In the 18th-century there was another important German figure in Brazilian history; that of Lieutenant-General Johann Heinrich von Böhm. It was von Böhm who, at the head of Portuguese troops, recaptured the city of Rio Grande in Rio Grande do Sul from the Spaniards in 1777.[4] Von Böhm was assisted by two other German officers, i.e., the Count of Lippe and Marschal Funk. These three characters were in a sense the forerunners of the German battalions brought into Brazil by the First Empire in the early part of the following century.
The first colonization of importance by Germans in Brazil did not take place until the early part of the 19th century. Beginning with that century there was a steady stream of non-Portuguese settlers into the country, and of these the Germans formed an important part.
COLONIZATION IN INDIVIDUAL STATES.
Introductory Remarks.
The following is a résumé of the German colonies[5] in Brazil and a brief introduction to their history.
For the sake of convenience, the colonies have been divided:
First; according to the states in which they are located.
Second; according to the date of founding.
Third; according to the kind of colony administratively at the time of founding. As to this they fall under three categories:
a) Private colonies, i.e., founded by a private individual or corporation.