When we think of Germany we most often think of superior engineered automobiles, beer, steel, warm friendly people, and a host of other accomplishments. Although these may be true, allow me let you in on a little known contribution by one German immigrant who was ahead of his time, and to whom I am eternally grateful. His name is Alfred Dolge.
If it were not for Alfred Dolge I would not have the heartfelt memories of growing up in Dolgeville New York. Alfred Dolge's destiny was my destiny and my love and devotion for this small historical central NY village has always been with me, and will be until the day I die. The streets I stroll down in Dolgeville are my streets of memory lane. How sweet are the memories, I cannot begin to count them, and they will live in my heart forever.
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Born in Chemnitz, Saxony on December 22 1848, he entered into an apprenticeship into his fathers business at the age of 17 and pursued his high school studies at night. He came to what was at that time called 'Brockett's Bridge' in 1874 in search of a suitable location for felt manufacturing. He would often take the train from N.Y.C. to Little Falls and snow shoe to Brockett's Bridge, where he felt he had come home to his native Germany.
In 1887 the citizens in this small community which grew from around 320 to over 2,000, unanimously petitioned Washington to change the name to Dolgeville. At that time in upstate N.Y.'s history, Alfred Dolge's contributions to America were born.
His philosophy was inspired by the readings of other great men of his timeand Alfred instituted a form of what we now call social security, for at that time his dream was to create an idealistic utopia. His philosophy developed further when around 1876 he began to set up a pension plan, which later on added life insurance, paid by the employer. It was also at that time that he instituted a program of earning-sharing,whereby an employee received a portion of his earnings according to his contribution in brains or the value of his work. These earnings were not to be turned over until retirement, but was to be re-invested. These brilliant ideas earned him global attention. Where's Alfred when you need him?
A German immigrants contributions to America? Priceless.
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