Americans in Germany

Americans in Germany or American Germans (German: Amerikanische Deutsche or Amerikadeutsche^[3]) refers to the American population in Germany and their German-born descendants. According to Destatis, 107,755 Americans lived in Germany in 2013.^[4] At the same time, more than 40,000 militaries and 15,000 civilian employees of American citizenship are permanently in Germany, with a strong presence in Kaiserslautern, which in the 1950s became the largest US military community outside of the United States.^[5] In addition, there are significant numbers of American expatriates in Germany, especially professionals sent abroad by their companies and an increasing number of college students and graduates. By December 2013, the largest American diasporas in Germany are Berlin with over 16,000 people, and the area around Darmstadt with about 13,000 people.^[6]

Military backgrounds

American Zone in Germany after 8 June 1947. Mainly today's state areas of Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, Hesse and Rhineland-Palatinate were afftected, as well as city states Berlin (West Berlin) and Bremen.

A large portion of the American-German population has a military background. Great numbers of American soldiers were stationed in Germany after World War II. The Occupation statute of 1949 set regulations for the post-war time within Allied-occupied Germany. Numerous American military installations were established during this time, and eventually hundreds were in place, mainly in Southern Germany. At the time of German Reunification in 1990, there were still about 200,000 US soldiers in Germany. By 2014, the number had been steadily reduced to 42,450 stationed in 38 facilities.^[7]

During World War II General Dwight D. Eisenhower and the American War Department enforced a strict non-fraternization policy regarding contact between American military personnel and German citizens. After the war this prohibition was mitigated in several steps and finally abandoned in Austria and Germany in September 1945.^[8] In the earliest stages of the Allied occupation US soldiers were not allowed to pay maintenance for a child they admitted having fathered, since to do so was considered as "aiding the enemy". Marriages between white American soldiers and German women were not permitted until December 1946.^[9]

Notable American-Germans

• Terrence Boyd, footballer (RB Leipzig)
• John Brooks, footballer (Hertha Berlin)
• Lamont Bryan, German-born Jamaican rugby player (London Skolars).
• Timothy Chandler, footballer (Eintracht Frankfurt).
• Sarah Connor, R&B singer.
• Kirsten Dunst, American actress of German descent, holds German citizenship.
• Royal-Dominique Fennell, footballer (Würzburger Kickers).
• David Garrett, pop artist and violinist.
• Julian Green, American-born footballer (Bayern Munich).
• Demond Greene, American-born former basketball player.
• Ernst Hanfstaengl, ex-Nazi and intelligence worker for the Americans during World War II.
• Elias Harris, basketball player (Brose Baskets).
• Jimmy Hartwig, retired footballer.
• Emil Jannings, actor.
• Jermaine Jones, footballer (Colorado Rapids).
• Chris Kaman, basketball player (Portland Trail Blazers).
• Jerome Kiesewetter, footballer (VfB Stuttgart).
• Carlos Kleiber, German-born Austrian conductor.
• Donald Lutz, American-born baseball player (Arizona Diamondbacks).
• Felix Magath, manager and retired footballer.
• Alfredo Morales, footballer (Ingolstadt).
• Dee Dee Ramone, American-born bassist and songwriter (Ramones).
• Baldur von Schirach, Nazi youth leader convicted of crimes against humanity.
• Danny Williams, footballer (Reading).
• Bruce Willis, Actor.
• Andrew Wooten, footballer (SV Sandhausen).
• David Yelldell, footballer (Bayer Leverkusen)

See also

• Emigration from the United States
• German American for Americans of German descent
• Immigration to Germany

References