Why did German immigrants leave Germany?
Defining “German migration” is complex due to changing boundaries of Germany and its nations over history. Germans are often considered people from regions where German–or a form of German–is spoken. That includes what is today’s Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, Bohemia–as well as parts of Poland, Switzerland, Hungary and the former Yugoslavia.Religious ReasonsDuring the 17th and 18th centuries, Germans fled to England, Russia and the U.S. in search of religious freedom. Governments and kingdoms in Germany feared political danger when religious leaders told their followers to resist fighting for a government ruler and to avoid paying taxes which could go towards financing wars.Economic ReasonsGermans also left Germany because of higher taxes, making life elsewhere look more desirable. Population increases in Germany made land more scarce and more expensive, which meant that they had to look somewhere else to build homes that they could afford.Political ReasonsIn the mid-1800s, the poli
