German Argentines

German Argentines (Deutschargentinier, germano-argentinos) are Argentines of German ancestry as well as German citizens living in Argentina. They are descendants of Germans who immigrated to Argentina from Germany and elsewhere in Europe. Some German Argentines originally settled in Brazil, then later immigrated to Argentina. Although Germany as a political entity was founded in 1871, the German language and culture have traditionally been more important than the country of origin, as the basis of the ethnic and national consciousness of Germans. Today, German Argentines make up the fourth-largest ethnic group in Argentina, with over two million citizens of Volga German descent alone. German Argentines have founded German schools such as the Hölters Schule and German-language newspapers such as the Argentinisches Tageblatt ("Argentine Daily"). German descendants even make up the majority of the population in several localities in the interior of the country. Between 1885 and World War I the population of Argentina doubled due to an influx of millions of European immigrants during the Great European immigration wave to the country. German communities developed in some specific provinces, such as in the center and South of Buenos Aires Province (around towns such as Coronel Suárez, Olavarría, Tornquist, etc.), in Entre Ríos Province, in the East of La Pampa Province, in Misiones Province, in Córdoba Province, in some localities of the Chaco Province, etc. Meanwhile, the urban German population settled in the city of Buenos Aires also developed their own German schools, hospitals, shops, theaters, sports clubs, and banks. Many of those who immigrated directly from Germany and settled in cities were assimilated into the upper-middle class of Buenos Aires, but maintained strong ties to German culture, providing their children with a German education so they would not be at a disadvantage if they returned to Germany. German immigration to Argentina occurred during five main time periods: pre–1870, 1870–1914, 1918–1933, 1933–1940 and post–1945.