The German city that birthed the Pennsylvania Dutch identity

Countries & Cities · Published 29 September 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Krefeld is often called the "Velvet and Silk City," but its most enduring export isn't fabric. In the 17th century, a group of religious refugees from this town fled to America, establishing an entire ethnic identity in Pennsylvania that still thrives today.

Krefeld’s economic rise was fueled by religious migration and industrial innovation. Starting in 1607, Mennonites—fleeing persecution in Roman Catholic territories—settled in the city under the tolerant rule of the House of Orange-Nassau. These refugees established a massive commercial network, specializing in linen manufacture during the 17th century and later pioneering the silk and velvet industries that gave the city its nickname.

The most significant cultural export occurred in 1683. A group known as the "Original 13"—consisting of twelve Mennonite-Quakers and one other family—left Krefeld to seek religious freedom in the American colonies. Invited by William Penn, they settled in Germantown (now part of Philadelphia). This migration served as the foundational spark for the Pennsylvania Dutch ethnic identity, a legacy that links this German city directly to the cultural fabric of the United States.

The city's industrial dominance was cemented by families like Von der Leyen. By 1763, their silk weaving factories employed half of Krefeld’s population of 6,082. While the town faced significant destruction during the Thirty Years' War and World War II—including a devastating firestorm in 1943—it remains a major rail hub today, balancing its medieval roots with modern architecture like Mies van der Rohe’s Haus Lange.

Krefeld also served as a center for Jewish life. By 1812, the town hosted 196 Jewish families and three banks. However, this history is marked by tragedy; during the November Pogroms of 1938, several synagogues were destroyed, and in 1941, over 1,000 Jews from Krefeld and nearby Duisburg were deported to Riga and murdered in the Rumbula forest massacre.

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