Introduction • Some of the Central Europeans, People of earliest and largest the Former Soviet Union ethnic groups to the US (FSU) and Scandinavia • Contributions Chapter 7 include –Bread baking – Dairy farming – Meat processing – Beer brewing Central Europeans and the History of Central Europeans and Russians in the US - Immigration people of the FSU Patterns: Germans • Central Europe • FSU –Germany – Russian Federation • One of the most significant elements in – Austria –Armenia the US population –Hungary –Azerbaijan –Romania – Belarus • Largest ethnic group in US but least – Czech Republic –Georgia –Slovakia – Kazakstan visible –Poland –Kyrgyzstan • Settled early in PA –Switzerland –Moldavia – Liechtenstein – Tajikistan – Amish, Mennonite, other religious minorities – Turkmenistan nd –Ukraine •2 group settled in the Midwest –Uzbekistan rd –Estonia •3 group had gone to Russia and then on –Latvia to US after 1917 Revolution – Lithuania • After the 30s, many were Jewish refugees History of Central Europeans and History of Central Europeans and Russians in the US - Immigration Russians in the US - Immigration Patterns: Poles Patterns: Others • Have been in the US since 1608 • Austrians • Slovaks – Economic opportunities –Young male Ag workers • Economic problems increased immigration –Fled Hitler before WWII • Hungarians – Industrial Northeast and from 1860 – 1914 – After 1848 Midwest • Many became part of German or Czech – Males, well-educated, titled • Swiss – Later were poor, single men – Prior to WWI – Coal miners in OH, WV, IL, IN communities – Artisans or professional • Czechs – Urban areas • Many came from German-ruled areas of – Farmers or skilled Ag workers – Settled near the Germans in • Gypsies or Roma Poland, Russia or Austria NE, WI, TX, IA, MN – Originate from numerous European countries • After WW1 came because of political – Variety of different groups instability – Speak different dialects 1 History of Central Europeans and Russians History of Central Europeans and Russians in the US - Immigration Patterns: Russia in the US - Immigration Patterns: Russia and the FSU and the FSU • Russian immigrants originally came to • FSU – from Lithuania, Ukraine and Alaska and the West Coast Armenia •Fur trade • Many came in 1861, others after • Sheltered missionaries WWII • After sale of Alaska to the US in 1867, many returned home • Many escaping religious or ethnic persecution • After that, immigration was to the East Coast • Some for economic opportunity • Mainly impoverished peasants • Settled in urban and industrial • Jews fleeing persecution centers Current Demographics and Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status: Germans Socioeconomic Status: Poles • WI, MN, ND, SD, NE, IA is the • One of the largest ethnic groups in the US German Belt in the US today • Live in urban areas of the Northeast and • Slightly higher in economic upper Midwest achievement • Still live just below or solidly at middle- • Generally conservative class level • Active in the formation and leadership of • High degree of acculturation labor unions • WWII anti-German sentiment caused • Recent immigrants have higher rapid assimilation occupational skills and educational backgrounds Current Demographics and Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status: Others Socioeconomic Status: Others • Austrians • Slovak –NY, CA, FL – Originally in clothing and tailoring, mining, – Originally included Czechoslovakian and food industry Hungarian • Hungarians – Early generations were in tight-knit – Now CA, TX, FL communities – Often engineers •Czech – Now with median income far above – Cities or rural nonfarm areas national average – Now sales, machinist, white-collar jobs – Cultural ties still strong – Successful in industry – cigars, beer, watches 2 Current Demographics and Current Demographics and Socioeconomic Status: Russians and Socioeconomic Status: Others the FSU •Swiss • Russians • People of the FSU – Multilingual and multicultural –Suburbs in the –Ukrainian – Today will work in US branches of Swiss Northeast •PA companies – Molokans in CA – Lithuanian •Gypsies • Rejected the Russian –Armenian Eastern Orthodox •CA – Have a reputation for roving – very mobile Church – Numbers unknown •Over half with – Tinkers and traders, independent trades advanced degrees – Women in mystical arts Worldview – Religion: Worldview – Religion: Germans Poles and Others • Early immigrants primarily •Poles Lutheran – Devout Catholics •Some Jewish • Austrians, Hungarians, Czech, Slovaks • Some Roman Catholic – Primarily Catholic • Mennonites – Some Austrians were Jewish – From the Anabaptist movement –Simple lifestyle •Gypsies – Rejection of oaths, public office, – Derived from Asian Indian Religions military service –Romaniya •Amish – Believe in God, ghosts, and predestination – Strict sect of Mennonites – No electricity or cars – Preserve purity – Avoid contamination through contact with non- gypsies Worldview – Religion: Russians Worldview: Family and People of the FSU •Russia •Germans –Soviet Jews – Traditionally large families on farms, – Russian Orthodox Church later in businesses • Ukrainian and – Pennsylvania Dutch (descendants of Lithuanian Americans German immigrants) and the Amish still – Roman Catholic have large families • Armenian Americans •Poles –Armenian Apostolic – Patriarchal with mother caring for home Church – Wives and children rarely worked outside the home 3 Family: Others Family: Gypsies •Austrian • Maintain extended family – Tight nuclear family with father in • Temporarily band together while traveling charge of finances and mother ruling with multifamily groups home life • Father in charge of all public matters • Czech and Hungarian • Women take care of family income and – Male dominated with many relatives manage all money matters • Slovaks – Retail power due to ability to communicate – Strong family ties with respect for with the supernatural world parents • Arranged marriages are common Family: Russians Family: • Traditionally large families • Ukrainian and Lithuanian early immigrants • Women legally dependent on their were single men who were basically forced husbands to intermarry with other ethnic groups – Changing • Men dominate the household – Families are smaller due to women working • Women run the home and with more education • Extended family is the norm – Still maintain all household chores • Armenians are tight-knit with respect for • Russian families have fewer children elders maintained • Education emphasized • All are similar to the average American – Russian language household Traditional Health Beliefs and Traditional Health Beliefs and Practices: Germans Practices: Pennsylvania Dutch • German biomedicine uses botanicals • Cold drinks unhealthy extensively • Eat meat 3 times/day is a good diet • Home remedies, homeopathy, healers common • Illness may be believed to be caused by • Sympathy healing infection or stress – Charms, spells, and blessings to cure symptoms • Expected consequence of hard labor – Powwowing • Dress properly, avoid drafts, breathe fresh – Healer acts as God’s instrument and requests air, exercise, work hard, take cod liver oil God’s direct assistance in treatments • Amish use sympathy healing, laying on of hands • Suffering is “a blessing from God” and reflexology, herbals • Lots of home remedies used 4 Traditional Health Beliefs and Traditional Health Beliefs and Practices: Poles Practices: Gypsies • Shortage of medical supplies in Poland led • Health maintained through marimé to widespread use of faith healers – System of purity and pollution possibly related •Faith in God to Asian Indian beliefs • Religious medals • Separate clean from unclean • Avoid sick people – Upper body and all secretions are pure • Healthy diet – Lower half is unclean and shameful • Sleep – Avoid contamination of upper body by touching •Keep warm lower body • Left hand only for personal care •Exercise • Menstrual blood especially impure •Loving home – Avoid public places that non-Gypsies frequent • Avoid gossip – Don’t touch contaminated services Traditional Health Beliefs and Traditional Health Beliefs and Practices: Gypsies Practices: Russian and the FSU • Illness due to contact with non-Gypsies • Natural cures and alternative medicine • Conditions caused by spirits, ghosts, the used extensively devil, or breaking cultural rules • Often integrated with biomedical therapy • Home remedies •Saunas •Massage •Gypsy healers • Steam baths • Non-Gypsy conditions are suitable for • Balneotherapy treatment by non-Gypsy physicians – Bathing in mineral springs – May still consult a non-Gypsy folk healer • Mud baths, sulfurated hydrogen baths • Homeopathic preparations and herbals Traditional Health Beliefs and Traditional Food Habits: Practices: Russian and the FSU Ingredients and Common Foods • Magic and the occult – Used to cure illnesses due to supernatural Dictated by what can be grown in colder – Psychics and Znakarki (elder women who whisper temperatures (Armenia will be discussed charms and sprinkle water with magic powers) • Siberia later) – Attributed to spiritual crisis, soul loss, evil spirits, breach •Potatoes •Fish of taboos, curses •Beans • Seafood from the – Shamans realigned life forces, retrieved souls Baltic • Visualization, singing, chanting, prognostication, dream • Cabbage and analysis, séances cabbage family • Fresh fish from local • Russians who don’t believe in occult practices •Beets lakes may blame illness on social conflict, political • Eggs • Apples problems, war, poor medical care, starvation •Dairy products