The arrival of 47 German emigrants in the territory of Bahia in 1821 marked the beginning of a colonization effort led by Georg Anton Schäffer. A medical doctor by training, Schäffer shifted from clinical work to large-scale recruitment, eventually facilitating the migration of thousands of Europeans to serve both as rural settlers and military personnel under the Empire of Brazil.
Medical Training and Early Service
Born in 1779 in Münnerstadt, Bavaria, Schäffer pursued a medical education at the University of Göttingen and Würzburg's Juliusspital College of Medicine. He entered the service of the Imperial Russian state, working as a surgeon in Moscow. During the Napoleonic era, he participated in a combat balloon project led by Frantz Leppich. By 1813, he was serving as a ship surgeon aboard the Suvorov. Following professional disputes with the vessel's captain, he disembarked in New Archangel, where Governor Alexander Baranov recruited him into the Russian-American Company.
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In 1815, the Company tasked Schäffer with retrieving goods from the wreck of the Bering, a vessel seized by Kaumualii, the chief of Kauai. Upon arrival, Schäffer engaged in local political maneuvering, becoming convinced that he could annex Hawaii for the Russian Empire. He developed ambitious, albeit unrealistic, plans for a naval conquest. The resulting friction with American traders and local Hawaiian populations led to his departure in 1817. The Russian-American Company estimated its losses from this failure at 200,000 roubles.
Diplomatic Efforts and Bureaucratic Conflict
Upon returning to Europe in 1818, Schäffer attempted to petition Emperor Alexander I for support to resume his Pacific ambitions, arguing that a preemptive strike was necessary to protect Russian interests against American influence. He sent reports to officials including Nesselrode and Ioannis Kapodistrias. Despite his efforts, the Russian administration rejected his proposals, viewing the project as a financial and diplomatic liability. The Company attempted to recover damages through legal action, but eventually permitted Schäffer to depart for Germany.
Recruitment and Brazilian Colonization
In 1823, Schäffer accepted a commission from Dom Pedro I of Brazil to recruit settlers from Europe. Between 1824 and 1828, he brought approximately 5,000 German migrants to the region. These settlers established communities such as São Leopoldo and Novo Hamburgo. Schäffer integrated these men into the Brazilian military, drawing on his earlier experiences with Russian Cossacks to structure the units. His relationship with the Brazilian authorities remained strained; he was denied both a title of nobility and an ambassadorship before his death at Jacarandá in 1836.
Fast facts
- Born: 1779, Münnerstadt, Germany
- Died: 1836, Bahia
- Education: University of Göttingen
- Primary Languages: German, Russian
- Notable Role: Agent for the Empire of Brazil
- Major Incident: The Schäffer affair (1815–1817)
- Recruitment Scale: 5,000 migrants between 1824–1828
Questions readers ask
What was the result of the Hawaiian project?
It was considered a significant financial failure for the Russian-American Company, costing at least 200,000 roubles.
Did Schäffer's recruits know they were being enlisted for the military?
Schäffer did not advertise the compulsory military service in his recruitment contracts, despite ensuring that unmarried men were drafted upon arrival.
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