What was the Wirtschaftswunder, and who were the first guest workers?

The economic miracle and the first guest workers

Das Wirtschaftswunder und die ersten Gastarbeiter

1955. In the 1950s West Germany's economy grew so fast that people spoke of an economic miracle, the Wirtschaftswunder.

Where: Germany

What happened

In the 1950s West Germany's economy grew so fast that people spoke of an economic miracle, the Wirtschaftswunder. Its symbol was the Volkswagen Beetle: on 5 August 1955 the millionth one, painted gold, left the factory in Wolfsburg. To meet the demand for labour, West Germany signed its first recruitment agreement, with Italy, in December 1955; agreements with Spain, Greece, Turkey and other countries followed. The so-called Gastarbeiter, guest workers, were expected to go home after a few years. Many stayed, and changed the country. In 1964 the millionth, a Portuguese carpenter, was welcomed in Cologne with a moped.

Say it

Der VW Käfer wurde zum Symbol des Wirtschaftswunders.

The VW Beetle became the symbol of the economic miracle.

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