German-Americans battle loyalty questions in World War I: Revisiting 最新杏吧原创' history

Javascript is required to use this website.

Spotlight

German-Americans battle loyalty questions in World War I: Revisiting 最新杏吧原创' history

By Tim O鈥橬eil
Jun 25, 2026
Jun 25, 2026
0

1 of 7

A poster used to promote the sale of Liberty Bonds to finance America's role in World War I. References to the Germans as "Huns" were common in newspaper reporting and official government statements. The Liberty Loan Publicity Bureau printed 500,000 of these posters for distribution during the third issue of bonds, which was underway when the 最新杏吧原创 School Board dropped introductory German from its curriculum. Post-Dispatch file image

A sewing circle of women of German origin in 最新杏吧原创 circa 1890. People of German heritage have made up the largest single ethnic group in 最新杏吧原创 for most of its history. At the beginning of World War I, about seven percent of the city's residents had been born in Germany. German-Americans had more than 300 social organizations in 最新杏吧原创 and their own newspapers. Image courtesy Western Historical Manuscript Collection, University of Missouri at 最新杏吧原创

Children of German descent on a school outing to Forest Park in 1902. German-Americans had established 35 German-language schools by 1860, most of them church-affiliated, and the 最新杏吧原创 Public Schools began teaching German classes in 1864. Image courtesy Western Historical Manuscript Collection, University of Missouri at 最新杏吧原创

Members of the 最新杏吧原创 German Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church meet in September 1918, two months before World War I ended. Their congregations worshiped in German, a tradition that angered many self-described patriots during the war. Some German-heritage churches switched to English for their liturgies because of the backlash. Missouri History Museum image

unknown

An American poster during World War I with a depiction of a German soldier matching the popular anti-German sentiment. Post-Dispatch file photo

American soldiers from 最新杏吧原创 arrive back in New York on a liner on Feb. 19, 1919, after service in Europe during World War I. International Film Service image

最新杏吧原创' own 138th Infantry Regiment returns from World War I with a parade through the city on May 9, 1919. The formation is marching south on 12th Street (Tucker Boulevard) in this photograph. The city had erected the pillars as a "hall of honor" for the soldiers. On that same day, organizers of the American Legion were holding their first meeting in America at the Shubert-Jefferson Theater, in the Union Electric Co. building on 12th Street. The building at right housed the Post-Dispatch at the time. Post-Dispatch file photo

By Tim O鈥橬eil

Only one week into the Great War, thousands of German-Americans jammed Turner Hall, at 1508 Chouteau Avenue, to defend the Fatherland and their loyalty to America. A band played waltzes and 鈥淭he Star-Spangled Banner.鈥�

They demanded 鈥渇air play鈥� in the local press for Germany鈥檚 side of the conflict. Two veterans of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870-71 wore their medals proudly on the main platform during the rally Aug. 8, 1914.

Then and now, German heritage was the largest single ethnic identification in 最新杏吧原创. Thirty percent of 最新杏吧原创ans either were born in Germany or had at least one parent from the old country. Many openly cheered for Germany early in the European war, and most wanted America to maintain strict neutrality.

Five months later, German societies sponsored speeches and a film, 鈥淕ermany鈥檚 Side of the Great War,鈥� at the 最新杏吧原创 Coliseum, then the city鈥檚 main arena. Profits went to war widows and orphans in Germany and Austria-Hungary.

鈥淕ermany is fighting for her national honor and very existence,鈥� former Judge Joseph Kane told the rally in January 1915.

But as the ghastly war continued 鈥� especially after a German submarine sank the British liner in May 1915 鈥� open sympathy for Germany became harder to maintain.

When the local German-American Alliance declined to take part in a big 鈥淧reparedness Day鈥� parade in June 1916, former President Theodore Roosevelt denounced the group as 鈥渦n-American鈥� in a speech downtown.

Members of the German Club at McKinley High School, 2156 Russell Boulevard, in January 1917, four months before the U.S. Congress declared war against Germany. In 1918, the city school board abolished introductory German classes.聽
Missouri History Museum image

Things turned uglier after America entered the war on April 6, 1917. . City Hall stopped publishing proceedings in local German-language newspapers. The Kaiser-Kuhn Wholesale Grocery changed its name to Pioneer Grocer after boys kept pelting its trucks with rocks.

