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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.

What You Can Learn from a Directory

Specialized Directory of German-centric Organizations in St. Louis

Deutscher Vereins-Almanach, 1910  

This directory opens with a month-by-month list of groups and their regular meeting days.

In another section that lists each organization by type, the directory provides:

  • Name of the group; founding date
  • Address and regular meeting time
  • Names of its officers

The directory also provides brief histories of some of the larger clubs, as well as background information about St. Louis.

Using Standard City Directories to Research German Social Groups 

If you are researching other years besides 1910, a standard city directory can be a good choice. Many of them have been digitized; the St. Louis Mercantile Library has compiled a list of freely available digitized directories. Many subscription-based genealogical websites such as  Ancestry.com, Fold3, and others have digitized city directories. The MHS Library & Research Center has bound volumes of the directories available in the Reading Room.

In a city directory, look for the Societies section, usually at the end of the volume. 

The bulk of the German groups appear in the listings of benevolent, protective, and fraternal organizations.

Some directories also have separate listings of singing societies and specifically German-focused groups such as Harugari and the Sons of Hermann. 

Some German-centric groups are listed at the end of the Societies section under Miscellaneous. 

  • Look for: words in the German language, German place names, or simply the word "German"