found familiar churches

where they were free to worship as they please. The Amish found swaths of land where they

could live in their communities separate from modern society. The farmers had thousands of

acres of cheap farm land where they could operate cow farms and cheese factories, unlike their

home lands. The “unintentional propaganda” of family and friends writing letters changed the

public opinion of what life was like in Wisconsin, directly playing into the immigrants feelings

of wanderlust, europamude, and fernweh. What made Wisconsin the biggest attraction over all

other states was the sense of community. The towns in Wisconsin were claimed by the Swiss and

embraced their Swiss heritage truly becoming “little Switzerland’s” in America. The factors that

chased the Swiss out of their home lands, directly influence why they ended up settling in

Wisconsin. Once settled, they created communities with strong Swiss heritage that became the

main attraction for new Swiss immigrants for decades to come. It started a cycle, the Swiss left

for the same reasons they settled in Wisconsin, they created communities that attracted more

immigrants that were leaving for the same reasons they left. The Swiss immigrants made

Wisconsin their home. They were loyal to their home country to a fault, and when many factors

forced them to leave they created a new Switzerland in Wisconsin, now known as “America’s

Little Switzerland” and “Swissconsin.” A place where the landscape is no longer Switzerland,

but the people remain true and faithful to their forefather’s Swiss roots.

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Bibliography

Secondary Sources

Barkan, Elliot Robert. 2013. Immigrants in American History: arrival, adaptation, and integration. Santa Barbara: ABC-CLIO.

Hoelscher, Steven. 1995. The Invention of Ethnic Place: Creating and Commemorating Heritage in an Old World Wisconsin Community, 1850-1995. Madison: University of Wisconsin-Madison.

Hoelscher, Steven. 1998. Heritage on Stage: The Invention of Ethnic Place in America's Little Switzerland. Madison: University Of Wisconsin Press.

Metraux, Guy Serge. 1949. SOCIAL AND CULTURAL ASPECTS OF SWISS IMMIGRATION INTO THE UNITED STATES IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY. New Haven: Yale University.

Neckar, Elisa. 2011. Forward: Living Wisconsin History, Legends, and Culture. Milwaukee: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Schelbert, Leo, Hedwig Rappolt. 1996. America Experienced: Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Accounts of Swiss Immigrants to the United States. Rockport: Picton Press.

Shupbach, Doris. 2008. Shared Languages, Shared Identities, Shared Stories. Frankfurt: Peter Lang.

Tusk, Eleanor. 2003. Issues in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. London: Greenwood Press.

West, Roxroy. 1978. Canadian Immigration Agents and Swiss Immigration, 1870-1930. Ottawa: University of Ottawa.

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Roxroy West, Canadian Immigration Agents and Swiss Immigration, 1870-1930 (Ottawa: University of Ottawa, 1978),

Primary Sources

Robert Schuerman (Son of Peter Schuerman) in discussion with the author, September 2017.

“American Family Immigration History Center.” The Statue of Liberty Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., September 9, 2017.

Images

Image One

“Europe Location-Switzerland Map.” Mapsof.net, October 13, 2017. http://mapsof.net/switzerland/europe-location-ch

Image Two

“Physical Map of Switzerland, shaded relief outside.” Maphill, October 13, 2017. http://www.maphill.com/switzerland/maps/physical-map/shaded-relief-outside/

Image Three

“Zoltan Grossman.” Zoltanmaps, October 13, 2017. https://academic.evergreen.edu/g/grossmaz/zoltanmaps.html