Colonia Tovar

Colonia Tovar on the map of Aragua

Colonia Tovar is an over 14,000 inhabitants ( 2001) scoring community, located about 70 km west of Caracas in Venezuela in the state of Aragua. The majority of the population are descendants of German immigrants from the Emperor chair.

  • 4.1 language
  • 4.2 Museums
  • 4.3 Regular events
  • 4.4 Alemannic Fastnacht
  • 4.5 Specialty

Geographical location

Colonia Tovar is located in the Coast Range west of Caracas in 1800 to 2000 meters altitude.

Neighboring communities

Climate

Tropical, cool rain forest, mean annual temperature of 16 ° C.

History

1843 migrated 358 citizens from the area of the Imperial chair over Le Havre to Venezuela, mainly from Endingen chair, Forchheim (Kaiser chair), Wyhl and Oberbergen. There they were settled after some turmoil at its present location. The farmers planted in vegetables and fruit and also brewed the first beer of Venezuela; they built their houses with half-timbered style. The local community was up in 1942 with its own laws among themselves and fell gradually into oblivion.

Only after the construction of an asphalt road in 1964 kept up with modernity in Colonia Tovar. In the 1960s, the residents of Colonia Tovar, until today their language in Alemannic dialect ( Kaiserstühler dialect) and their traditions took up to the Alemannic Fastnacht ( carnival ) maintain, again in close contact with their homeland to Baden. It so happens that many descendants made ​​their training in Germany. The village is now a popular tourist attraction and weekend destination for the Caraqueños.

Culture

Language

The Alemannic language Alemán Coloniero is still consistently spoken by the older generation. The latest generation dominates the dialect but barely, as the immigrants in recent decades more and more with the ( Spanish-speaking ) Venezuelan population mix. But the Sprachattitüde has changed. Today, the " Ditsch " the young people and children is embarrassing, they do not want to be teased at school. However, for Tovarer the dialect is a great cultural, so they do everything in their power to obtain it. The close contact with the partner city Endingen chair, which also includes the training of Tovarer in various professions, promotes the language and thus the cultural preservation.

Museums

Historical and arts and crafts museum

Regular events

  • April 8: the founding of the colony
  • November 11: Day of the patron saint, Saint Martin

Alemannic Fastnacht

You do not have the same carnival sayings and the same carnival clothes ( Jokili ) as in Endingen.

Specialty

It is served the traditional Alemannic home cooking: blood sausage, pork knuckle, smoked pork chop, sauerkraut, potatoes, various sausages, accompanied by a loud " Tovar " beer.

States of Venezuela United Socialist Party of Venezuela Kaiserstuhl (Baden-Württemberg) La Victoria, Aragua Forchheim am Kaiserstuhl
197608
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