German Colombians

### Regions with significant populations

Bogotá, Santander Department, Antioquia Department, Norte de Santander Department, Boyacá Department

### Languages

Colombian Spanish · German and German dialects

### Religions

Roman Catholicism · Protestantism (Lutheranism · Evangelicalism) · Judaism

**German Colombians** (German: *Deutschkolumbianer,* Spanish: *Germano-Colombianos)* are Colombian citizens of German ancestry. The term "German" may refer to ethnic Germans who immigrated to Colombia from Germany, Austria, France, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Switzerland, former Yugoslavia and elsewhere in Europe. Most German Colombians live in Bogotá, Santander Department, Antioquia Department, and other highland cities, where the climate is oceanic, similar to that of Germany. Germans have been immigrating to Colombia since at least 17th century. During World War II, thousands of Germans fled to Colombia.

## History

The first German immigrants arrived in the 16th century contracted by the Spanish Crown, and included explorers such as Ambrosio Alfinger. There was another wave of German immigrants at the end of the 19th and beginning of 20th century including Leo Siegfried Kopp, the founder of the famous Bavaria Brewery. SCADTA, a Colombian-German air transport corporation which was established by German expatriates in 1919, was the first commercial airline in the western hemisphere.

In recent years after the former president of Colombia signed the peace treaty that represented the armed conflict, the German immigration to Colombia has been increasing.

## German colony in Barranquilla

The German colony of Barranquilla was one of the most influential, as its works were decisive for the development of the Caribbean. They once owned the construction of the railway that connected the city with the port of Sabanilla, several shipping companies, commerce, insurance, a school, a club and a famous establishment where beer and sausages were consumed.

More importantly, the German colony founded one of the first commercial aviation companies in the world, the German Colombo Air Transport Company (Scadta), founded in 1919, whose name became Avianca when it was nationalized, during the World War II . The initial capital of the company was contributed by Werner Kemmerer, Alberto Tietjen and Stuart Hosie, among others. Subsequently, some capitalists, technical personnel and pilots came directly from Germany. Three of them were decorated with the Cruz de Boyacá: Guillermo Schnurbusch, Peter Paul von Bauer and Colonel Herbert Boy.

As important as the above have been the invaluable contributions of the Germans to the national culture. In the first place, travelers and scientists such as Alfred Hettner, Emil Grosse and Robert Scheibe-Vater enriched the knowledge of our geography and natural resources. Secondly, the role played by the three German pedagogical missions contracted by the national government (1872, 1924 and 1965) and the outstanding teaching work carried out by German scientists in our universities was fundamental.

## German influence in Colombia

The German presence is palpable in companies that still persist, such as Avianca, Bavaria and Locería Colombiana, or in their remarkable offspring. And it is no less so in its contributions to the culture and the scientific community, thanks to the recognition of our geography and natural resources, the training of the craftsmen, the development of the educational sector and the plastic arts.