Mobile Lifeworlds is a gateway to the stories of the German diaspora and the effects of migration on both those who traveled far from their families and those who remained in their communities of origin. More than 400 million letters were exchanged between the United States and Germany during the peak decades of German immigration. These letters are important sources for learning more about the effects of immigration to the United States on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean.

Explore

Explore a map of the letters we have collected, read stories drawn from our letters and the biographies of individual correspondents.

Contribute

Would you like to share a letter or a collection with the project? Learn more about contributing materials to Mobile Lifeworlds here.

Transcribe

Log in to your account if you are already part of our community of citizen scholars, or learn more about joining here. 

Browse

Consult lists of letters, collections, and family groups included within Mobile Lifeworlds.