Those considered German immigrants became one of the largest ethnic groups to settle in the Americas. However, they came from distinct cultural and historical regions ranging from the Palatine, Saxony, Bavaria, Prussia; and, depending on when they came, they were leaving the Holy Roman Empire, the German Confederation, the German Empire, the Weimar Republic, Nazi Germany and one of two postwar German states. They came from German-speaking communities scattered as far from German soil as the Volga. Regardless of when they come, and from which cultural tradition, their impact on North and South American social, cultural, economic, political, military, and intellectual life has been profound. This reference includes helpful introductory essays and hundreds of entries on people, events, and movements; many of the entries themselves are essays. The editor provides helpful cross-references and an index, and contributors keep the entries accessible and provide reading lists with entries. Annotation ©2006 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)