In the period from the 1830s until the First World War, dozens of German-language newspapers were published in the United States. Although the first German immigrants had arrived by 1700, most German-language newspapers flourished during the era of mass immigration from Germany that began in the 1820s.

Germans were the first non-English speakers to publish newspapers in the U.S., and by 1890, over 1,000 German-language newspapers were being published in the United States. The first German language paper was Die Philadelphische Zeitung, published by Benjamin Franklin in Philadelphia beginning in 1732; it failed after a year. In 1739, Christopher Sauer established Der Hoch-Deutsche Pennsylvanische Geschicht-Schreiber, later known as Die Germantauner Zeitung. It was one of the most influential pre-Revolutionary weekly newspapers in the colonies. By 1802, Pennsylvanian Germans published newspapers not only in Philadelphia, but also in Lancaster, Reading, Easton, Harrisburg, York, and Norristown. The oldest German Catholic newspaper, the Cincinnati Archdiocese's Der Wahrheitsfreund, began publishing in 1837. By 1881, it was one of five German papers in the Cincinnati market.

The newspapers were hit by two rounds of closures due to sudden drops in advertising revenue. As the U.S. entered World War I, many advertisers stopped placing advertisements in German newspapers. Later, with the onset of Prohibition in 1920, the remaining newspapers faded, as older generations died and newer generations chose not to embrace a German-American identity, with Americanization. A few American newspapers in the German language remain extant today.

Current

California Neue Presse USA, Hemet, 1986–present

Florida Florida Sun, Orlando

New York New Yorker Staats-Zeitung, New York, 1834–present

Pennsylvania , Gladwyne, 1956–present Hiwwe wie Driwwe, Kutztown, 1997–present (written in the Pennsylvania German dialect)

Defunct

Arkansas Arkansas Freie Presse, Little Rock, 1874–1876 Das Arkansas Echo, 1891–1932 Stuttgart Germania, Stuttgart, 1895 Die Arkansas Staatszeitung, 1869–1917

California California Staats-Zeitung, San Francisco, 1852–1918 Republikaner, San Francisco, 1860 San Francisco Abend Post, San Francisco, 1863–1864 California Chronik, San Francisco, 1866 Der Wecker, San Francisco, 1876–1878 Süd-California Post, Los Angeles, 1887–1914 San Francisco Tageblatt, San Francisco, 1898–1906

Colorado Die deutsche Presse des grossen Westens, Denver, 1870 Die Deutsche Zeitung, Denver, 1871–1872 Colorado Journal, Denver, 1872–1899 Colorado Courier, Denver, 1873; 1882–1884 Colorado Post, Denver, 1879–1880 Sonntags Post, Denver, 1881–1883 Colorado Staats-Zeitung, Denver, 1882–1885 Fidibus-Herold, Denver, 1883–1897 Denver Figaro, Denver, 1883–1886 Denver Freie Presse, Denver, 1887–1888 Denver Volksblatt, Denver, 1887–1888 Volksblatt, Pueblo, 1887–1888 Colorado Freie Presse, Denver, 1891–1892 Neue Welt, Denver, 1892–1894 Pueblo Anzeiger, Pueblo, 1892–1896 Silber-Glocken, Denver, 1895–1896 Denver Discuverer, Denver, 1896–1898 Ordensblatt der Harugari, Denver, 1896–1899 Bote, Denver, 1897–1899 Pueblo Freie Presse, Pueblo, 1897–1899 Denver Posten, Denver, 1898–1901 Odensblatt und Vereins Zeitung, Denver, 1899–1903 Nachrichten, Pueblo, 1900–1901 Colorado Herold, Denver, 1902–1947 Colorado Vorwarts, Denver, 1903–1914 Volkszeitung Tribune, Denver, 1955–after 1963

Connecticut Connecticut Republikaner, New Haven, 1867–1901 Connecticut Freie-Presse, New Haven, 1875–1907 New England Anzeiger, New Haven, 1876–1884 Bridgeporter Zeitung, Bridgeport, 1877–1878 Connecticut Staats-Zeitung, Hartford, 1883–1942 New Haven Anzeiger, 1891–1910 Waterbury Beobachter, Waterbury, 1898–1917 Westporter Herald, Westport, 1898–1951

Florida Florida Deutsches Echo, Miami, 1926–?

