Pomerode

Infobox City
official_name = Pomerode
other_name =
native_name =
nickname = The most German city in Brazil
motto =


imagesize = 250px
image_caption = German house in Pomerode


flag_size = 100px
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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location of Pomerode
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = Region
subdivision_type2 = State
subdivision_name = flagicon|BRA Brazil
subdivision_name1 = South
subdivision_name2 = flagicon|Santa Catarina Santa Catarina

image_shield =
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government_type =
leader_title = Mayor
leader_name = Ércio Krieck
leader_party =
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established_title = Founded
established_date = January 21, 1959
established_title2 =
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area_magnitude =
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area_footnotes =
area_total_km2 = 215.904
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population_as_of = 2006
population_note =
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population_total = 24.607
population_density_km2 = 114
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timezone = UTC-3
utc_offset = -3
timezone_DST = UTC-2
utc_offset_DST = -2
latd=26 |latm=44 |lats=27 |latNS=S
longd=49 |longm=10 |longs=37 |longEW=W
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blank_name = HDI (2000)
blank_info = 0.774
area_code =
website = [http://www.pomerode.sc.gov.br/ www.pomerode.sc.gov.br]
footnotes =

Pomerode is a Brazilian city in the state of Santa Catarina, in Southern Brazil. It is located in the valley of the Itajaí-Açu river, not very far from the city of Blumenau, one of the largest cities in the state.

Pomerode is known as the "most German city in Brazil", because the vast majority of its inhabitants are of German descent and are bilingual in German and Portuguese.

History and the local language

Pomerode was founded by Pomeranian Germans in 1861 and is considered the "most typically German of all German towns of southern Brazil".

One very remarkable characteristic about Pomerode that often doesn't receive the attention that it deserves is the fact that Pommersch is still being preserved by the majority of the local population.

In Pomerode, like in some other localities throughout southern Brazil, the German language is not a foreign language but instead it's a Brazilian linguistic regionalism. (see also Santa Maria de Jetiba, Espírito Santo)

It should be noted that for a good part of the 20th century, the Brazilian government did not encourage people to speak the German language. As a matter of fact, at times it was actively repressed and prohibited, like during Getúlio Vargas's presidency. Today on the other hand the German language is part of the curriculum in local schools and strongly encouraged by the local governments throughout southern Brazil.

If Pomeranian (i.e. Pommersch, not to be confused with Slavic Kashubian which is in English also called Pomeranian) is spoken by most town inhabitants of Pomerode (alongside with Portuguese), most German-Brazilians who are bilingual speak the Riograndenser Hunsrückisch or Hunsrückisch German dialect.

Ethnicity

"Source: IBGE 2000. [ [http://www.sidra.ibge.gov.br/bda/tabela/listabl.asp?z=cd&o=7&i=P&c=2093 Sistema IBGE de Recuperação Automática - SIDRA ] ] "

Religion

"Source: IBGE 2000. [ [http://www.sidra.ibge.gov.br/bda/tabela/listabl.asp?z=cd&o=7&i=P&c=2094 Sistema IBGE de Recuperação Automática - SIDRA ] ] "

Lutherans are 63.76% of the population.

Tourism and economy

Pomerode has a long history developing its manufacturing industry like other cities in the region. It is also located in a very rich agricultural valley. Additionally, in the last few decades the creation and development of the tourist industry has become a priority. To accomplish that, great efforts are being made to reinforce and celebrate the pioneering roots of the local inhabitants.

Blumenau's tourist industry is very well developed attracting millions of visitors annually to its festivals such as Oktoberfest, the largest one in the world after the original festival in Munich. Naturally, this has generated a very positive impact on the tourist industry of much smaller Pomerode located nearby (about thirty kilometers or so).

In addition to tourism the economy is dependent on industry, which includes knitted clothing, plastic articles, state of the art metal and mechanical industries, garments and cloth, and furniture.

References

External links

* [http://www.pomerode.com.br Pomerode's official website] . Accessed on April 16, 2006.pt icon
* [http://www.pomerodeonline.com.br Pomerode Online] . In English, German and Portuguese, accessed on April 16, 2006.
* [http://www.world66.com/southamerica/brazil/pomerode Travel Guide: Pomerode] . In English, accessed on April 16, 2006.
* [http://www.pbase.com/winfried/pomerode Pomerode in Pictures] . Visual content, accessed on April 16, 2006.