Voice of Greece hosted Ms. Georgia Gouvalari, president of the Greek Community of Augsburg, who spoke about the history and activities of the community, which this year marks its 50th anniversary.
As she mentioned, around 5,000 Greeks once lived in Augsburg, primarily working in the city’s textile industry. However, after many factories closed, the Greek population dropped to around 1,500 between the 1990s and early 2000s. Since 2016, with the economic crisis in Greece, migration has increased again, mainly among doctors and engineers, bringing the Greek population in the area back to approximately 5,000.
A Greek Language Department has been operating since 2012, officially recognized by the Greek Ministry of Education, with school facilities provided free of charge by the German state. “Greek-language education is our inalienable right,” emphasized Ms. Gouvalari.
Additionally, Augsburg hosts a Greek football team, a dance club, a Macedonian association, and a Pontian association.
(The photo is from Wikipedia).