Weekdays 9am - 4:30pm
The scope of the German Immigrant Letter Collection is similar to our much larger Dutch Immigrant Letter Collection which detail the immigrant experience-Protestant, Catholic, and secular. Included are letters, travel accounts, and memoirs,
To perform a keyword search of this index, use the "Find" function of your browser.
On Windows: CTRL + F
On Mac: ⌘ + F
All names reflect the original spellings, so try variant spellings.
Arends, Geert. Memoirs and letters, 1881-1892. 11 p., photocopy, translation only. Uelsen, Germany – Graafschap, Michigan; G. Arends to children.
Augenstein, Matthew. Letter, 1880. 1 item, photocopy, translation only. Lowell, Ohio – Germany; M. Augenstein to W. Bischoff.
Baker, Sue. Letter, 1978. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Osterwald, Germany - Holland, Michigan; Grete to Sue Baker.
Baumann, O. J. Letters, 1947-1948. 4 items, photocopy, with translations. Bunde, Germany – Holland, Michigan; O.J. Baumann to Sue Bakker.
Beckmann, Harmina. Letters, 1902-1949. 9 items, photocopy with translations. Itterbeek, Germany – Graafschap, Michigan; H. Beckmann to B. Hindrick.
Beckmann, Zwenne. Letters, 1901-1918. 6 items, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Itterbeek, Germany – Saugatuck, Michigan; Z. Beckman to her son, Jan.
Beckman, S. Letters, 1947-1948. 5 items, photocopy, with translations. Itterbeek, Germany – Saugatuck, Michigan; S. Beckman to relatives.
Bielefield Family. Letters, 1887-1954. 43 items, photocopy, with translations. Grafschaft, Bentheim - Holland, Michigan. Bielefield family to relatives. 1
Boerrichter, Johanna. Letter fragment, undated. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Osterwold, Germany – Graafschap, Michigan; J. Boerrichter to relatives.
Borst, Trudy. Letters, [1940s]. Clara City, Minnesota – unknown.
Bouws, Gerrit. Letter, 1847. 1 item, photocopy, with transcription and translation. Holland, Michigan – Emmelenkamp, Germany; G. Bouws to Harm Bouws.
Bouws, Rieks. Recollections, 1881. Translation only. Grafschaft Benthiem, Germany – Graafschap, Michigan.
Brandorf. Letters, 1843-1990. 33 items.
De Frel, Rieka Ensing. Letters, 1886-1902. 13 items, transcription with translation. Graafschap, Michigan – Kleinringe, Germany.
Elbert, Fritz. Letter, 1948. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Osterwald, Germany – U.S.A.; F. Elbert to relatives.
Elbert, U.V.G. Letters, 1904-1912. 11 items, photocopy. Itterbeek, Germany – U.S.A.; U.V.G. Elbert to friends.
Ensing, Harm. Letter, 1891. 1 item, transcription with translation. Fremont, Michigan – Laar, Germany.
Ensing, Hillegien Arens. Letter, 1920s. 1 item, transcription with translation. Graafschap, Michigan – Nelsen, Germany.
Ensing, Lucas. Letter, 1899. 1 item, transcription with translation. Graafschap , Michigan – Kleinringe, Germany; L. Ensing to brother and sister.
Ensink, J.H. Letter, 1977. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Haar, Germany – Holland, Michigan; J.H. Ensink to Sue Baker.
Geerdes, H.H. and R. Autobiographies, 1863-1955. 1 booklet, 35 pages, illustrated, transcription in English. Weenermore, Germany – Freeport, Illinois and Kit Carson, Colorado.
Gemmen, Gerhard. Letter, 1882. 1 item. photocopy, with partial translation. Germany – Holland, Michigan; G. Gemmen to brother.
Gemmen, J.A. Letter, 1884, and army discharge attestation,1877. 2 items, photocopy, with partial translations. East Saugatuck, Michigan – Germany; J.A. Gemmen to Gerhard Gemmen.
Genzink, Albert. Letter, 1874. 1 item, transcription with translation. Graafschap , Michigan – Achterhorn, Germany ; A. Genzink to a friend.
Ghurt, J. Letter, 1947. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Jhrove, Germany – U.S.A. ; J. Ghurt to unknown.
Grüppen, Hermannus H. Letters, 1898-1934. 16 items, photocopy, with partial translations. Graafschap , Michigan – Emlichheim, Germany ; H.H. Gruppen to family.
Halger, John. Letters, 1901-1920. 86 items, photocopy. Germany – Holland , Michigan ; Family and friends to J. Halger.
Heetderks, Bernhard. Letters, 1948-1950. 6 items, photocopy, with translations. Campen, Germany – Holland, Michigan; B. Heetderks to Baker family.
