Skip to Main Content

St. Louis German Social Groups

In the 19th century, Germans comprised the largest immigrant group in St. Louis, Missouri. In their new home they enthusiastically formed groups for different purposes. Some groups published histories or left organizational records.

Types of German Social Groups in St. Louis

Before the rise of personal automobiles and electronic entertainments, meeting regularly in organized groups was a very common way for people to socialize. German Americans seemed particularly enthusiastic about spending time with others this way, judging by the large number of groups they formed in the period between the Civil War and World War I. 

The most common types of organized German social groups were: 

  • Benevolent/protective associations. Before insurance, pensions, unions, or Social Security, these groups collected dues that would be distributed to members who met with misfortune. They also visited the sick and attended funerals. Such associations could be founded based on shared home region, skill or job type, or other factors. Members strengthened their bonds with social activities.  

  • Turnvereins, or Turners. Germans gathered for group physical fitness, singing, and socializing. Some Turnvereine (Turner Halls) had their own taverns. 

  • Singing societies. These could be standalone organizations or a subgroup of a larger group. 

  • Clubs organized around a region ("Landsmannschaftliche” Vereins). These groups representing a specific Germanic region of origin might be purely social, or they might have a benevolent/protective function.  

The links in the column on the left provide additional information about these different groups.