Otto Brüggemann (businessman)

Otto Brüggemann (born February 14, 1600 in Hamburg , † May 5, 1640 in Schleswig ) was a German merchant.

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Otto Brüggemann was the son of a Hamburg merchant and seafarer of the same name and his wife Catharina, whose father was a merchant and was probably called Steffen von Essen. Among his relatives was the Reval councilor Johann Müller, who was the father-in-law of Adam Olearius and Philipp Crusius .

According to Adam Olearius' records, he likely spent an extended period of time in the Iberian Peninsula as a youth. A stay in Porto is documented. Since he knew the organization and work processes of the Dutch East India Company well, it can be assumed that he also traveled to the Netherlands.

In 1629 Brüggemann acquired Hamburg citizenship and as “civis filius” bore the title “mercator”. He acted between the Baltic Sea and Spain. According to Hermann Kellenbenz , he used "the connection between the Nordic-Baltic and Western journeys in a great speculative way." Around 1630 he made Friedrich III. the proposal to create a new trading company. He also wanted to set up a new trade route that would lead across the Caspian Sea, the Volga, and Dvina to Arkhangelsk . From there the route should continue around Scandinavia to Friedrichstadt . Brüggemann planned to be able to take market shares from Dutch traders in the trade in silk from Persia and products from India.

In 1632 Brüggemann traveled to Russia and conducted the first negotiations in Moscow about a passage through the country. Since the Swedes were also interested in the trade route, Brüggemann changed its course: the products should now not lead from the Volga to the White Sea, but through Swedish provinces in the Baltic States. After that, the goods should pass the Baltic Sea and land in Kiel .

Brüggemann traveled to Halle with Crusius at the beginning of 1633. Both negotiated here with Axel Oxenstierna the Swedish participation in the trading company and the route through the Baltic States. With the contract agreed there, they went to Stockholm in June of the same year . Here they asked the Reichsrat to approve the agreement. In November 1633 Brüggemann and Crusius led a delegation to Moscow , which successfully negotiated a trade agreement with the Tsar.

In October 1635 Brüggemann and Crusius set out with numerous companions on a long journey that lasted almost four years. They first visited Moscow and drove over the Volga and the Caspian Sea to Isfahan . Here they negotiated unsuccessfully with the tsar. In order to avert the complete failure of his efforts, Brüggemann developed new plans. So he suggested that the Russians annex Persian provinces where silk was produced. In addition, a merger with Poland should be sought and the storage area should no longer be in the Gottorf area, but in Gdansk.

In August 1639 the tour group returned to their homeland. Brüggemann was arrested and had to defend himself in lengthy court proceedings. According to the prosecution, he exceeded his powers of attorney, cheated on bills, betrayed his colleagues, committed fornication and other crimes. This resulted in a death sentence and Brüggemann's execution by the sword.

Historical classification

Brüggemann officially led the negotiations as the second envoy behind Crusius. In fact, he had created the plan himself and was the only one who knew it completely. As President-elect of the company, he dominated their business. He appeared more as a condottiere and less as a diplomat. According to Adam Olearius and Johann Albrecht von Mandelsloh , he acted irascible, uncontrolled and unfair during the trip. This increased the strains of the journey for his companions.

Since the Gottorf state was not sufficiently financially strong and Sweden and Russia demanded high customs fees, the implementation of Brüggemann's plans would have been unlikely. He himself apparently had few concerns and had a part in the fact that the project could not be implemented. He appeared energetic and cocky, with which he was successful in Russia. In Persia, on the other hand, he created only opponents for himself. He also misjudged several facts.

Brüggemann had made the fictitious offer to the Shah to fight against Turkey together with other European countries. Then an envoy of the Shah traveled to Gottorf. This unauthorized action was cited as a key argument during the trial against him. It remains unclear whether the other charges were also correct, but it is likely.

literature

• Dieter Lohmeier: Brüggemann, Otto . in: Schleswig-Holstein Biographical Lexicon . Volume 3. Karl Wachholtz Verlag, Neumünster 1974, pp. 51-53
• Julius Loewenberg:  Brüggemann, Otto . In: Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (ADB). Volume 3, Duncker & Humblot, Leipzig 1876, p. 407.