Objekt des Monats
Jedes Objekt in der Sammlung des Deutschen Auswandererhauses erzählt eine ganz persönliche Auswanderungs- oder Einwanderungsgeschichte. In dieser Rubrik stellen wir Ihnen jeden Monat ein anderes Objekt vor – eine Fotografie, ein Dokument oder ein persönliches Erinnerungsstück.
July 2017
Flag of the United States of America, around the year 1908
Historical Context
July 4th, Independence Day, is the national holiday of the United States of America, celebrating the act of founding the nation every year. In the congressional session on July 4, 1776, the 13 British colonies in North America declared their independence from Great Britain and their right to form their own union.
The flag of the USA is also known as the “Star-Spangled Banner” or “Stars and Stripes.” The seven red and six white stripes represent the 13 founding states; the stars on the blue field represent the number of states. The flag from around 1908 features 46 stars; today there are 50 US states, with Arizona, New Mexico, Alaska, and Hawaii joining the United States between 1912 and 1959. The colors in the Star-Spangled Banner have their own significance: white symbolizes purity and innocence, red stands for bravery and resilience, and blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice.
Short Biography
This US flag was brought around 1908 by the American emigrant Friedrich Hillens from California to his old hometown of Drakenburg on the Weser River, which he visited with his daughter Sofie. He returned shortly after to the USA. However, Sofie stayed in Germany, preserved the flag, and passed it on to her own daughter Anita.
Significance of the Object
This flag is not only an important personal memento in the family history of Friedrich Hillens and his descendants; it also symbolizes the most popular destination for German emigrants and their associated hopes: work, a better livelihood, political and religious freedom – the American Dream.
Do You Also Have …
… a story of emigration or immigration in your family that you would like to share with the German Emigration Center together with the related objects and documents for its collection? Then please contact Dr. Tanja Fittkau by phone at +49 471 / 90 22 0 – 0
or by e-mail at: t.fittkau@dah-bremerhaven.de