(KSH) is a cultural association of Keralites (or Malayalis) residing in and around Hamburg region of Germany. Annual events aligned with Vishu, Easter, Onam, Eid and Christmas brings the community together to celebrate the unique cultural heritage and traditions of Kerala. The celebrations also aim towards educating the second-generation migrants about their homeland and promoting Kerala as a des
tination of choice for wanderlusty Hamburg residents. The diplomatic relationship between Hamburg and India began in 1843 when the Hanseatic City established trade centres in Bombay (now Mumbai) and Calcutta (now Kolkata). However, large-scale migration of Indian citizens into the city-state did not begin until after the Second World War. During the economic boom of the 1960s, a large number of Nursing professionals from Kerala arrived in Germany to fill the gaps in the fast-growing health sector. They laid the foundation for what is now a robust network of Keralite associations across Germany. While an informal Malayali association was active in Hamburg from 1983, the formal creation of ‘Keralasamajam Hamburg e.V.’ happened a decade later under the guidance of founders Smt. Smt. Leela Blessin, a longtime resident of Hamburg, cultivated and promoted the young association for many years as its founding President, with the help of a strong executive committee. At the turn of the century, with the electronics boom, a larger number of Indian IT professionals started arriving in Germany. Around the same time, many of the founding families of KSH moved out of Hamburg to other regions of Germany. Even with this reduced strength, the association maintained its core activities under the leadership of then-President Paul Attipetty and treasurer Thomas Mathew. During the past decade, the aerospace, logistics and software sectors in Hamburg have attracted many young professionals and students. They constitute the majority of the Keralite diaspora in the city now. The demographic change led to a renewed vigour and under the leadership of founding member Shri Vinod Raveendran, KSH is undergoing a reincarnation as a young and dynamic association. In February 2020, an almost entirely new set of members elected a new executive committee, under the able guidance of the previous executive committee. The strength of an association stems from its members and their active involvement in its activities. The new KSH has a strong network of members and volunteers who actively support and help each other through various social forums. The multifaceted talents and enthusiasm amongst the new members augur well to the success of KSH’s goal of becoming an icon of Indian and Kerala culture in Hamburg.
