(S+) German emigrants: »The terrible puke started« – luck and sorrow in the life of new Americans

Arrived: When this photo of Georg Heinrich Isemann was taken in 1872, he was a made man in the USA.

He proudly sent the portrait to his friend back home, with whom he had kept in touch since emigrating in 1837.

Photo:

private collection dr

Fritz Kieffer from: Letters from Palatinate emigrants from North America

On July 9, 1837, the ship "Manchester" had only been at sea for a few hours when a storm blew up.

Thunder rumbled, rain lashed the deck, gusts made the sailor sway.

The 148 passengers felt sick to their stomachs.

Almost all came from Germany and wanted to emigrate to America.

One of them was the Palatinate saddler Heinrich Georg Isemann, 33, who was traveling with his wife and two daughters.

In one of his letters one can read what happened next: "The women could no longer remain on the deck, went to bed and then the terrible puking started."

The men fought seasickness with brandy.

An hour later they too had to vomit.

"So by 6 p.m. the puking was in full swing," Isemann wrote, "the women were crying and praying, the men were cursing and raving."

The storm was getting worse and worse.

Isemann heard the sailors singing from the rigging, below deck an old emigrant from Alsace called the Catholics together to pray a rosary.

Continue reading with SPIEGEL+

Read on now.

With the right SPIEGEL subscription.

Special reports, analyzes and background information on topics that move our society - by reporters from all over the world.

Test now.

• All articles freely accessible on SPIEGEL.de.

• DER SPIEGEL as an e-paper and in the app.

• Test one month for €1.

One month for €1

Try it now for €1

Already have a digital subscription?Sign up here

Read more with SPIEGEL+

More perspectives, understand more.

Free access to all articles, videos, audio content and podcasts

• All articles freely accessible on SPIEGEL.de

• DER SPIEGEL as an e-paper and in the app

• Audio included until June 30, 2022:

  
  

  DER SPIEGEL to listen to

• Only €19.99 per month, cancellable at any time

Buy now

Already have a digital subscription?Sign up here

Restore iTunes subscription

SPIEGEL+ is processed via your iTunes account and paid for with the purchase confirmation.

24 hours before it expires, the subscription is automatically extended by one month at the current price of €19.99.

You can cancel your subscription at any time in your iTunes account settings.

To use SPIEGEL+ outside of this app, you must link the subscription to a SPIEGEL ID account immediately after purchase.

By purchasing you accept our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.