Illinois Illinois Staats-Zeitung, Chicago, 1848–1922 Belleviller Zeitung, Belleville, 1849–1917 Der Proletarier, Chicago, 1853 Deutscher Anzeiger, Freeport, 1853–1917 Illinois Staats Anzeiger, Springfield, 1859-1865 Arbeiter-Zeitung, Chicago, 1877–1931 Vorbote, Chicago, 1874–1924 Bloomington Journal, Bloomington, 1877–1918 Plattdeutsche Zeitung, Chicago, 1878–1881 Die Fäckel, Chicago, 1879–1919 Abendpost, Chicago, 1889–1950 Abend Presse, Chicago, 1896–1913 Eintracht, Chicago, 1922–2017

Iowa Iowa Tribüne, Burlington, 1861–1899 Der Demokrat, Davenport, 1851–1918 Ostfriesische Nachrichten, Dubuque, 1881–1971 Le Mars Herold, Le Mars, 1884–1918

Kansas Kansas Staats-Anzeiger, Topeka, 1879–1915 Kansas Telegraph, Atchison, 1880–1904 Kansas Rundschau, La Crosse, 1897–1898 Kingman County Telegraph, Kingman, 1906–1912

Louisiana Die Deutsche Zeitung, New Orleans, 1848–1907 Die Glocke, New Orleans, 1848–1850 Louisiana Zuschauer, Lafayette, 1849–? Louisiana Staatszeitung, New Orleans, 1850–1866, merged into Die Deutsche Zeitung Das Arbeiterblatt, New Orleans, 1850–1851 Deutsche Courier No. 2, 1850–? Der Alligator, New Orleans, 1851–? Lafayetter Zeitung, Lafeyette, 1851–? Täglische New Orleans Journal, New Orleans, 1866–1867 Täglische New Orleans Deutsche Presse, New Orleans, 1868–1869, merged into Die Deutsche Zeitung Der Familienfreund, 1869–1903 Der Kinderfreund, 1872–1874 Die Laterne, 1872–? Louisiana Deutsches Journal, 1876–1877 Der Altenheimbote, 1892–1918 Der Negerfreund, 1897–1947 The Southern Lutheran, 1903–1917 Neue Deutsche Zeitung, 1907–1917

Maryland Baltimore Wecker, Baltimore, 1851–1877 Der Deutsche Correspondent, Baltimore, 1841–1918, merged into Baltimore Correspondent Bayrisches Wochenblatt, Baltimore, 1880–1919, merged into Baltimore Correspondent (Täglicher) Baltimore Correspondent, Baltimore, 1919–1976

Massachusetts Neu England Rundschau, Holyoke, 1884–1942 New England Staaten Zeitung, Holyoke, 1875–1901

Michigan Nordamerikanische Wochenpost, Warren, 1854–2022

Minnesota Der Nordstern, St. Cloud, 1874–1931 Minnesota Staats-Zeitung, St. Paul, 1858–1877 Minnesota Volksblatt, St. Paul, 1861–1877 Die Volkszeitung, St. Paul, 1877–1881 Wöchentliche Volkszeitung, 1881–1921 Tägliche Volkszeitung, 1881–1941

Missouri Anzeiger des Westens, St. Louis, 1835–1898 Westliche Post, St. Louis, 1857–1938 Mississippi Blätter, St. Louis, 1857–1932 Hermanner Volksblatt, Hermann, c.1856–1928 Kansas City Presse, Kansas City, 1883–1919 Osage County Volksblatt, 1896–1917

Montana Montana Staats-Zeitung, 1886–1917

Nebraska Nebraska Staats-Zeitung, Nebraska City, 1861–1915 Tägliche Omaha Tribüne, Omaha, 1879–1941 Nebraska Staats-Anzeiger, Lincoln, 1880–1901 Lincoln Freie Presse, Lincoln, 1884–1942

Nevada Nevada Staats-Zeitung, Virginia City, 1864–1875 Nevada Pionier, 1864–1864 Deutsche Union

