Pennsylvania led the North American continent in the printing of Bibles throughout the 18th century into the early 19th century, establishing a culturally significant legacy that sustained religious communities of the past and present, and left an indelible impression on American culture. Following the mass exodus of German-speaking immigrants to the new world, the German Bible was a central feature in the establishment of early communities in Pennsylvania, with broader implications as a cultural artifact for American history, genealogy, and material culture, as well as one of the most cherished possessions among the Pennsylvania Dutch.
To learn more about the history and cultural impact of the German Bible in America, check out a copy of Dr. Don Yoder’s German Bible in America, and watch the presentation: The German Bible in America.