Journey to Brazil: A History of the Migrations of German Speakers

In Brazil, German-speaking immigration officially began in 1824, in São Leopoldo, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. July 25th is celebrated as German Immigration Day.

It was in the northeast that the first privately organized German-speaking settlements in Brazil were established. The first private  colony was founded in 1818 in southern Bahia.

Rio de Janeiro was, for a long time, the main port of entry for immigrants in Brazil. In the state of Rio de Janeiro, the Swiss colony in Nova Friburgo was founded in 1818 and colonization began in Petrópolis in 1837.

Blumenau, established in 1850 by Hermann Blumenau, received immigrants from Schleswig-Holstein, Mecklenburg, Saxony, Brandenburg, Silesia, Thuringia and Braunschweig, as well as migrants from São Pedro de Alcântara, and originated colonies such as Pomerode.

Between 1827 and 1829, German immigrants arrived in the province of São Paulo and settled in the regions of Santo Amaro, Itapecerica da Serra, Rio Negro and Cubatão.

The colony of Rio Negro, in the state of Paraná, was founded in 1829. German Jews fleeing Nazism, Germans persecuted by the same regime and descendants of colonies from the state of Rio Grande do Sul arrived in Rolândia in 1932.

In the 19^th century, the state of Espírito Santo was also colonized by German speakers.

Many Germans were sent to the state of Minas Gerais, mainly as farmers for the coffee plantations, establishing colonies in Mar de Espanha, João Pinheiro, Água Limpa, among others. The colonies of Juiz de Fora and Teófilo Otoni stand out.

In Brazil, women faced challenges in establishing their families in unfamiliar lands, but they played essential roles as teachers, midwives, catechists and in the creation of villages, schools, social associations and religious communities.

A striking feature of German-speaking immigration in Brazil was the creation of community and denominational schools.

In areas where German-speaking immigrants settled, illiteracy was practically non-existent. This was due to the positive impact of community and denominational schools.

Industrialization in Brazil began in immigration areas and significantly transformed the country’s economy. Several notable companies have their roots in German immigration.

With German immigration, Brazil experimented with a new agricultural model. The basis of this model was the “picada”, a form of social organization that determined the development of small communities that were self-sufficient and autonomous.

Festivals and periodic celebrations were part of the calendar of festivities throughout the year. Carnival, for example, was considered an  important event in the social life of immigrants.

Since their arrival, Germans have practiced sports such as gymnastics, fencing, swimming, shooting and, later, soccer.

Despite initial access to land, scarcity led subsequent generations to further migrations, which contributed to the formation of Brazil’s cultural diversity.

The German dialects, especially Hunsrückisch, led to a rich linguistic and cultural fusion. Today, between 1 and 2 million Brazilians still speak standard German and its dialects such as Hunsrückisch, Pommersch and Westphalian.

Current relations between Brazil and Germany are particularly close and are based on mutual trust. The reciprocal diplomatic visits are proof of this.