My ancestry is, as far as I know (six or seven generations) all German. (Well, maybe some proto-Polish -- it all depended on who had the stronger army at the time, didn't it?) However Germany wasn't a unified country until 1871 and many of my ancestors came to Wisconsin in the years before unification.

I believe all of my maternal ancestors came from Saxony. Does that make me Saxon?

My grandparents went to German language schools in Wisconsin. Zion Lutheran Church in Colby had a German language service until the 1960s.

I grew up in Milwaukee where the city had German Socialist mayors until 1959. And still has a rich German culture, though it's gotten more diverse since the 19th century. It's also now a city of ethnic festivals -- Pridefest, Polish Fest, Festa Italiana, German Fest, Black Arts Fest, Irish Fest, Mexican Fiesta and Indian Summer.

But I've never known anyone who primarily identifies as German-American. Just plain unhyphenated American who happens to be of German ancestry.

But as far as I know, the only time Germans were discriminated against because of their ancestry and heritage was during World War I. (A great grandfather decided to return to Germany because he favored Kaiser Bill. He died on the ship back and was buried in Germany.)

Linn