German-American Encounters – 250 Years of Shared Histories
Oct 05, 2026 | 6pm
Panel Discussion at United Church (1920 G St NW, Washington, DC 20006) | Panelists: Katja Sipple (German-American Heritage Foundation), Shirley Gindler-Price (Founding President, Black German Cultural Society), and Maria Sturm (German Society of Pennsylvania); Moderator: Raphael Rössel (GHI Washington)
To mark the 250th anniversary of the U. S. Declaration of Independence, this event explores the histories of German Americans, from early migration waves to present-day transatlantic connections. German immigration has left an indelible mark on U.S. society. In census data released in 2023, over 41 million Americans reported Germany ancestry. This panel discussion, moderated by Raphael Rössel, brings together experts on German immigration to the United States whose own biographies are shaped by German-American history. The discussion will examine the changing circumstances and motivations behind German migration to the United States. It also explores the lives of migrants. What did it mean to be German in the United States at different points in time?
Doors open at 5:30pm. There will be a light reception following the event.
Organizered by Raphael Rössel & Jana Dunz-Keck (GHI Washington)
Panelists
Katja Sipple is a nonprofit leader with two decades of experience in organizational development. After her undergraduate studies in Virginia, she pursued a master’s degree in political science at the Bayerische Julius-Maximilians-Universität in Würzburg, where she also began her career as a journalist for a daily newspaper. After returning to the United States, Ms. Sipple was responsible for media relations at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta, Ga. before moving to Seattle, Wash. where she was director of media relations for the University of Washington School of Law. In 2005, she moved back to the East Coast, and established an outreach and development program at the German School Washington, DC while simultaneously pursuing another master’s degree in international relations at American University. She has ample experience in fundraising and membership management. Ms. Sipple is married and has a daughter.
Dr. Maria Sturm received her PhD in American History from the University of Cologne, Germany. For many years, she served on the Board of the German Society of Pennsylvania, including six years as the VP for Culture and Heritage. Currently, she is on the Board of Historic Trappe, an organization devoted to the legacy of the Muhlenberg family. She’s also still a member of the Library and Language Committees at the German Society. In addition, she was a co-founder of PhillyKinder, an after-school language program for heritage speakers of German. In 2024, she received the AATG Friend of German Award.
Shirley Gindler-Price was born in Nuremberg, Germany, and lived in Ansbach with her Mutti until age three, when African American military parents adopted her. She grew up on U.S. military bases in Germany and across the United States. She is the founding president of Black German Cultural Society Inc.™ (BGCS), which serves as a resource for adults who, like her, were born in post–World War II Germany as U.S. Occupation children later adopted by American families. Through BGCS, Shirley has raised awareness of the lesser-known history of German-born “Brown Babies” through presentations and exhibits at venues such as the Lutheran Seminary, Salem Baptist Church, and Philadelphia’s annual African American Cultural and History Showcase. Shirley recently received recognition of her German citizenship and is now a dual citizen of Germany and the U.S.