St. Thomas (Brandenburg)

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Coordinates: 18 ° 20 '  N , 64 ° 55'  W The kurbrandenburgische colony St. Thomas consisted of a part of the leased to Denmark belonging Antilles -Insel Saint Thomas (now U.S. Virgin Islands ).

history

In order to secure the trade in slaves from its African colonies Groß Friedrichsburg and Arguin , it was necessary for Brandenburg to have a base in the Caribbean . For this purpose the closing Brandenburg Navy -Generaldirektor Benjamin Raule on 24. November 1685 with representatives of the Danish West Indian-Guinean company of a contract for the leasing of part of since 1666 belong to Denmark Antilles island of St. Thomas with Brandenburg.

The sovereignty of the island remained with the Danish king , but Brandenburg was given land for use. In addition, a 30-year free trade (especially for slaves ) was agreed. According to this, the price for a slave could not be more than 60 thalers . The Danes received 1% of the purchase price for each imported slave and 2% for each exported slave. Should the Brandenburgers have an oversupply of slaves, the Danes would buy 100 slaves a year at a fixed price of 80 thalers. In addition, a collaboration between Brandenburgers and Danes was agreed in the "slave catch" on the slave coast .

The Brandenburg part of St. Thomas was confiscated by Denmark in 1693 without resistance and without compensation. With the end of the Brandenburg colonies of Groß Friedrichsburg and Arguin in Africa (sold in 1718 and 1721), the ownership of St. Thomas was also given up.

literature

  • Hermann Kellenbenz : The Brandenburgers on St. Thomas. In: Yearbook for the History of the State, Economy and Society of Latin America. 2 (1965), pp. 196-217.
  • Ulrich van der Heyden: Red eagles on Africa's coast. The Brandenburg-Prussian colony Großfriedrichsburg in West Africa . Selignow-Verlag, Berlin 2001, ISBN 3-933889-04-9