 In the early 18th century, continued French invasions combined with a record cold winter led many people from the Palatinate, including Runkel an Lahn, to emigrate down the Rhine River, then to England in 1709.There were so many refugees from the German Palatine region that the English government set up a tent city for the winter outside the London walls.In 1710 ten English ships carried nearly 3,000 Germans to the colony of New York.