German-Brazilian: Encyclopedia II - German-Brazilian - German colonisation in Brazil

German-Brazilian - German colonisation in Brazil

During the 19th century, German immigrants in Brazil settled mostly in rural areas, named colony (colônia in Portuguese). These colonies had been created by the Brazilian government, and the lands were distributed between the immigrants. They had to construct their own houses and cultive the land. The immigration started in 1824, when the first group of Germans arrived in Brazil to São Leopoldo, in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil, after 4 months travelling. They were in total 39 people, being 33 Lutherans and 6 Catholics. Germans came to Brazil to work as farmers, because there were many lands without workers. The Brazilian government had promised large lands to attract the immigrants, where they could settle with their families and colonizate the region. In fact, these lands were in the middle of big forests and the first Germans had been abandoned by the Brazilian Government. The first years were not easy. Many Germans died of tropical disease, others left the colony to find better life conditions. In fact, the German colony of São Leopoldo was a disaster. However, in the next years, other 8.000 Germans arrived to São Leopoldo, and then the colony started to be developed and then the immigrants stabilished the town of Novo Hamburgo (New Hamburg). From São Leopoldo and Novo Hamburgo, the German immigrants spread themselves into others areas of Rio Grande do Sul, mainly close to spring of rivers. All the region of Vale dos Sinos has been populated by Germans. During the 1830's and part of 1840's, German immigration to Brazil was interrupeted due to conflicts in the country (War of the Farrapos). The immigration restarted after 1845, with the creation of new colonies. The most importat ones were Blumenau, in 1850, and Joinville in 1851, both in Santa Catarina state and brought thousands German immigrants to the region. Nowadays, these areas of German Colonization are the wealthiest ones of Brazil, with the lowest levels of unemployment and illiterates found in the country and still remain a strong influence from the German culture.

Until the end of the 19th century, 122 German colonies were created in Rio Grande do Sul, and many others in Santa Catarina, Paraná, São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro. Germans had stabilished the first middle-class population of Brazil, in a country divided between slaves and their masters.

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "German colonisation in Brazil", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki