page_title: German colonization of the Americas
section_title: Klein-Venedig
hierarchical_section_title: German colonization of the Americas / History / Klein-Venedig
caption_attribution_description: Čeština&#x3a;&#32; Německé kolonie &#160;&#160; Německá říše &#160;&#160; Německé kolonie &#160;&#160; Jiaozhou (Koncese na území v Číně) &#160;&#160; Braniborsko-Pruské kolonie (mezi roky 1680-1720) &#160;&#160; "Malé Benátky" (území zakoupené od Karla V. Španělského, 1529-1556)Deutsch&#x3a;&#32; Deutsche Kolonien &#160;&#160; Deutsches Reich &#160;&#160; Kolonien des deutschen Reiches &#160;&#160; Kiautschou (Pachtland in China) &#160;&#160; Brandenburgisch-Preußische Kolonien (ca. 1680-1720) &#160;&#160; „Klein-Venedig“ (1529-1556)English&#x3a;&#32; German colonies &#160;&#160; German Empire &#160;&#160; Colonies of the German Empire &#160;&#160; Jiaozhou (Concession in China) &#160;&#160; Brandenburgian-Prussian Colonies (ca. 1680-1720) &#160;&#160; "Little Venice" (1529-1556)Italiano&#x202f;&#x3a;&#32; Colonie tedesche &#160;&#160; Impero tedesco &#160;&#160; colonie dell'impero tedesco &#160;&#160; Jiaozhou (Concessione in Cina) &#160;&#160; Colonie Prussiane (intorno al 1680-1720) &#160;&#160; "Piccola Venezia" (tentativo tedesco di conquista del Venezuela, 1529-1556)Polski&#x3a;&#32; Kolonie niemiecckie &#160;&#160; II Rzesza &#160;&#160; Kolonie II Rzeszy &#160;&#160; Jiaozhou (koncesja w Chinach) &#160;&#160; Kolonie pruskie(1680-1720) &#160;&#160; "Mała Wenecja" (1529-1556)
context_page_description: The German colonization of the Americas consisted of German Venezuela, St. Thomas and Crab Island in the 16th and 17th centuries.
context_section_description: Klein-Venedig ("Little Venice"; also the etymology of the name "Venezuela") was the most significant part of the German colonization of the Americas, from 1528 to 1546, in which the Augsburg-based Welser banking family to the Habsburgs was given the colonial rights by Emperor Charles V, who was also King of Spain and owed debts to them for his Imperial election. In 1528, Charles V gave the Welser a contract to explore, rule and colonize the area in his name and with the primary motivation of searching the legendary golden city of El Dorado. The venture was initially led by Ambrosius Ehinger, who founded Maracaibo in 1529. After the deaths of first Ehinger (1533), Nikolaus Federmann, Georg von Speyer (1540), Philipp von Hutten continued exploration in the interior. In absence of von Hutten from the capital of the province the crown of Spain claimed the right to appoint the governor. On Hutten's return to the capital, Santa Ana de Coro, in 1546, the Spanish governor Juan de Carvajal had Hutten and Bartholomeus VI. Welser executed. Subsequently, Charles V revoked Welser's charter.
  The Welsers transported German miners to the colony, as well as 4,000 African slaves as labor to work sugar cane plantations. Many of the German colonists died from tropical diseases, to which they had no immunity, or during frequent wars with Native Americans.
caption: In this map of German colonies, yellow marks Klein-Venedig and blue the Prussian colonies, some of them in the Caribbean.
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