Bio:: Dr. Wolfgant Grams is an author, curator, researcher, planner of heritage projects, and travel professional. He started "Routes to the Roots – Research and Travel” in 1996, then as a professor at the Political Science Department at Oldenburg University and has carried out many pilot projects in German American studies, heritage and documentation. Dr. Grams was an academic adviser for the German Emigration Center Bremerhaven, research consultant for Ancestry.com in Germany over many years, conducts heritage tours, and teaches workshops and seminars.

 

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Program Description: Friedrich Missler was General Agent of the North German Lloyd and by the 1880s operated a huge network of agencies, routes, hostels and services all over Europe. Before Albert Ballin was promoted General Manager of the Hamburg America Line he was likewise a travel agent. Missler sold approx. 1.8 million tickets to America, Ballin built the Hamburg emigration facilities at the Veddel and both represent pace and mobility to become the 19th-century industrial answers to a social phenomenon: emigration to America. Their surprisingly complete networks brought passengers "just in time" from the most remote places in Europe to the ports and onto new shores. But as early as the 1820's so-called "agents" were likewise highly influential for the spread of "emigration fever" and finally became predecessors of today's travel agencies. Earlier examples are presented with the Linnenschmidt inn at Venne/Osnabrück, the Taphorn place at Essen/Oldenburg and an agency based in the city of Mainz. Surviving documents of agents like Missler, Ballin, Linnenschmidt and Co. are valuable resources for research and documentation.