The English-only vote. An essay by Dennis Barron on the old story that German almost became the official language of the US and was defeated by one vote.

This matter is covered in some detail in Karl J. R. Arndt, "Introduction: German as the official language of the United States of America?" in "Die deutschsprachige Presse der Amerikas / The German Language Press of the Americas," 3 (Muenchen: K. G. Saur, 1980), 19-42.

There was never an attempt to make German the official language of the United States, although (1) there was a failed attempt in Congress in 1794, based on a petition of German residents of Augusta Co., Virginia, to have "a certain proportion" of the laws of the United States printed in German as well as English, and (2) beginning in 1828 ["Deutsche Sprache in Nordamerika", "Das Ausland" (Stuttgart: Cotta), 1 February 1828, 126-127, and 2 February 1828, 130-131], reports were circulated in the German, English, and American press of an attempt to make German an official language, (alongside English,) of Pennsylvania, an attempt that was supposedly defeated by only one vote (Arndt, however, was unable to find any bill or resolution proposing to make German the or an official language of the state of Pennsylvania).

It is also known as the Muehlenberg legend. In the online version of "The German-Americans: An Ethnic Experience" by Willi Paul Adams, it reads as follows:

At the root of the so-called Muehlenberg legend lies rather a disappointment that German was not able to hold its gound as a language of daily usage even in Pennsylvania, except within small Mennonite, Amish and other sectarian communities. During both the War of Independence and the War of 1812, at times when anti-German feelings were running high, Americans of German descent comprised less that 9% of the total population of the United States. And even in Pennsylvania, where the Germans had settled most densely, they amounted to only a third of the entire population. Colonial speakers of English fought only for their political inde- pendence. They had not stomach for an anti-english language and cultural revolution.

When German-language farmers in Augusta County, Virginia petitioned the U.S. House of Representatives in 1794 for a German translation of the booklet containing the laws and other government regulations--copies of which had been distributed free in the English language--officials simply ignored them. Even the bilingual Speaker of the House of Representatives, Frederick Augustus Conrad Muehlenberg, refused to support their modest request, arguing that the faster the Germans became American, the better. No doubt, disappointment with his negative, though realistc, posture contributed a generation later to the birth of this legend. (p.25/26)
Eberhard and Ruth Reichmann

Regarding German in the U.S.: Karl J.R. Arndt wrote the definitive article on this, which can be found in his THE GERMAN LANGUAGE PRESS OF THE AMERICAS, vol. 3 (1980).

In 1794, the Virginia Germans petitioned Congress to print laws in German, but this was sent to a committee where it died - this was done a second time with the same result. The speaker of the House, F.A.C. Muehlenberg, was afraid to support the measure for political reasons - at that time nativism ran quite high due to the anti-immigrant sentiment resulting from the horrors emanating from the French Revolution. Muehlenberg, concerned about his own position as Speaker of the House, remained neutral on the petition, which, hence, died in the committee. It never came to the full House for a vote.

In 1828, a motion was submitted in the Pennsylvania State Legislature to make German co-equal with English - this failed by one vote. This vote is often confused with the 1790s petition, as one which was up for a national vote.

Although these petitions and motions were not passed, it should be noted that the Federal and state governments beginning during the American Revolution and to this day print official documents in German, as well as in other languages. This began with the Articles of Confederation during the Revolution. Also, the printing of German-language broadsides was also adopted during the Revolution. German-language printing is still being done by the Federal Government for distribution at national parks, monuments, and institutions, such as the Library of Congress. Various states issue German documents, for example, the state of Illinois publishes a drivers manual in German. At the city level, numerous cities published in German, for example, the city of Cincinnati.

Hence, German from the beginning of the country has been a language that has been sanctioned and approved for the printing and publication of documents. However, Congress and no state has ever voted and passed a petition to make German "the" national language. Even the 1820s Pennsylvania motion was to make German "co-equal" with English. German-American never advocated it be "the" national language - at the most, it was desired to make it "co-equal" with English. That failing, they opted for obtaining documents printed in German. They also in the 19th century shifted their focus to the establishment of bi-lingual public school programs, which lasted down to WWI, when German was declared illegal in 26 states of the Union.

DON H. TOLZMANN
University of Cincinnati

Karl Arndt gives a full report, completely documented, in "Monatshefte fuer den deutschen Unterricht", v. 68 (1976), pp. 129-150. He describes various movements in the early states towards an official use of German, which all came to naught. The old story that, except for one vote, German would have become the official language of the U.S., apparently comes from the fact that except for one vote, German would have become an official language (beside English) in Pennsylvania.

I might add that I understand that the laws of Texas were printed, by authorization of the state government, in German and Spanish (besides English) in the mid-1800s. I have seen references to the specific law concerned, but have not had time to pursue it. There are many other facets to the 'official use of German' in the United States. For example, in the large Missouri Synod (originally die Deutsche Evangelisch-Lutherische Synode von Missouri, Ohio, und anderen Staaten), German was the official language until the First World War, when English was admitted as an alternate. Official records in many churches exist solely in German until well after World War II. German birth-and-baptismal records are still frequently accepted in Texas as proof of birth; as a matter of fact, the state of Texas did not start keeping birth records until something like 1890. Perfectly legal marriages were performed in German thru and after WW2 and the certificates were made in German, etc. Grave inscriptions and cornerstones also stand as vivid testimony of a sort of official use of German.

Joseph Wilson, Prof. of German
Dept. of German & Slavic, Rice University

I would also consult a site entitled "The Influence of German Language and Culture on Colonial American English During the Eighteenth Century", which features a bibliography of scholarly reference works.

How are German and English related? Any commonalities?

Return to German-Americana page.

Last updated September 13, 1996 and Feb 2017