On Friday, December 1st 2023, a group of fifty Shaker students from the German program took a field trip to Bethlehem, PA.
Bethlehem, dubbed as the “The Christmas City,” was the first permanent settlement of the Moravian community. Moravians were German-speaking Protestants who migrated to America in the early eighteenth century in search of social and economic opportunities and the promise of spreading their religious beliefs. The Moravian community shares many similarities with the Shaker community– a sect of mainstream Quakerism– which our very own Shaker High School is named after.
The group started their day with a guided tour of the historic sites of Bethlehem, such as the “Gemeinhaus,” also known as the Moravian Museum of Bethlehem. The Gemeinhaus, Bethlehem’s oldest building and a National Historic Landmark, houses a museum that preserves Moravian culture in Bethlehem. The structure served as a home, school, church, and workplace in the community’s early years. The group gained insight into Moravian culture and their progressive and technologically advanced nature. Matthias Bancroft, a senior at Shaker recalls how he was “fascinated by the advanced early engineering and infrastructure.’’ The Moravians had the first water pump system in the colonies and the first hospital with trained doctors.
Progressive for their time, the Moravians believed that women were equal in intellectual ability to men, and offered young women various educational opportunities. They were known for their egalitarian treatment of Native Americans and efforts to learn indigenous languages and cultures. Frau Connor, our German teacher at Shaker High, recognizes the distinctiveness of Moravian culture: “The Moravian settlers were progressive in so many areas – they believed in gender equality, pioneered many technical advances and also lived in a community with Native Americans. They went as far as learning Native languages and incorporating it into their sermons. I learn new surprising facts every year.”
The group went on to visit the Bethlehem Steel Mill, which at its peak, was the second biggest steel manufacturer in the United States.
From there, they explored the Christmas City, or “Christkindlmarkt.” The city, which resembles traditional Christmas markets in Germany, is regarded as one of the most authentic German Christmas markets in the United States.
The Christkindlmarkt was an immersive experience for many students, as they encountered traditional German food, drinks, singing, dancing, and decorations. Hannah Scheu, a junior at Shaker High remarks, “The preservation of authentic German culture and language was impressive. There was German everywhere!”
The group ended their eventful day with fun ice skating in Christmas City. Teagan Cody, a sophomore at Shaker says, “I liked the mix of activities – we did a historic tour, experienced an authentic German Christmas market, and did some fun ice skating!”
The group of Shaker students in the German program experienced German culture to its fullest and made unforgettable memories.
