Augustus Frederick Sherman
Ellis Island Portraits 1905 – 1920
Bremerhaven – once the largest German emigration port – was a city of farewell. Ellis Island, a small island off Manhattan, represented the gateway to the New World for many. The two locations are closely linked through their history.
The special exhibition “Augustus F. Sherman: Ellis Island Portraits 1905-1920” at the German Emigration Center in Bremerhaven showcases portrait and group photos of immigrants shortly after their arrival at Ellis Island, also referred to as the “Isle of Tears.” Since 1892, it housed the largest immigrant station in the USA, where doctors and officials officially and health-wise screened immigrants before they were allowed to enter.
Some immigrants were denied entry into the USA due to illnesses or financial difficulties and were sent back to Europe. The anxious question all immigrants at Ellis Island faced was: Will I be able to enter? Augustus F. Sherman photographed immigrants in this crucial moment for their future lives. He himself was an immigration officer at Ellis Island from 1892 to 1925. During this time, over 16 million people immigrated to the USA through Ellis Island. Sherman created over 200 photographs, of which 75 are on display.
Detail of the special exhibition “Augustus Frederick Sherman: Ellis Island Portraits 1905-1920”