New figures show a surge of interest in learning German in the countries hardest hit by Europe's economic woes as Spaniards, Italians and others look to Europe's biggest economy in search for jobs.
Figures from Germany's culture and language promotion agency, the Goethe Institute, show that the number of Spaniards seeking to learn German in 2011 rose by 35 percent from 6,500 to about 9,000.
The data, obtained by The Associated Press, show that the number of those taking classes with the Goethe Institute Lisbon in Portugal rose 20% to 2,230. In Italy, the number was up by 14%, while in Greece it rose 10%.
Many firms in Germany are searching to hire skilled professionals, but a language barrier often hinders successful recruitment.
