I run into folks all the time that if they are not at all of German ancestry themselves will say tome something like, "You know my husband's grandmother was German." Many will mention that one of their neighbors or close friends have a German surname. Others will reference their affection of good German food from a local German Restaurant, or an old family recipe. There is certainly talk always of what is their favorite German import beer.

Of course the discussion of what is the best German import automobile soon follows.

It's always fun for me to listen about their trips to Germany too for either business related trips, or simply vacationing for pleasure. I get this alot from ex-military personnel.

I think the best discussions however stem from the experiences of people at any Oktoberfest celebration either in Munich itself,
or at some other Oktoberfest celebration event within the USA.

The amazing thing is all these impromtu discusssions eventually leads you to ponder, "Just what exactly defines a true definition of a German-American?" Is it a German native coming to America eventually gaining citizenship... or an American (no matter what the percentage) with true German ancestry bloodlines?"

Definition: 

You will also occassionally encounter individuals that claim to be of German ancestry stating, "I am actually part German, part English, part French and a little Cherokee Indian."

Guess what… you’re still regarded as a German-American by most counts and you’re at the right place to discover what the German side of your heritage has to offer... or a significant portion of it! 

While exploring GermanNationUSA it's important to note:

• It doesn’t matter if you can speak any German or not.
• It doesn’t matter if you have been to Germany or not. 
• It doesn’t matter whether you have any German
  blood flowing through your own body or not.
• Like bratwurst? Okay you're QUALIFIED & CONFIRMED
  to have fun within this website!

Personal Bio

I Brian Hingst was born in the great plains region of the USA in Sioux City, Iowa being one of eleven (ten surviving) children.

Soon after my first birthday, my family relocated to Wichita, Kansas where most of us Hingsters were raised. Of course my older siblings would say that I was born in a basement and never brought up! True. true.

After my formidable college years in Kansas, I spent a few years living in beautiful sun drenched Sarasota, Florida before moving and eventually settling in the great state of Tennessee residing
in Murfreesboro located just outside Nashville Music City USA!

I am married to a lovely woman for just over twenty years now who is the most supportive, compassionate person I've ever known. She is simply amazing and makes each day we spend together feel like the first.

My wife and I are also proud parents of a beautiful and very
bright daughter who has blessed us in so many ways... too
many to count!

My great grandparents on my father's side, and their children (including my grandfather as a young boy) emigrated to America in the spring of 1882 hailing from Seelent-Holstein, Germany.

The town of Seelent (now spelled Selent) is located in the most northern region of Germany near the Baltic Sea and is the home
of the Blomenburg Castle (hunting lodge/resort) in which I have discovered was partially still under construction in its final phase when my great grandparents emigrated to America.

On my mothers side I am part English, Irish and I understand that I have some Scott in me as well. I guess that's why I celebrate St Patrick's Day listening to bagpipe music, wearing a plaided kilt and drinking green beer with English tea chasers past midnite.

Of course I do this all the while going under the assumed name of O'Brian McHingster!

Anyhow back to the German side... We German-Americans are a very proud and passionate bunch that love to really embrace our common German ancestry and experience all the cultural customs and traditions it has to offer.

Including myself, many of us German-Americans are considered by German natives as "a work in progress" while trying to figure this whole German heritage thing out.

Again this is why GermanNationUSA was created... to help guide anyone else going down the same path along the way!
 

The origin of Hingstoberfest

In my own way to embrace a part of my German heritage... in the fall of 1995 I initiated my first inaugural Oktoberfest celebration get together between family, friends and neighbors as more of a goodwill gesture to celebrate community and fellowship within the neighborhood building endearing lifetime friendships.

This was a true and sincere Gemütlichkeit (goodwill, coziness)German traditional offering to create a good-time get together!

Because I had a fitting German surname of Hingst, I decided to improvise and use it as the headline title of my German themed fall cook-out event celebration. At that point a mere Oktoberfest themed gathering was transformed into:
 
HINGSTOBERFEST

If you choose not to utilize your own surname into the title of your own fest celebration, you could always use other related or common words starting with the original Oktoberfest, octoberfest, or use words like: wurstfest, neighborhoodfest, strudelfest, or krautfest, bratfest, bierfest, festfest,  beerfest. Getting creative you can also imrovise and use names like cornholefest, bmwfest, polkafest,  Ompah pah festor even a (team_name)fest!

I think you get the idea by now!

Here's some suggestions and tips to make your home Oktoberfest celebration event a very fun and worthwhile celebration for all that attend. This list includes:

• A personalized party title by inserting your SURNAME in the blank proceeding _______toberfest.
• Making the _______toberfest mandatory in October only. forget starting in September like the real Oktoberfest otherwise my party would be called  Hingstemberfest!
• Plan on Brats, Beer (German imports) and football. Great for a Saturday afternoon (college football games and ample next day recovery time) or Sundays rooting for your most local or favorite NFL team!
• Have some common German food side dishes like bratwurst, sauerkraut, red cabbage, pretzels, German potatoe salad, cheese, pickles and rye bread. Varieties of each is good.
• Order some Oktoberfest decorations in advance which are typically affordable and if ordered online can be shipped to you as early as next day delivery.
• You can always theme your combo party/cook-out/festival simply with fall /autumn colors of yellow and orange and browns. Then you can add in a bale or two of straw, a pumpkin, some gourds and a few corn stalks would be considered a nice touch.
• It would be really great to purchase some white and blue (bavarian blue) balloons and also a USA, German and Bavarian flags to create the themed atmosphere.
• You can easily locate and access amazon.com online stores like Shop4GermanGifts to purchase numerous OKTOBERFEST decorations, party favors, costumes, hats, signs, banners and anything else to make your home fest a success!
• Be innovative and create some German-American recipes on your own like appetizers, a punch and desserts.
• A party without some MUSIC is not a party... even with a football game as a focal point, you gotta have some actual authentic Oktoberfest Oompah pah polka music playing from a CD boom box to create the perfect Oktoberfest ambience.
• The Chicken Dance once or twice is a must during your party... also do the Oktoberfest Gratitude Dance set to the classic Clarinet Polka song for lots of smiles and laughs!
• For the top German-American party game to play is of course is the CORN HOLE (bag toss) game that actually has German-American origins out of Cincinnati, Ohio.
• If you do not schedule your own FEST party until the end of October... you can incorporate a holiday side theme of Halloween into the mix with costumes, foods and some candy corn, an original German-American innovation from the 1880's

I personally created some fantastic recipes for my Hingstoberfest that include a new German-American Potatoe Salad and a unique German theme appetizer called Schwine Stiks (spare ribs) that has a flavorable honey-ginger dipping sauce. Of course I also grill up a few ever popular Bier Hendl Chickens (beer can chicken) with an easy dry rub recipe that always fun to prep and a delight to eat!

You can see all the details of exactly what you need to create and host your own German themed celebration party by clicking this link Party German Style or the same name tab in the left side panel.