About
Born in Bavaria, Peter immigrated to the United States in 1889. Within several years he became involved with German language newspapers in Peoria and Rock Island, Illinois. In 1907 Peter moved to Omaha, Nebraska and opened a newspaper called the Omaha Tribüne. Within several years he consolidated it with several other German language newspapers from across the state. The Omaha Tribüne became highly influential within a few years.
Peter was a devout Roman Catholic, an Elk, and a number of social and charitable German immigrant organizations in Omaha. In November 1910 Peter founded and became the president of the Nebraska chapter of the National German-American Alliance. Using his position as publisher and editor of the Omaha Tribüne, Peter followed the NGAA's policy against Prohibition and rallied against Nebraskan politicians and policies he saw as working against the distribution of alcohol.
An active businessman, Peter continued buying and consolidating other German language newspapers throughout the Midwest for several years. His dominance of the German language newspaper industry in the United States was established by the 1930s. After spending 50 years operating the only German newspapers in the U.S., Peter's company sold its final publications in 1982.
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