How Representative are Emigrant Letters? An Exploration of the German Case

Of the millions of letters sent to Europe by immigrants to the United States in the nineteenth century, only a tiny, infinitesimal fraction has been preserved and is available to researchers. The lion’s share has been forgotten, discarded, destroyed, or left in place when the bulldozers moved in. But besides the few letters accessible in archives and collections, there must be far more still in the hands of individuals who, for various reasons, could not be reached by any public appeal to make their treasures available and have them professionally preserved or were not convinced that they should.