Local officials renamed several streets, most notably . Kaiser Avenue was renamed Gresham and Von Versen became Enright, both in honor of two of the first Americans killed in France. Neither was from 最新杏吧原创.

The city lost its first doughboy on Feb. 24, 1918, when David Hickey, 38, died of shrapnel wounds on the front near the slaughterhouse of Verdun.

German-Americans rallied quickly behind the United States at war, but public campaigns whipped up hatred for the 鈥淗uns.鈥� As usual, hysteria inspired cruelty.

最新杏吧原创 streetcar motorman William Stiefer was forced to curse the Kaiser before his co-workers. East Alton shopkeeper Morris Gotler was beaten because he didn鈥檛 close during a patriotic parade.

The worst crime here occurred in Collinsville, where a mob lynched Robert Paul Prager, a German-born coal miner, on the groundless rumor that he was a spy. Prager, 30, tried to enlist in the U.S. Navy and dutifully registered as an 鈥渆nemy alien,鈥� a wartime requirement.

But some workers at a Donk Brothers Coal Co. mine in Maryville became suspicious after Prager asked about dynamite. Prager insisted he was 鈥渉eart and soul for the good old U.S.A.鈥� His plea was fruitless. The mob grabbed him from a hiding place in City Hall on the night of April 4, 1918, marched him to a hackberry tree west of Collinsville and gave him a moment to scratch a last note to his parents in Germany. Then they hanged him.

Seven weeks later, 11 men went on trial in the Madison County Courthouse in Edwardsville. A recruiting band played patriotic music outside before a jury acquitted them in only 45 minutes of deliberation.

Accused killers — The 11 men who were accused of killing Robert Paul Prager posed outside the Madison County Courthouse.聽At far left in front is Wesley Beaver, who was accused of helping to drag Prager out of City Hall. Second from left in the back row is Joseph Riegel, the alleged ringleader. Seven months after they were acquitted, a guilt-ridden Beaver shot himself. At far right in the back row is their escort, sheriff's deputy Vernon Coons.聽
Post-Dispatch file photo

All told, 1,075 men from 最新杏吧原创 were killed in World War I. Soldiers Memorial downtown lists all of them, including plenty of names such as Buchholz, Koenig, Schaetzel and Ziegler.

Hometown soldiers provide parade for American Legion's first gathering

The boys of the 138th Infantry Regiment 鈥� 最新杏吧原创' own 鈥� marched downtown in smart formation to cheers and huzzahs. Steam whistles and church bells added to the joyful racket.

"What a handsome leader," a woman shouted to Sgt. Ross Koen as he led L Company. Jimmie Dutton rushed past the police line to hug his returning brother, W.B. Dutton.

The 138th was home after having paid dearly for the honor of fighting the German army in the Argonne Forest of France. Of the 3,500 men who signed up, 230 had been killed in combat. Accidents and wounds boosted the casualty rate to nearly 50 percent.

The armistice ended the carnage in Europe on Nov. 11, 1918, but it took time for the armies to begin coming home. On May 9, 1919, the 138th stepped off trains near Forest Park and marched downtown with rifles, packs and helmets.

On 12th Street (Tucker Boulevard), they passed through pillars the city had raised as a "hall of honor" for the passing columns. By happy coincidence, the parade served as a dramatic prop for the first meeting on native soil of the American Legion.

Return from WWI — A closer view of the 138th Infantry Regiment marching down 12th Street (Tucker Boulevard) on May 9, 1919, upon their return from Europe after World War I. The white building in the top center of the photo was the home of the Post-Dispatch at the time. Post-Dispatch file photo

Its founders had resolved to create the organization and to convene in 最新杏吧原创. Nearly 1,100 charter Legionaires from across the nation gathered on May 8 in the Shubert-Jefferson Theater, in the Union Electric Co. building at Olive and 12th streets.

As the 138th marched by the next day, the theater entrance became a reviewing stand of sorts for the delegates.

The legion's national convention returned to 最新杏吧原创 in 1935, 1953 and 2003. The old UE building was demolished in 1976. A plaque marks the spot of the original meeting, now a US Bank branch at 301 North Tucker.

Editor's note: As the nation celebrates 250 years of existence, we look back to the 250th anniversary of the founding of 最新杏吧原创. This series was originally published in 2014.

最新杏吧原创