200 years of German immigrants - Timber-frame construction, beer and apple strudel in Brazil
In Ob Nova Hamburgo, Nova Friburgo or São Leopoldo: German immigrants have left their traces in the city names of Brazil. Pomerode was founded by Pomeranian settlers and refers to itself due to the predominantly German-descended population as "the most German city in Brazil". And São Leopoldo in the south of Brazil is known as "the cradle of German immigration in Brazil" - the first of them arrived here exactly 200 years ago.
Thousands of people emigrated to Brazil back then in search of a better life. Harvest failures and lack of prospects had driven them to take the long journey. At the same time, Brazil was particularly looking for new settlers in the south of the country, as this region had not been colonized yet and newcomers were supposed to build infrastructure there.
A large immigration festival was supposed to take place in São Leopoldo for this anniversary - it was cancelled. The devastating floods that had nearly engulfed the entire state of Rio Grande do Sul almost three months ago and had cost at least 182 lives made it impossible.
Numerous smaller events are taking place in several cities in Brazil instead. But what traces have the Germans really left in the largest country in Latin America?
German Tradition
Approximately six million Brazilians have German ancestors, as the Consul General in São Paulo, Martina Hackelberg, says. That's about three percent of the population. It started with 300,000 to 400,000 German-speaking immigrants who came to Brazil in various waves of immigration, as historian and emeritus university professor Martin Dreher relates. The Brazilian himself is of German descent. German-speaking refers to the fact that among them were not only people from the area of the current Federal Republic, but also Germans from Russia or from Austria-Hungary.
The newcomers on the other side of the Atlantic maintained their traditions, founding among other things singing, rifle and gymnastics clubs. One of the most famous German traditions: the Oktoberfest in Blumenau. The city in the southern state of Santa Catarina shows some German traces with its numerous timber-frame houses.
This year, the second largest Oktoberfest in the world is celebrating its 40-year anniversary. People in costumes and dirndls, specialties such as spätzle, pretzels, stuffed baked potatoes, bratwurst and of course Munich beer - it's almost like on the Theresienwiese, but in Portuguese. It's no wonder that almost all the first breweries in Brazil had German origins and were founded in the 19th century. The Instituto Martius-Staden promotes the cultural exchange between the two countries.
German Language
According to the German embassy, Brazil is today the country with the most German speakers outside Europe. An estimated two million Brazilians speak High German and its dialects, according to the Martius-Staden Institute. "In my community, where I come from, you can still meet many people who speak Hunsrückish," Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul professor Gerson Neumann relates.
He comes from a small town in the interior, about 100 kilometers from Porto Alegre, the capital of the state of Rio Grande do Sul. In the immediate vicinity, many still spoke Westphalian. In towns like Pomerode in the state of Santa Catarina or in places in the state of Espirito Santo near Rio de Janeiro, Pommeranian was spoken.
Influences from Portuguese have shaped German dialects and vice versa. An example: For dessert, one often enjoys "Cuca," a new formation of the German word "Kuchen," and complements their bread with "Schmier," a Hunsrückish expression for fruit confiture, Neumann explains.
According to the Martius-Staden-Institute, there are around 350 public and state schools and approximately 60 universities in Brazil that offer German instruction.
German Institutions
Germans also established numerous institutions such as schools, hospitals, charities, and chambers of commerce, which became permanent fixtures in Brazilian society. Where they settled, there was practically no illiteracy left, as Dreher explains. "The Germans were also the first to introduce kindergartens in Brazil," the historian adds. "And in Rio Grande do Sul, one cannot imagine the healthcare system without the hospitals that were founded by the Germans."
Brazil's most famous architect, Oscar Niemeyer, has a German name due to his German roots. One encounters his buildings in Rio de Janeiro, New York, or Berlin, among other places. His most famous project is Brasilia's planned capital city, which was built in under four years and declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
German Companies
Brazil is Germany's most important trading partner in South America and the only strategic partner of Germany in Latin America and the Caribbean. The collaboration is intended to be further expanded on bilateral and multilateral issues.
Large German companies settled in the 1950s and contributed to the development of the Brazilian industry. According to the Industry and Trade Chamber (IHK), around 1,300 German companies have their headquarters in Brazil, primarily in the greater São Paulo area, as the largest German economic center outside of Germany.
In 2022, imports from Germany to Brazil totaled over 12.89 billion Euros. This primarily involved machinery, vehicles and automotive parts, as well as chemical and pharmaceutical products. Imports into Germany amounted to 9.17 billion Euros in the same year. The main imports were mineral and plant products, food, beverages, and tobacco.
- Despite the cancellation of the anniversary festival in São Leopoldo due to flooding, smaller events are happening in various cities across Brazil, showcasing the German influence.
- The city of Blumenau in Santa Catarina, Brazil, celebrates its 40-year anniversary of the second largest Oktoberfest in the world, a testament to the strong German influence in the country.
- Approximately six million Brazilians have German ancestry, making up about three percent of the population, according to the Consul General in São Paulo.
- German immigrants, including those from Russia and Austria-Hungary, left their marks on Brazilian society by establishing institutions such as schools, hospitals, and charities.
- Despite the influence of Portuguese on German dialects, German traditions like Oktoberfest and foods like spätzle, pretzels, and bratwurst are still celebrated in Brazil.
- In October, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, honors its German-descended population with various events, despite the floods that devastated the region earlier this year.
- The city of Pomerode in Santa Catarina, founded by Pomeranian settlers, is known as the "most German city in Brazil" due to its predominantly German-descended population.
- Besides Germany, Brazil has strong economic ties with other Latin American countries such as Argentina and Mexico, making it an important player in Latin America.
