São Leopoldo, a city historically known as the cradle of German colonization in Rio Grande do Sul, faces a worrying challenge: the gradual loss of its Germanic cultural identity. Despite the celebrations of 200 years of German immigration in 2024, the reality is that German culture is fading in the city, leaving few traces of its rich heritage.
The absence of a “Cultural Promotion Plan for Germanic Culture” has contributed significantly to this cultural denaturation. The city’s architecture, once marked by Germanic features, now displays buildings of dubious taste and without personality.
The city hall, for example, with its bland architecture, looks more like a Soviet building than a symbol of German colonization. Local construction companies, even in high-standard projects, deliver low-quality and uncreative buildings, contributing to the city’s lack of character.
In the gastronomic sphere, the situation is no different. German cuisine, once present and appreciated, has become practically non-existent in São Leopoldo. The new generations, born after 1999, grow up without any memory of typical German flavors. Only a few dishes, such as cuca, survive, thanks to the efforts of a few chefs committed to keeping the local culinary tradition alive.
This uncomfortable truth about the death of German culture in São Leopoldo requires urgent attention. A joint effort by the public administration, the private sector and the community is necessary to reverse this process of cultural erasure.
The implementation of public policies aimed at valuing and preserving Germanic heritage is fundamental, such as tax incentives for projects that restore typical architecture, programs to encourage German cuisine and educational initiatives that promote German history and culture in schools.
The Immigration Festival, which celebrates the 200th anniversary of the arrival of the Germans, must be more than a simple celebration. It should be a starting point for a deep reflection on the importance of cultural preservation and a call to action to rescue and strengthen the presence of German culture in São Leopoldo.
Only with a collective effort and a genuine commitment to valuing its Germanic heritage will the city be able to rediscover its identity and be proud of its roots.
In addition to the measures mentioned, it is crucial to involve the local community in this process of cultural recovery. The creation of associations and cultural groups that promote German language, music, dance and traditions can be an important step towards keeping this heritage alive.
These groups can organize events, workshops and festivals that celebrate Germanic culture, attracting the participation of the population and arousing the interest of new generations.
Gastronomy can also be an important ally in this process. The recovery and appreciation of German cuisine, through themed restaurants, gastronomic fairs and festivals, can attract tourists and boost the local economy. It is necessary to encourage local entrepreneurs to invest in this segment, offering training, lines of credit and institutional support.
In the educational sphere, it is essential that schools in São Leopoldo include German history and culture in their curricula, from elementary school to high school. This can be done through specific subjects, interdisciplinary projects and extracurricular activities, such as visits to museums and exhibitions. Education is a powerful tool to raise awareness among new generations about the importance of preserving Germanic heritage and to form citizens who are aware and proud of their roots.
Another relevant strategy is the appreciation of historical heritage related to German immigration. The restoration and preservation of historic buildings, such as the Casa do Imigrante and the Main Church, can become points of reference and pride for the community.
The creation of themed tourist itineraries, which explore the history of German colonization and significant sites, can attract visitors and boost the local economy, in addition to reinforcing the importance of this cultural heritage.
However, it is important to emphasize that the preservation of German culture should not be seen as an attempt to isolate or exclude other cultural influences. São Leopoldo is a diverse city, home to different ethnicities and traditions. The appreciation of Germanic heritage must be part of a broader cultural mosaic, which celebrates diversity and promotes intercultural dialogue.
Local media can also play a significant role in this process of cultural recovery, producing reports, documentaries and programs that address German history, culture and traditions, raising awareness among the population and awakening interest in preserving this heritage. The dissemination of cultural events and initiatives related to Germanic culture can expand the reach and engagement of the community.
Finally, it is essential that there is a political and administrative commitment to valuing German culture in São Leopoldo, and the responsibility for preserving and promoting German culture in São Leopoldo should be led by the city’s executive and legislative powers.
However, what is observed is that this guideline seems to gain prominence only once a year, during the São Leopoldo Fest, where politicians take the opportunity to take selfies and praise themselves.
It is regrettable that the appreciation of Germanic heritage is reduced to a one-off event, without a continuous and effective commitment on the part of local authorities.
In fact, a worrying observation is worth making here: some politicians, such as the mayor of São Leopoldo Ary Vanazzi, seem to have come straight from a dubious self-help manual.
