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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.
Runge, 22
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.
Runge, 26
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),
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“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