New York Amerika Woche, New York City, 1999–present Buffalo Demokrat, Buffalo, 1848–1918 Buffalo Freie Presse, Buffalo, 1860–1910 Der Katholische Deutschamerikaner, 1910 Neue Volks, New York City, 1932–1949 Neue Volkszeitung, New York City, 1932–1949 New-Yorker Abend-Zeitung, New York City, 1851–1874 New Yorker Herold, New York City, 1880–1934 New-Yorker Tages-Nachrichten, New York City, 1870–1896 New Yorker Volkszeitung, New York City, 1878–1932 Oneida Demokrat, Utica, 1855–1871 Der Volksfreund, Buffalo, 1838–1943

North Dakota Der Staats Anzeiger, Bismarck, 1906–1945

Ohio Cincinnati Freie Presse, Cincinnati, 1872–1964 (Tägliches) Cincinnati Volksblatt, Cincinnati, 1863–1919 Cincinnati Volksfreund, Cincinnati, 1850–1908 Hochwächter, Cincinnati, 1845–1849 Der Wahrheitsfreund, Cincinnati, 1837–1907 Ohio Waisenfreund Westliche Blätter, Cincinnati, 1865–1919 Farm und Haus, Bluffton, 1902–1905

Oregon

Pennsylvania Alte und neue Welt, Philadelphia, 1834–1844 Die Germantauner Zeitung, 1739 Philadelphia Demokrat, Philadelphia, 1838–1918 Philadelphische Staatsbote, Philadelphia Die Philadelphische Zeitung, Philadelphia, 1732 Die York Gazette, 1796 Freiheits-Freund, Pittsburgh, 1834–1901 Pittsburger Volksblatt, Pittsburgh, 1859–1901 Volksblatt und Freiheits-Freund, Pittsburgh, 1901–1942

South Carolina Der Teutone, Charleston, 1844–?

South Dakota Dakota Freie Presse, Yankton, 1874–1954

Tennessee Die Stimme die Volk, Memphis, 1854–1860 Die Anzeiger des Südens, Memphis, 1858–1876 Die Neue Zeit, Memphis, 1862–187? Memphis Correspondent, Memphis, 1870-? Memphis Journal, Memphis, 1876–1878 Nashviller Demokrat, Nashville, 1866–1871 Tennessee Staatszeitung, Nashville, 1866–1869

Virginia Richmonder Anzeiger, Richmond, 1854-?entry for Richmonder Anzeiger at the Library of Congress Virginia Staats-Gazette, Richmond, 1870–1904

Washington DC Washington Journal, Washington DC, 1859–1999, merger with Amerika Woche

West Virginia Deutsche Zeitung, Wheeling, 1901–1916 West Virginia patriot, Wheeling, 1916–191? West Virginische staats-zeitung, Wheeling, 1887–1901, formed by the merger of Deutsche zeitung (Wheeling, W. Va.: 1876) (non-extant), and Wheelinger volksblatt (non-extant). Wheelinger volksblatt, Wheeling, 1880–1887 Virginische staats-zeitung / Virginia state gazette, Wheeling, 1848–1863, continued by West Virginia staats zeitung (non-extant) Der Arbeiter-Freund, Wheeling, 1865–1887, absorbed Patriot (Wheeling, W. Va.) (non-extant) and was continued by Deutsche Zeitung von West Virginien (non-extant).

Wisconsin Die Deutsche Frauen-Zeitung, Milwaukee, founded in 1852. Manitowoc Post, Manitowoc, 1881–1924 Milwaukee Herold, Milwaukee, 1860–1931 Nord Stern, La Crosse Der Nord-Westen, Manitowoc, 1860–1909 Shawano County Wochenblatt, Shawano, 1885–1901 Shawano County Volksbote-Wochenblatt, Shawano, 1897–1935 Farm und Haus, Madison, 1898–1900

National newspapers Amerika Woche, 1972–present Der Ruf, distributed to German POWs across the United States during World War II

See also German American journalism German Americans List of German language newspapers of Ontario

References

External links "Chronicling America" from the Library of Congress lists 2500 German newspapers and offers full-text digital access to 24 German-language newspaper titles—over 150,000 pages, with more added annually.]