Germany–Uruguay relations
Germany–Uruguay relations are foreign relations between Germany and Uruguay. Germany has an embassy in Montevideo. Uruguay has an embassy in Berlin, a consulate-general in Hamburg and 6 honorary consulates (in Bremen, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt am Main, Munich, Potsdam and Stuttgart). Germany is Uruguay's principal trading partner in the European Union. History Starting in the 1850s German immigrants have made an important contribution to the development of Uruguay. Uruguay offered asylum to German Jews starting in 1935. Mennonite communities emigrated from Germany to Uruguay after World War II, starting in 1948. During World War I, Uruguay sided against Germany and broke off diplomatic relations. On December 13, 1939, the Battle of the River Plate took place off the coast of Uruguay where British forces sunk the German Graf Spee. There was a diplomatic battle with Dr. Alberto Guani as Uruguayan Foreign Minister that ruled a 72-hour timeline for the ship to remain in Montevideo harbour. Most of the Graf Spee's surviving crew of 1,150 were interned in Uruguay and Argentina and many remained after the war. A German Embassy official in Uruguay said his government has sent an official letter stating its position as to whether Germany claims ownership of the vessel.