Photos about emigration (the photos can be enlarged by right-clicking „Show graphic“ or similar, the sources for the photos are listed in brackets at the end).
The Borussia was first launched in Greenock, Scotland, in 1855. Until 1856, the ship was used as a troop carrier for the Crimean War, before Hapag purchased the ship for its Hamburg-New York line. The Borussia could carry 510 passengers and 80 crew, including 54 passengers in first class, 146 passengers in second class, and 310 people in steerage. [From an article by Anna Quell as part of the project seminar at Leibniz University Hannover]. (picture private)Postcard of emigrant Heinrich Willers (originally from Hollwege) from Clinton, Mo. front and back view 1915. (Karl B. Oltmanns)
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Letter from the emigrant Sophie Adeline Meinecke née Hayssen (1831-1925) from Hartwarden, emigrated to California in 1858 (Karl-Heinz Ziessow – scan from the Kaper Tange-Varel collection)Advertisement from „Der Pilot“, No. 39 of September 28, 1858 (supplement to the Allgemeine Auswanderzeitung). Sophie and Fritz Meinecke traveled with the Borussia on October 1858. Their crossing was announced in the Allgemeine Auswanderer-Zeitung with an advertisement that appeared between 1846 and 1871, sometimes up to three times a week due to the high demand. This newspaper was a general information sheet on emigration and offered readers lots of tips and information for planning and implementing their own emigration. There were reports on ships, life in America, general regulations and legal requirements. Advertising was also placed in the newspaper and the supplement „Der Pilot“, so that Hapag’s advertisement about the Borussia’s voyage was also printed there several times. [From an article by Anna Quell as part of the project seminar at Leibniz Universität Hannover]Old home – new home Johann Bernhard Harbers was born in 1856 and emigrated to the USA in 1872. His father was the tenant of the mill in Jaderaltendeich (photo above around 1900). Below: Farm of J. B. Harbers around 1890 in Waddington, California (both photos by Jeri Thomson Harbers)The newspaper article illustrates some aspects of emigration from South Oldenburg at that time. In addition to the existential economic reasons that pushed people away from their homeland, it also lists factors that attracted them from afar, in this case the overly positive reports of the bookbinder Stallo.(Landesbibliothek Oldenburg (LBO): GE IX A 449)The steamship John L. Stephens was in service on the Panama-San Francisco route from 1853-1860. (Huntington Library (library in San Marino, California). https://hdl.huntington.org/digital/collection/p9539coll1/id/12402/)Stoever farm with Fritz Stoever and Minna née Klaevemann and their children (Jon Todd Koenig).George D. Grone at work on Carl Maas‘ farm in Bancroft (Nebraska) around 1930, below George in front of the new Maas house in 1928. He was born in Elsfleth in 1901 and came to America in 1925. He was a nephew of Bernhard Grone. Carl John Maas (1878-1969) is said to have been born in „Oldenburg“ and married a Mathilda Munderloh (1881-1970) in 1904, whose ancestors are said to have come from Holle, Hude. (Photos Jean Carhart)The emigrant Theodor Diedrichs (1855-1932) from Buttel (Neuenhuntorf) enclosed this postcard of „Center Street“ in Anaheim with a letter dated 14. April 1924 (Frauke Diedrichs).Four photos of emigrant Georg Oltmanns: On the left, Georg feeds a bear in Yellowstone National Park in July 1930. Below, on a later visit to the same park in the summer of 1939. Then: Karl Bernhard, Edna, Karla and Georg in front of their house in America around 1948 with the dog „Tell“. Right: in May 1930, Georg Oltmanns writes: „Rabbits shot by me in three hours, Chowchilla California U.S.A. My friend stayed at home, he was sorry to shoot rabbits. But I captured him in the picture.“ (Photos Karl B. Oltmanns).
Passport for the „son of the house“ Johann Heinrich Heinen from 1904 for his departure to the USA. (Scott Wieding)Another postcard from Heinrich Willers (Karl B. Oltmanns).Certificate of expatriation from the “Oldenburg citizenship” for Heinrich Willers, translation: Grand Ducal Oldenburg State Ministry Department of the Interior. The undersigned Grand Ducal Oldenburg Ministry of State hereby certifies that Johann Heinrich Willers of Hollwege, born there on May 9, 1875, has been released from his Oldenburg citizenship at his request and for the purpose of his emigration to Nebraska in North America. This deed of release causes the loss of Oldenburg citizenship for the person expressly named therein as of the time of delivery, but it becomes ineffective if the person released does not transfer his residence outside the federal territory within six months of the day of delivery of the deed of release, or acquires citizenship in another federal state (:§ 18 of the Law on the Acquisition and Loss of Federal Citizenship and Citizenship of June 1, 1870 L.G.Bl.S.355:) Oldenburg, January 26, 1892. Grand Ducal Oldenburg State Ministry, Department of the Interior. I.A. [on behalf of; signature] (Jeff Willers)
