2012-10 Remembrances Special Edition1
City of Schertz Remembrances Publication Special Edition 2012-10
Presented by: Schertz Historical Preservation Committee
The German “Migration Belt” – Schertz in the “Buckle”
There are many phrases in our vocabulary where the term “belt” is a part. Religions make reference to the “Bible Belt,” meteorologists refer to the Midwestern “Tornado Belt,” astronomers refer to the “Van Allen Belt,” farmers to the “Corn Belt,” and boxing enthusiasts to the “Championship Belt.” But have you ever heard the phrase “German Migration Belt” when
applied to mid-19th century Texas history? Probably not, since it’s a phrase coined by the writer
to describe the pathways from the Texas Coast to the Texas Hill Country by over 10,000 German immigrants who came to Texas during the decade from 1843 to about 1853. They came under the auspices of what was known as the “German Society for the Protection of the German Immigrants in Texas” (English translation of German title) (The Society). The trails forged (by
oxen and mule) across Southeast Texas for the most part led from the Texas coastal ports of
Galveston and Indianola directly northwest to the foothills of the Texas Hill Country and beyond. The vast majority of the immigrants were Society sponsored and settled in the communities of New Braunfels, Fredericksburg and San Antonio. Still many others made the decision to stop along the migration route and establish homes and farms where they perceived
land was fertile and prospects for successful settlement were good.
If lines were to be drawn on a current Texas state map of the migration routes of these early Central Texas immigrants they would lead from the coast of Texas at either Galveston or Indianola in a straight line along Highways 239 and 181 on the southwest side of the trail and
along a straight line formed by Highway 71 on the northeast side of the trail (see map depiction).
This avenue of travel I’ve dubbed as the German “Migration Belt” since its outline on the state road map of Texas resembles the outline of a belt especially when joined to the “buckle” area of migration settlement in and around the hill county of South-Central Texas. The “buckle” of the belt is formed by the geographic pattern of German settlements such as New Braunfels,
Fredericksburg, Comfort, San Marcos, Kirby, Schertz, Comal, Cibolo, etc.
The very first Texas settlement along the “belt” is said to have been near La Grange, Texas just southeast of Austin, along Highway 71.1 The first German colony in Texas was settled in 1831 by Friedrich Dirks (aka: Friedrich Ernst).2 Ernst wrote home describing Texas landscape and
climate in glowing terms which encouraged others who read his writings to consider the idea of
immigrating to Texas. Many small villages and towns emerged along the beltway as the German settlers began the trek northwest from the Texas Coast, to include: Schroeder, Ander, Hochheim, Meyersville,
Nordheim, Weser, and Yorktown, Texas.
1 Bracht, Viktor, Texas In 1848, German-Texan Heritage Society, 1991, p. viii.
2 Bracht, p. IX.
2
Schroeder, Texas was first settled by German immigrants in the 1840s. Schroeder was
originally named “Germantown”. However, due to anti-German sentiment aroused by World
War I, “Germantown” was renamed Schroeder. Most of today’s few hundred residents of Schroeder are of German descent. Andes, Texas was settled by families from Prussia, Saxony, Alsace-Lorraine, France. The
community was originally named “Hanover” but changed its name for the same reason as did
Schroeder. Andes remains a small farming community. Hochheim, Texas was first settled by Valentine Hoch, a man from Alsace-Lorraine, France. Hoch arrived in Texas a widower following the death of his wife and a child during the voyage
from Germany to Texas. Hoch raised three children of his own and three others from a second
wife. His two-story stone house completed in 1858 still stands in Hochheim. Many Germans followed Hoch to the area. Nordheim, Texas is a German settlement established in 1895. The town received its name after
a German businessman William Frobese, President of Runge & Company of Cuero, suggested
the name to the railroad company. Waser, Texas was named after the sailing ship “Waser” that transported German and Polish immigrants from Europe to Texas in the 1850s.
Yorktown, Texas was founded in 1848 by Captain John York and Charles Eckhardt, both business partners who saw great promise and business opportunity in the establishment of their business operations along the route German immigrants took from Indianola to San Antonio.
These small Texas towns with German sounding names are but a few of the many that form the
“German Migration Beltway.” Many other small ethnic settlements are to be found along the route to the Texas Hill Country. But by far the German immigration experience of the mid-19th century was the most influential contributor to settlement within the confines of the belt and its buckle. Schertz is a proud participant in this German “Migration Belt” heritage.
Texas Sate Map Depicting Territory within the “German Migration Belt” From the Gulf Coast to the Hill Country