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Total population | |
---|---|
320,000[1] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Asunción, Itapúa Department and Boquerón Department. | |
Languages | |
Guaraní, German Hunsrik, Paraguayan Spanish, Plautdietsch | |
Religion | |
Christianity (mostly Roman Catholic and Protestantism), Judaism | |
Related ethnic groups | |
German diaspora, German Canadians, German-Chileans, German-Argentinians, German-Brazilian, German Uruguayan, German Americans, Russia Germans |
The German minority in Paraguay came into existence with immigration during the industrial age. The "Nueva Germania" colony was founded in Paraguay in 1888; though regarded as a failure, it still exists despite being abandoned by many of its founders in the 1890s. Paraguay was a popular place for German leaders accused of war crimes to retreat after the second World War. There are large communities of German descendants living in the department of Guairá, in a town called (Colonia Independencia), the department of Itapúa, mainly in the Departmental Capital, Encarnación and the German towns of Obligado, Bella Vista and Hohenau. Some recent Brazilian immigrants to Paraguay also have German ancestry (Brasiguayos).[2] Notable Paraguayans of German descent include the former president of Paraguay Alfredo Stroessner.