The German Society of Maryland

The purpose of the German Society of Maryland is to preserve and promote the German heritage, language and traditions through educational, social, and benevolent programs; and to develop the unity and continuity of the German American community in the State of Maryland.

The German Society is one of the oldest institutions in America. It was organized in 1783 to protect and assist German-speaking immigrants. It received its charter from the Maryland legislature in 1817. In the 1800s it was the social service agency of the State of Maryland, which provided aid to German immigrants. In the early 1900s it persuaded Congress to enact national laws for the protection of immigrants.