by Michael R. Shaughnessy (Author)
German Pittsburgh explores the multifaceted cultural history of German-speaking immigrants and residents in the Greater Pittsburgh area. Today over one quarter of the city's residents claim German heritage, the largest ethnic group in the region. German-speaking Pittsburghers include names like H. J. Heinz, Honus Wagner, and the Kaufmanns, and they produced beloved Pittsburgh beers such as Iron City and Penn Pilsner. It might be surprising to know that German was an official language of the city at one time, and a daily German newspaper was printed from the mid-1800s up through World War II. Today remnants of the German-speaking community can be found on the North Side, the South Side, Troy Hill, and Mount Oliver, to name a few. German Pittsburgh provides an overview of the contributions that this diverse ethnic community has made and is making today in the city.