Swiss Uruguayans

Uruguayan citizens of Swiss ancestry

Ethnic group

Swiss Uruguayans

Schweizuruguayer (German)
Helvético-Uruguayens (French)
Svizzero-uruguaiani (Italian)

Monument to the founders of Nueva Helvecia, an early Swiss settlement in Uruguay.

Total population
60,000[1]
~1.8% of the Uruguyan population (2014)
Regions with significant populations
Throughout Uruguay, especially in settlements founded by Swiss immigrants.
Languages
Spanish * French * German • Italian • Romansh
Religion

* Christianity (mainly Roman Catholicism and Protestantism)

Related ethnic groups
Swiss * Other ethnic groups of Uruguay: French Uruguayans, German Uruguayans, Brazilian Uruguayans, British Uruguayans, Irish Uruguayans, Italian Uruguayans, Russian Uruguayans, Polish Uruguayans, Bulgarian Uruguayans, Hungarian Uruguayans, Ukrainian Uruguayans, Lithuanian Uruguayans, Austrian Uruguayans, Croatian Uruguayans, Greek Uruguayans * Other Swiss in other nations: Swiss Argentines, Swiss Brazilians, Swiss Chileans, Swiss Americans

Swiss Uruguayans are Uruguayan citizens of full or partial Swiss ancestry, who remain culturally connected to Switzerland, or Swiss-born people permanently residing in Uruguay. They are estimated to be around 60,000.[1]

## History[edit]

In 1860, the Basel bank of Siegrist und Fender purchased farm land in Uruguay. It was not long before the first Swiss citizens moved to Uruguay with the goal of working the land as farmers, where they founded the colony of Nueva Helvecia around 1862.[2][3][4][5]

As of 2008, there were 956 people with Swiss passports residing in Uruguay.[6]

## Notable Swiss Uruguayans[edit]

Past

* José Belloni (1882–1965), sculptor
* Roque Gastón Máspoli (1917–2004), football player and coach
* Juan José Morosoli (1899-1959), writer
* Bernardo Poncini (1814-1874), architect

Present

* Julián Schweizer (born 1998), surfer
* Matías Vitkieviez (born 1985), footballer
* Walter Zimmer (born 1945), physician and politician

## See also[edit]

* Switzerland portal
* Uruguay portal

* Nueva Helvecia
* Switzerland–Uruguay relations

## Bibliography[edit]

* Caro, Marice Ettlin (2016). La Colonia Suiza que casi no lo fue: Nueva Helvecia (in Spanish). Marice Caro. ISBN 978-0-692-78715-1.
* Sommer-Geiser, Jacob (1861). Lebens-Bilder aus dem Staate Uruguay in Süd-Amerika und seine Verhältnisse in agricoler, commerzieller und industrieller Beziehung für schweizerische Ansiedlungen. Basel.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b Felipe Arocena. "The contribution of immigrants to Uruguay" (PDF). multiculturalismoenuruguay.com. Retrieved 6 March 2014. (in Spanish)
2. ^ "Uruguay and Switzerland — cultural and economic Benefits from new Market opportunities". Mercosur. Archived from the original on 2 October 2011. Retrieved 14 May 2009.
3. ^ "Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs about relations with Uruguay". Switzerland. Retrieved 14 May 2009. "The independent Republic of Uruguay came into being in 1828 and became a popular destination for Swiss migrants. It was German-Swiss farmers who in 1862-63 founded the colony of Nueva Helvecia. They introduced cheese-making and other agricultural innovations. Immigrants from Ticino were successful as skilled builders, artists and also footballers."
4. ^ "Uruguay to Honor the Swiss". New York Times. 4 June 1944.
5. ^ "... a la que pusieron por nombre Nueva Helvecia". Swissinfo (in Spanish). 28 October 2005.
6. ^ "Key data for the Oriental Republic of Uruguay". Switzerland Federal Department of Foreign Affairs. Retrieved 14 May 2009.

## External links[edit]

* Pi Hugarte, Renzo; Vidart, Daniel (1970). El legado de los inmigrantes (PDF). Montevideo: Nuestra Tierra. (in Spanish)

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* Austrian diaspora
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