German Population: Regional Distribution--Latin America


Figure 1.-- Argentina had a substantial German population in the early-29th century. This German family emigrated to Argentina and was living there at the turn-of-the 20th century. The picture is undated but from the dress, we would think it was taken about 1905-10. Note the wide white collar on the boy's sailor suit. He also wears knee pants and long black stockings. The family was living in Patagonia--the southern part of ARgentina. A World War I naval battle was fought in the South Atlantic off the Falklands. Many expatriats (British, French, and German) returned to Europe to fight in the War. Each of the communities and the Italians when that country entered the War pressed for Argentine paricipation. Argentina remained neutral and prospered from increased export sales.

Germans began emigrating to Latin America after the wars of independence of the early-19th century and the various countries became independent. Garmans especially Protestant Germans were unwelcomed during the era of Spanish colonial vontrol. The agricultural colonisation movement, which involved mostly German- and Italian farmers began in the 1820s and continued on a modest scale well into the 20th century. Most of thevimmigrants came from rural areas. These were often small farmers and farm labourers who had suffered from advances in agricultural technology during the 19th century. At the same time, economic hardships, including unemployment and crop failures, promted emigration. Another factor was the desire to avoid wars and military conscription. Emigration began in increase dramatically (1870s). The development of steam ships significatly reduced the cost of passage making trans-Atlantic migation more feasible. Most German emigrants went to the United States at this time, but a substantial number went to Brazil. Some government entities encouraged the poor to emigrate. Emigrants from rural areas arrived after the failed 1848 revolutions. Over 8.8 million Germans live in South America. Most German emigrants went to South America, especially Brazil. The Colon System in Brazil provided state-paid sea passages for families (1880s-20s). Immigrants were guaranteed a complex wage and piece work payment system. The immigrants partially replaced the slaves after abolition (1888). The German population is about 7 million, mostly located in the southern part of the country. About 1.2 million people of German ancestry live in Argentina. Chile has 0.2 million and Paraguay 0.2 million. In Central America and the Caribbean region we find 59,000 Germans and their descendants.

Argentina

German are an important part of the Argentine ethic mix. Here we are talking about ethnic Germans which include immigrants from the many German communities located outside the German empire which only came into existence in 1871. Some of these people were ethnically German, but varied culturally. One such group was the Volga Germans from Russia. Most German emigration to Argentina occurred after the creation of the German Empire. The initial German emogration to South America was largely to Brazil and Chile. Subsequently German emigrants began reaching Argentina. We are not entirely sure why Germans chose South America rather than North America. Of course in the late-19th century, the political and economic future of North and South America was not altogether clear. We suspect that religion was a factor and that many Germans immigrats to South america were Catholic. Today in Argentina, Germans constiture the third largest ethnic group in Argentina. Over 2 million Argentines have Volga German ancestors and this is of course is only part of the vGerman immigrant commi\unity. Germans make up an important part of the country's professionals and technicians (doctors, bureaucrats, teachers, sciebtusts, and soldiers). Germans have influenced the Argentine education system. Immigrants founded a number of schools. German immigrants in the late-19th and early-20th century were convinced that Argentina was industrializing and would become a modern country on the level of European nations. Buoyed by export sales to Europe during World War I, this almost occurred. Ecnomists debate why it did not occur. Many focus on the popularist policies which undermined the private sector. About 1.2 million people of German ancestry live in Argentina (2000).

Bolivia


Brazil

Germnan emigration to Brazil began to increase dramatically (1870s). The development of steam ships significatly reduced the cost of passage making trans-Atlantic migation more feasible. Most German emigrants went to the United States at this time, but a substantial number went to Brazil. Some government entities encouraged the poor to emigrate. Emigrants from urban areas arrived after the failed 1848 revolutions. Over 8.8 million Germans live in South America. Most German emigrants to Latin America went to South America, especially Brazil. The Colon System in Brazil provided state-paid sea passages for families (1880s-20s). Immigrants were guaranteed a complex wage and piece work payment system. The immigrants partially replaced the slaves after abolition (1888). The German population is about 7 million, mostly located in the southern part of the country. The German population was of some concern to the United States during World War II. Brazil became, however, a valuable ally in the fight againt NAZI Germany. Some NAZIs hid out in Brazil after the War. The most notorious was SS Doctor Josef Mengele. The Germans in Brazil did not assimilate for many years. This began to change after the War. A reader writes, "In 1990 I went to the Oktoberfest in Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brazil, a German settlement in the country. This festival is the biggest after the one in Munich. People come from all over South America. I saw buses from Uruguay and Argentina. The states Santa Catarina, Rio Grande do Sul and Paraná, all in the South of Brazil, have large German populations. Super model Gisele Bündchen is from that area. She does not speak German anymore, like most of the other German-descended people in Brazil. The last German daily newspaper, the Deutsche Volkszeitung, ceased publication the year I was there (1990). Now they are just Brazilians with German names like Oscar Niemeyer, the famous architect of the capital Brasilia."

Chile

Chile has 0.2 million Germans.

Paraguay

Paraguay has about 0.2 million Germans.

Other

Scatered around Central America and the Caribbean region we find about 60,000 Germans and their descendants. In the Caribbean German emigration was limited by the fact that the islands were British, Danish Dutch, French, and Sopanish (until 1898). Only Haiti was indepedendent and Germans did not choose to a black ruled country.






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Created: 12:21 AM 2/4/2010
Last updated: 2:09 AM 2/4/2010