German settlement in the Philippines
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Manila, Makati City | |
| Languages | |
| Filipino, German | |
| Religion | |
| Roman Catholicism, Judaism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| German people |
German settlement in the Philippines began during the Colonial era when the German Empire attempted to acquire the Philippines. This article also refers to the choice of Filipino citizenship and/or settlement in the Philippines by persons of either pure or mixed German descent who continued to reside in the country for a significant number of years or decades.
The first Germans to arrive to the Philippines were colonists. Otto von Bismarck’s Germany was one of the United States' rivals in replacing Spanish rule in the archipelago. From 1890 to the outbreak of the Spanish–American War in 1898, there was a lull in Germany’s colonial campaigns. Like other colonialist nations, Germany sought to protect its overseas nationals and trade interests to the extent of safeguarding free access to markets. A German squadron arrived in Manila and engaged in maneuvers which Commodore George Dewey seeing this as obstruction of his blockade, offered war — after which the Germans backed down.
The Battle of Manila Bay took place on 1 May 1898, following the outbreak of the Spanish–American War. The German Emperor expected an American defeat, with Spain left in a sufficiently weak position for the revolutionaries to capture Manila—leaving the Philippines ripe for German picking. Following the American victory in the war, the Philippines and the Far East were brought to the attention of the world and Germany recognized the great potentialities of the islands as a major commercial market.
On 12 June, the day the Philippines declared its independence from Spain, Vice-Admiral Otto von Diederichs arrived in Manila Bay. The number of German war vessels in Philippine waters increased to three. Earlier, on 6 and 9 May, respectively, the German ships Irene and the Cormoran arrived in the bay with a separate instruction from the German government, mainly to protect German nationals in Manila. German’s interest in the Philippines was cut short with the signing of the Treaty of Paris on 10 December 1898. The Philippines was finally annexed by the United States in 1899.
...
Wikipedia