Swiss Chilean
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Punta Arenas, Valparaíso, Temuco, Santiago de Chile | |
| Languages | |
| Chilean Spanish, German, French, Italian, Romansh | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (Protestantism and Roman Catholic), Jewish minorities | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Swiss people, Swiss diaspora, German Chileans, Italian Chileans, and French Chileans |
Swiss Chileans are Chilean citizens of Swiss ancestry. There are currently 5,000 Swiss citizens residing in Chile.
The number of Swiss in Chile is minor, despite having a relatively large number of members. This is because their linguistic and cultural characteristics are commonly confused with Germans, Italians and French. Swiss migration to Chile took place at the end of 19th century, between 1883 and 1900, particularly in the area of Araucanía, especially in Victoria and Traiguén. It is estimated that more than 8,000 thousand families received grants of land.
In the nineteenth century, opening up new lands in the New World and the economic crisis in Europe that was mobilized to the most impoverished sectors of society to migrate mainly to United States in North America, Australia, Brazil, Uruguay, Argentina and Chile. It was organized exodus and limited duration. As economic immigration, the State assumed a regulatory role by granting or denying requests for leave. With regard to the interests of migrants into Chile, began formally in 1853, when they meet in Bern, capital of Switzerland, the first reports about experience colonization in the southern to Chile.
Through official reports of the Swiss Consulate in Valparaíso, highlighting the advantages or disadvantages that Chile offered to migrants in Europe.
Only 28 years after the commencement of the German colonization in the southern Chile, the Federal Council in 1881 authorized the specialized agencies to operate in Switzerland to recruit migrants. The Federal Council after years of examining the advantages and disadvantages that would authorize the removal of migrants, poses as a premise the assumption that the Chilean authorities insist on peace Araucanía whose possession for Chileans, it was not yet in those years fully accomplished.
The first contingent departed in November 1883, would be the pilot and its success would depend on subsequent authorizations.
In 1880 he was named Don Francisco De B. Echeverría, General Agent of Colonization in Europe, given in Paris. Later in that office will happen Agent General Benjamin Davila Larrain, who entrusted the work of recruitment of settlers to the house of Rommel Basel in Switzerland. Moreover, the preparation of the convoys meant the operation of a real network. Starting with the shipping companies, especially the English company of the Pacific ", which ensured the French port of Bordeaux, a regular line up with the vapors Valparaíso Cotopaxi, Potosi, Sorata, The Valparaíso, Aconcagua and Britain, among others, the main boats that sailed Swiss settlers. To ensure reductions in the third class and volume or weight limits for luggage.
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Wikipedia