Ben Franklin’s German-Language Newspaper

Website:

https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2014/novemberdecember/curio/ben-franklins-german-language-newspaper

About Article:

The website https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2014/novemberdecember/curio/ben-franklins-german-language-newspaper is an article from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) about a German-language newspaper founded by Benjamin Franklin in the 18th century.

The article discusses Franklin’s role in publishing the Pennsylvania German-language newspaper, called the “Philadelphische Zeitung” or “Pennsylvania Gazette”. The paper was launched in 1732 as a way for Franklin to connect with the large German-speaking population in Pennsylvania, which was then a colony of Great Britain. The newspaper quickly became popular and was widely read by German-speaking immigrants and their descendants.

The article goes on to describe the content of the newspaper, which included news from Europe and local news from Pennsylvania, as well as essays and other types of writing. The paper was instrumental in disseminating ideas and information during the American Revolution, and it played a significant role in shaping the views of German-speaking immigrants and their descendants.

Overall, the article provides an interesting glimpse into the role that Franklin and his newspaper played in the cultural and intellectual life of colonial Pennsylvania, as well as the broader history of German-American journalism.