New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-03-07
Million Germans
I'm South Brazil
Loyal to Kaiser
New Fatherland Now En-
braces an Area of II, 534
Square Miles

Washington, March Ga war geog-
raphy bulletin issued by the National
Geographic Society from its headquar-
ters here says:
"The recent naval engagement be
tween the British ship Amethyst ana
two German raiders in the South Az
lantic took place near the island OF
Fernando dc Noronha, off the south
coast Of Brazil, and fairly contiguous
10 the largest segregation Of German
population in that republic, where II
has been suspected, there have been
maintained bases of supplies for the
German ships which have operated so
extensively against shipping in those
waters.
"phe Germanie elemen, in Brazil IS
numerous enough and energetic enough
10 carry out su1 policy II they
choose TO do so. They number at least
q million souls. and they are practically
limited in residence TO the four south-
ernmost of the Brazilian maritime
states. Rio Grande do Sui. Santa Cata-
rina. Parana and Sac Paulo, where they
have thrust their national roots far
into foreign soil without losing any OF
their Unborn CHARACTERISTICS.
Theodore Roosevelt, writing in 1914
Of Sac Paulo. says:
"Tn this province ! met for the first
time Germans born in the country who
could speak only German
Colonization Begun 81 Years Ago
German colonization in Brazil has
been going on since 1925, when the set
Element Of San Leopoldo. in Rio Grande
do Sui, was established. For ten years
the stream of immigration continued
when it was interrupted by the sans
culotte revolt IN Southern Brazil. TINS
interruption lasted for nine years. In
1898 the food of settlers was percep-
tibly swollen by the families from
Schleswig- Holstein and the other parts
Of Germany which we're affected by the
revolt of the duchies against Denmark.
"No less than thirteen important
German colonies were established IN
Southern Brazil between 154S and 1850.
the earliest settlers being greatly aided
by generous grants of land from the
Brazilian government, which allotted
no less than ia acres to each immi-
grant. Owing to speculative abuses
this privilege was largely reduced, but
without noticeable effect upon the
movement, which was checked only by
the imperial edict of 1859 forbidding
the further migrations of Germans 10
Brazil.
This edict remained in vigor until
1896, when. as Austin Harrison terms
him in the Pan-Germanie Doctrine, the
great sea Emperor, William III, saw
early and clearly into the future, and
taught his subjects 10 see, too
Germans Flood Country
Under this teaching the Germanic
food swept in larger volume into Bra
iii. and now has spread over terri
tory approximately as large as that Of
the American states of Florida, Geor-
gia. Alabama. South Carolina, North
Carolina. Virginia. West Virginia and
Tennessee. Fully a quarter Of a million
Germans are TO be found in the State
of Rio Grande do Sui. where, in the
cities, they have taken a strong hold
upon the activities of the country and
have practically absorbed commercial
and industrial enterprise. In Port
Allegro. the capital of the state. three
German publications indicate and eX-
pound the Germanic doctrine.
"In Santa Catarina. the next state
torth, conditions are analogous. Ger
nan customs and the German idiom
prevail, and in many towns one may
almost imagine himself in the Father
land. The Germanic element here was
strong enough some years ago to elect
German Governor. and. with the ex-
Ception of the officers of the Federal
Court, the oficeholders are almost en-
tirely German. The anomaly of Bra
lillian governmental reports written by
Germans is by no means unusual.
THE German colony in this state
ewes no little Of It's strength to the
fact that here. Tor some time. was the
residence OF the Prince de Joinville. Of
Saxe-COburg- Goths, who married a
laughter Of Dom Pedro. the first En-
peror Of Brazil; and the city Of Join
Vile. German 10 the marrow is a monu-
rnent 70 his royal highness's efforts to
form a nucleus for German immigrs-
ton.
Hold 1884 Square Miles
"The land TO which the Germans
have taken title in South Brazil now
gives them an area Of holdings Of / ,534
square miles, an extent equal 10 that Of
Alsaee-Lorraine and Saxony together
The aim o. the Metropolitan and Han
featic Colonization companies at home
Rae been 10 defect the current Of Ger
man emf gratiOn from the United States
20 Brazil, and TO have the Brazilian
coionists retain their German allegi-
snes. The success OF the plan il at
tested by Konigsburg, who in his work
on BIO Grande do Sui saws:
"'These colonies have built state
within a state. or German customs
very little has been lost; also, the
German dialect. with its native idiom
Be- handed down from generation 20
generation. Portuguese is little spoken,
md even then the Germans use Il with
great difficulty The school teachers
Of the colonies are subsidized German
pastors.