Italo-Germans

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Italo-Germans is the term to describe people of a social identity with backgrounds in Italy and Germany.

Typically it refers to people of fully or partially descending from Italy or Italian parents, but living in Germany.

Over time most Italians moved home to Germany for reasons of work. Some also left for personal relations, study or political reasons. There is also a substantial number of Italian-Swiss taking benefit of their bi-lingual identity.

1 History
2 Italo-Germans in German Society
3 Famous Italo-Germans
4 External links

[edit] History

Germany was counting a number of Italo-German immigrants since the early Middle Ages, particularly architects, craftsmen and traders. During the late Middle Ages and early Modern times many Italians came to Germany for business and relations between the two countries developed prosperous. Italo-German cooperation found a questionable connection in the WW II Axis Powers but with Germany's post-war Wirtschaftswunder it experienced a tremendous wave of immigrants from Italy. Since 1952 Italy and Germany are joint EU members and since 1961 they share a free movement of workers. Since then more than 500,000 left mainly Southern Italy for work in Germany.

[edit] Italo-Germans in German Society

[edit] Politics

Italo-Germans are actively involved both in regional and federal German politics; Areas of concern are European integration and assimilation.

[edit] Arts & Science

Italo-Germans have a substantial influence on the development of Fine Arts in Germany from Romanesque and Gothic architecture to contemporary fashion and design.

[edit] Business

Today, many Italo-Germans are employed just like any other but also have various spezialised fields of work. Italians and Italo-Germans in Germany run many businesses in the following areas: