| Most German-Brazilians speak only Portuguese | | | | elected by a vast majority and during the Geisel |
| nowadays. However, German was still spoken by | | | | administration, Brazil imported technology from |
| over 600,000 Brazilians, as first or second | | | | Germany to install nuclear power plants that gave |
| language according to 2005 survey. | | | | Brazil a regional superpower status. |
| German influence can still be seen all across the | | | | Germans participated actively in the |
| southern states, be it in architecture, shops, and | | | | industrialization and development of big cities such |
| town names or in the way of life. Many German | | | | as Curitiba and Porto Alegre in Brazil. |
| schools have re-opened during the 50s and are | | | | Many Brazilian towns were built under German |
| regarded as some of the best places to send | | | | architecture and many aspects of the Brazilian |
| children to. | | | | culture also were influenced by Germans. Today |
| Most German-Brazilians started to get married out | | | | Brazil hosts an Oktoberfest in Blumenau, Santa |
| of the German community after the 1940s. | | | | Catarina, which is second only to Munich, Germany |
| Some of them mixed with other Europeans, such | | | | in size. |
| as Portuguese, Italians and Poles. A few also have | | | | Most of the German-Brazilians live in Rio Grande |
| mixed with Afro-Brazilians and Brazilian native | | | | do Sul, Santa Catarina and Parana, the |
| Indians. | | | | southernmost states of Brazil. There are around |
| Germans are regarded as good industrialists in | | | | 10 million Brazilians who have German ancestry by |
| Brazil in manufacturing shoes, leather goods, | | | | some estimates. The percentages become higher |
| furniture, textiles, charcoal and mechanical devices. | | | | in some cities, for example, in the town of |
| Ernesto Beckmann Geisel, the one time president | | | | Pomerode, in Santa Catarina, 90% of the |
| of Brazil was also a German descendent Brazilian. | | | | population are Brazilians of German descent, and |
| Geisel was a son of Lutheran German immigrants. | | | | the main local language is Pomeranian dialect. It is |
| Geisel witnessed and participated in the most | | | | considered the most German city in Brazil and the |
| prominent events of Brazilian history in the 20th | | | | Germans there are the richest people in Brazil. |
| century, such as the revolution of 1930, the | | | | The state Santa Catarina is with the lowest levels |
| Getulio Vargas dictatorship and the 1964 military | | | | of unemployment and illiteracy found in the |
| coup d'etat that overthrew the leftist President | | | | country and still retain a strong influence of |
| Joao Goulart. In this military intervention, Geisel | | | | German culture. Even after three or four |
| was an important figure and he became Military | | | | generations, the Germans there still consider |
| Chief of Staff of President Humberto de Alencar | | | | themselves as Germans. |
| Castelo Branco. | | | | Many towns in Southern Brazil have a majority of |
| In 1973 Geisel was appointed by President Emilio | | | | Germans descended people, such as Sao |
| Garrastazu Medici and other military leaders to be | | | | Leopoldo, Novo Hamburgo, Nova Petropolis, Sao |
| the candidate of the National Renewal Alliance | | | | Bento do Sul, Blumenau, Joinville, Santa Isabel, |
| Party (ARENA) for the presidency. At that time, | | | | Gramado, Canela, Santa Cruz do Sul, Estancia |
| the president of Brazil was chosen by the military | | | | Velha, Ivoti, Dois Irmaos, Morro Reuter, Santa |
| and then approved by the Congress in order to | | | | Maria do Herval, Presidente Lucena, Picada Cafe, |
| give an impression of free elections. Geisel was | | | | Santo Angelo, Teutonia and Brusque. |