The Global Footprint: A Tour of German Speakers Around the World

In a world of approximately 7,150 languages, some are fading while others are expanding their horizons. Language is not just a means of communication; it reflects a culture. The Inuktitut, for instance, use over a dozen words for snow, as it's a core part of their life. While some languages, like Busuu in Cameroon (reportedly spoken by only three people), are endangered, German is gaining more second-language speakers than ever before.

The Heartland: German in Europe

With around 135 million speakers worldwide (as a first or second language), German is the 12th most spoken language globally. However, in Europe, it holds a special status as the most widely spoken native language.

• Official Language In: Germany (80 million speakers), Austria (9 million), Switzerland (5 million), Belgium (77,000), Luxembourg (500,000), and Liechtenstein (30,000).
• Recognized Minority Language In: Czechia, Hungary, Italy (South Tyrol), Poland, Romania, Russia, and Slovakia.
• Other Significant Communities: Large German-speaking communities also exist in France, England, Denmark, Sweden, Russia, Italy, Croatia, and Finland, bringing the total in Europe to approximately 105 million speakers.

Furthermore, German is an official language in many vital international institutions, including the European Union, the European Commission, the European Space Agency, and the European Patent Office.

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The German Diaspora: A Global Story

The term "German Diaspora" refers to German-speaking people living outside the core European countries. Centuries of migration have sown the seeds of German language and culture across the globe.

In Asia: A Tsar's Invitation and a Search for Refuge

Why did Germans go to Russia, Kazakhstan, and Israel? During the reign of Catherine the Great (1762-1796), millions of Germans were invited to Russia, promised farmland and a better life to help develop the empire. After the collapse of the Soviet Union in the 1990s, many returned to Germany, but around 400,000 decided to stay in Russia. Another 400,000 Germans were forcibly relocated to Kazakhstan during World War II. For religious reasons and due to rising anti-Semitism, around 100,000 German Jews also migrated to Israel.

In North America: The Pursuit of Opportunity

Why did Germans go to North America? Throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries, Germans migrated to the USA and Canada, primarily due to poor farming opportunities and religious persecution in Europe. Today, around 1.4 million people in the USA and Canada speak German as their mother tongue. This led to unique dialects like **Texasdeutsch** and **Pennsylvania Dutch**. Later, the liberal policies of Mexican President Porfirio Díaz also attracted German settlers, and today around 200,000 people in Mexico speak German.

In South America: A New Home in the Southern Hemisphere

Why did Germans go to South America? Starting in the 19th century, Germans migrated in large numbers, welcomed by political elites who believed in the myth of the "Protestant work ethic." Hermann-Otto Blumenau, for example, settled in Brazil in the 1850s, spreading German culture. The city of Blumenau still hosts a massive Oktoberfest celebration. After WWII, some Nazi Germans also fled to South America. Today, over 2 million German speakers reside in South America, with the largest community in Brazil (1.5 million).

In Africa: The Colonial Legacy

Why did Germans go to Africa? The Berlin Conference of 1884-85 formalized European colonization. Namibia, Cameroon, parts of Togo and Ghana, Burundi, Rwanda, and Tanzania were all German colonies. After the Treaty of Versailles in 1919, Germany lost these colonies, but a cultural and linguistic footprint remains. In Namibia, around 11,200 people still speak German, and due to migration, about 12,000 people speak a German variety in South Africa (home to a place called "Sauerkraut Hill").

When German settlers move, they bring their culture. This is vividly seen in the architecture of places like Blumenau, Brazil, and Lüderitz, Namibia, which resemble traditional German towns like Rothenburg.