With their tendency to self-praise and promote a grandiose image of themselves, they most resemble German politicians of the 1940s, with their frequent outbursts of unjustifiable grandeur. One wonders whether an intensive coaching course focused on self-promotion and self-importance was part of his political training.
Interestingly, since taking power in 2004, the mayor has demonstrated an impressive ability to blame others for his failures.
Apparently, the Tucana administration from 2012 to 2016 became the perfect scapegoat to justify the failures and lack of achievements of their governments (2004/2008-2008/2012-2016-2020/2024).
And yes, in the future in other articles we will debate the financial costs of these achievements, believe me, many works by Vanazzi Management have very high costs and are of doubtful effectiveness, such as the Security Secretariat and the renovation of Rua Independência.
After all, it’s much easier to point the finger at others than to take responsibility for your own mistakes, isn’t it?
Maybe it’s time for the mayor to consider a new coaching course, this time focused on self-responsibility (PAULO VIERA style). Who knows, maybe he will finally understand that it is not always the fault of others and that it is necessary to take responsibility for one’s own actions and decisions. After all, as a good coach would say, “change starts with yourself”.
Meanwhile, German culture in São Leopoldo continues to wither, a victim of neglect and lack of commitment from those who should be its greatest defenders.
But hey, at least the mayor can console himself with his selfies and grandiloquent speeches during São Leopoldo Fest. After all, for some politicians, personal image seems to be more important than preserving the city’s cultural identity.
This stance does not match the seriousness and commitment necessary to face the challenge of cultural preservation. Political leaders need to be truly engaged in concrete and continuous actions, and not just empty and opportunistic speeches.
The current administration, which began in 2004, missed a great opportunity to promote a true revolution in promoting cultural tourism in São Leopoldo. Other cities in the region, such as Gramado, Canela, Bento Gonçalves, Caxias do Sul, Ivoti, São Francisco de Paula and Igrejinha, are already beginning to emerge as tourism routes, generating wealth and jobs for their communities.
If the public men of São Leopoldo had been more intelligent and perceptive, they would have realized the high added value of cultural tourism and invested in this sector.
Cultural tourism has enormous potential to boost the local economy and preserve São Leopoldo’s German heritage. By valuing and promoting the city’s cultural attractions, such as museums, monuments, festivals and traditions, the public authorities could attract visitors from across the country and abroad, generating revenue for the municipality and creating employment opportunities for the population.
Unfortunately, the lack of vision and neglect of local authorities have prevented São Leopoldo from exploiting its full tourist and cultural potential.
When thinking about the set of wealth that a country produces, people generally associate information about the Gross Domestic Product with the image of cars on assembly lines in industries, agricultural machinery on large grain farms or the intense flow of consumers in commerce. of goods and services. However, what is usually left out of the construction of this sense of wealth is what is produced in the Economy of Culture and Creative Industries.
With the most recent data from 2020, this sector already contributes 3.11% to the Brazilian economy, much more, for example, than the automobile industry. This demonstrates the economic potential of culture and creative industries, which is often underestimated or ignored by public managers.
In the case of São Leopoldo, valuing and investing in German culture could not only preserve the city’s identity, but also boost local economic development.
However, it is worrying to note that the election for mayor of São Leopoldo in 2024 does not seem to indicate a promising path to changing this scenario.
To date, no candidate, whether from the ruling party or the opposition, has presented a concrete and detailed action plan for the valorization and preservation of German culture in the city. The electoral debate has been limited to vague and generic promises, without specific proposals to face this cultural challenge.
This lack of commitment by the candidates to the issue of São Leopoldo’s cultural identity is an alarming sign. It seems that politicians’ main objective is simply to win the election, without a clear vision of what to do afterwards. This short-sighted and opportunistic stance does not match the seriousness and urgency that the situation demands.
Otherwise, there is a risk that the 2024 election will be just another chapter in the story of neglect and neglect of German culture in the city.
Without a consistent action plan and a firm commitment from those in power, the tendency is for the process of cultural decay to continue to worsen, until the Germanic heritage becomes just a distant and fading memory in the collective memory of the population.
Sources :
ITAÚ CULTURAL OBSERVATORY. GDP of the Culture Economy and Creative Industries. São Paulo, 2023. Available at: Accessed on: 10 Apr. 2024.
VALIATI, Leandro. Interview given to Observatório Itaú Cultural. São Paulo, 2023.
