How the iron industry in Siegerland influenced the emigration of Germans to America in the 18th century

The Department of English Studies at the University of Siegen cordially invites you to a guest lecture by Barbara Price on Friday, June 13, 2025 at 13:00 in room US-C 103 (Hörsaalzentrum Unteres Schloss of the University of Siegen).

The English-language lecture by Barbara Price entitled "The Virginia Connection: Iron, the Siegerland and Germanna" (How the iron industry in the Siegerland influenced the emigration of Germans to America in the 18th century) deals with the history of the first settlement in Virginia, which was founded by 42 emigrants from the Siegerland (Niederndorf, Oberfischbach, Oberschelden, Eisern, Trupbach, Rehbach, Müsen) in 1714. The settlement, named "Germanna", brought the knowledge and skills of mining and metal smelting from the Siegerland to the North American world even before the USA was founded, thus laying the foundations for the development of industry there.

Barbara Price is a board member of the Germanna Foundation and is visiting Siegen with a delegation from Virginia. The connection to the Siegerland region has existed for many years through the German-American Society Siegerland-Wittgenstein, which is presenting the lecture in cooperation with the University of Siegen. The lecture is part of the 71st annual conference of the German Association for American Studies, which is being organized this year by lecturers from the Department of English and American Studies at the University of Siegen and is dedicated to the topic of "Archiving America/American Archives".

The lecture is open to all interested parties and free of charge. We look forward to seeing you there.