NOTE:
During the CAP project to reconstruct I95 in center city Philadelphia, the Exile marker near the Independence Seaport Museum has been removed and put into storage by the construction company. They will reinstall it along Walnut Walk at conclusion of the project, hopefully Spring 2028.
Check out:
Annual Meeting Programs 1921 to present
Schwenkfelders in Pennsylvania/Pennsylvania State Senate Honors Schwenkfelder
Annual Day of Remembrance (Gedächtnistag)
September 24, 2014
About Us/Background of The Exile Herald
The Exile Herald was an early publication (April 29, 1921 to January 1954)
of the Exile Society which contained scholarly papers presented at their meetings
About Us/Table of Contents for The Exile Herald
Links to PDF copies of The Exile Herald
Projects/Genealogical Record
You can now complete on-line and print out a
Schwenkfelder Families Genealogical Record Supplement sheet,
save as a PDF file, and email to us at:
exile@schwenkfelder.org
* * * * *
The primary objectives of this Society are:
· The preservation of the history of the Schwenkfeldian religious exiles and their descendants in America.
· The promotion of social interaction among its members.
The Society of the Descendants of the Schwenkfeldian Exiles is not officially affiliated with the Schwenkfelder denomination, a religious body with four churches in Pennsylvania located in Philadelphia, East Norriton, Worcester, and Palm, although some Society members are also active members of the Schwenkfelder denomination. The Society does, however, work with the denomination and the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, 105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg, PA 18073, in its efforts to preserve the Schwenkfelder beliefs and history.
Become a member! Download our Exile Society Membership Form.
Schwenkfeldian Exile Society | 105 Seminary Street | Pennsburg, PA 18073
Phone: 215-679-3103 | Fax: 215-679-8175 | Email: exile@schwenkfelder.org
* * *
2026 Exile Society Annual Fall Meeting & Presentation
Sunday, October 25, 2026
2:00 p.m. – Annual Fall Meeting
2:30 p.m. – “The Pennsylvania-German in the Revolutionary War, 1775-1783” presented by Edward W. Johnson. Ed is a retired teacher who taught for 35 years in the Pennridge School District. He has been a member of Goschenhoppen Historians, Inc. since 1992 and has served as its president since 1999. He is an avid reader and does some woodturning in his spare time.
Pennsylvania Germans played a prominent role in winning independence from Great Britain. From the siege of Boston to the Philadelphia Campaign to Yorktown, they fought bravely and with distinction. From powder mill operators along the Swamp Creek to wagoners to bakers, they also were vital in supplying the needs of the Continental Army. Even pacifists were called upon to support the cause by providing hospital care for wounded and sick soldiers.
Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center, 105 Seminary Street, Pennsburg, PA 18073
* * *
OTHER EVENTS OF INTEREST TO
SCHWENKFELDER DESCENDANTS
Annual Salford Pilgrimage
6:00 p.m., Sunday, June 7, 2026
Salford Schwenkfelder Meetinghouse, Fretz Road, Lower Salford Township, PA
Ice cream social to follow
Gedächtnistag (Annual Day of Remembrance)
3:00 p.m., Sunday, September 27, 2026
Location: Schwenkfelder Missionary Church, 29 Tulpehocken Street, Philadelphia, PA
This traditional service of Thanksgiving is the oldest continuous celebration of thanks in the United States. It commemorates the arrival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on September 13, 1734, of some 180 Schwenkfelder immigrants fleeing persecution in their native homelands of Silesia, Germany. Upon arrival, they paused to give thanks to God for the safe arrival to a place where they would find freedom to practice their faith as they pleased. Every year since, the Schwenkfelders gather to remember their faith and reflect upon their struggles and opportunities. Following the service, the day concludes with a traditional meal of bread, butter, apple butter, and water – a reminder of that very first gathering in 1734.
* * *
Society of the Descendants of the Schwenkfeldian E 
Are Copys of Adolf Pannash Painting available for purchas? My Grandfather X6TH came over on that ship in 1737.
Michael Beckel (Tobias Bockell)
Copies of the Pannash print, “The Landing of the Schwenckfelders from the St. Andrew” (shown under above tab: Schwenkfelders in Pennsylvania) are available through the Schwenkfelder Library & Heritage Center (www.schwenkfelder.com or call 215-679-3103) for a cost of $3.00 + PA tax $0.18 (if PA resident) + $1.50 S/H per print.