My great-great-grandmother wanted to come to America from Germany to escape war. During the time she decided she wanted to immigrate, ships from Germany had started to be restricted from entering America, and lists to get on those ships had become very long. Before she left, she was able to get a trip to France to see her sister and ask if she could use her address to get into America. Her sister’s address would be a shorter and easier way to get a spot on a ship to America, because there weren’t as many restrictions for people coming from France. A short while after she arrived in America, she met my great-great-grandfather who arrived in America from Germany two years before her, in 1927. They both wanted to assimilate into American culture while also keeping some of theirs from Germany. One tradition that was kept was clothing. When my mom was a toddler, in 1978, my grandma bought her two traditional dresses from Germany, one red and one blue. This looked like clothing that she  wore as a kid and even my great grandmother wore as a kid. These small pieces of clothing made my ancestors feel more comfortable and at home in a new, unusual country, and these little things have continued to be passed down to today. 

– IG

Relationship:  Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more Great-grandchild of im/migrant or more