Heinz, Deinem (sp.?). Letter, 1948. 1 item, original. [?] – Grand Rapids, Mich. D. Heinz to L. Hengst (sp.?) 3 Rundschrift. Pamphlet, 1902 Beloved family and friends: letters between Grafschaft Bentheim, Germany and America. Volume 1, 1847-1914.Compiled by Swenna Harger and Loren Lemmen, 2007 (with surname index)
Hellendorn, L. Letter, undated. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Vorwald, Germany – Holland, Michigan; L. Hellendorn to Geesje Reinink.
Hensen, Gerhard. Letter, 1922. 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. Coopersville, Michigan – Emlichheim, Germany; G. Hensen to family.
Hinrichs, Etta. Letter, 1948. 1 item, photocopy, transcription with translation. Grimersum , Germany – Holland, Michigan; E. Hinrichs to Jane Baker.
Knoll, Memo. Letter, 1947. 1 item, photocopy with translation. Vollenerfehn , Germany – Holland, Michigan; M. Knoll to Baker family.
Koning, D. Letters, 1947-1948. 4 letters, photocopy, with translations. Itterbeck, Germay – U.S.A.; D. Koning, to Beckman family.
Koning, H. Letters, 1905 - 1909. 2 items, photocopy, with 1 item translated. Itterbeck, Germany – U.S.A.; H. Koning to relatives.
Krake, Albert. Letter, 1876. 1 item, transcription, with translation. Kalamazoo, Michigan – Bentheim, Germany; A. Krake to sister.
Lambers, Fenna. Letters, 1948. 2 items, photocopy, with translations. Getelomvor, Germany – U.S.A; F. Lambers to relatives.
Lefers, H.J. Letters, 1906 - 1913. 2 items, photocopy, with translations. Picardie, Germay – U.S.A. ; H.J. Lefers to relatives.
Litzman, Lodewijk. Letter, 1824. 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. Litiz, Pennsylvania – Oostburg, Germany.
Masselink, G.H. Letter, 1920. 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. Edgerton, Minnesota – Germany; G.H. Masselink to family.
Meier, H. Letter, 1952. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Emlichheim, Germany – unknown; H. Meier to relatives.
Meyer, Ida Karsjens. Article, 1888. 1 item, photocopy. “My Life Story”. Hanswehrun, Germay – Iowa.
Minge, Engbert. Letters, 1947-1948. 2 items, photocopy, with translations, Pathuis, Germany – unknown; E. Minge to family.
Nordhof, G. Letter, 1891. 1 item, photocopy. Wilsum, Grafshaft Bentheim – Michigan; G. Nordhoff to relatives.
Overweg, J.H. Letter fragments, 1912. 3 items, photocopy, with transcription. Oak Harbor, Washington - Germany; J.H. Overweg to Hensen family.
Palmbos, A.H. Letter, 1909. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Gelsenkirchen, Germany – U.S.A.; A.H. Palmbos to sister.
Palmbos, A.W. Letter, 1809. 1 item, photocopy. Gelsenkirchen, Germany – U.S.A.; A.W. Palmbos to brother and sister.
Palmbos, L. and M. Letters, 1906-1908. 2 items, photocopy. Gunnigfel, Germany – U.S.A.; L. and M. Palmbos to brother and sister.
Plesscher, Z.H. Letter, 1914. 1 item, photocopy. Clara City, Minnesota – Germany; Plesscher to relatives.
Plesscher, H.H. Letter, 1882. 1 item, photocopy, with transcription. East Saugatuck, Michigan – Emlichheim, Germany; H.H. Plesscher to J. Hensen.
Ruirink, J.H. Letter, 1947. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Klein Ringe, Germay – Holland, Michigan; J.H. Ruirink to Susanna Baker.
Scholten, Albert. Letter, 1870. 1 item, translation. Graafschap, Michigan – Bentheim, Germany; A. Scholten to brother.
Schubert, Dirk. Letter excerpts, 1856. Newspaper clippings, photocopy.
Spykman, Albert. Travel account, 1924. 10 pages, photocopy, transcription, and translation. Emlichheim, Germany – Holland, Michigan.
Veldink, Lukas. Letter, 1881. 1 item, photocopy transcription. Zeeland, Michigan – Emlichheim, Germany; L. Veldink to relatives.
Wolters, Joe. Letters, 1947-1948. 12 items, photocopy, with translation. East Friesland, Germany – Holland, Michigan; J. Wolters to relatives.
Zagers, Evert. Articles, 1944, 1987 2 items, photocopy.
Zondag, J.B. Letter, 1847. 1 item, photocopy, transcription, and partially translated. Bentheim – Ostfriesland.
Zwafink, Zwenna. Letter, 1948. 1 item, photocopy, with translation. Bakelde, Germany – U.S.A; Z. Zwafink to Gerd and Berend Hendricks.