Events
Haiti - 1872: Extortion by the Germans
- Monday, June 11, 2012 11:46 AM
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (defend.ht) - June 11th, 1872, the German Naval frigate, the Vineta led by Captain Basch, arrived in the harbor of Port-au-Prince, taking two Haitian hostages in demand for £3000 ($275,000.00 [U.S. today]) from the Haitian government.
Two German businessmen, Dickmamann and Stapenhort, had demanded that the Haitian government pay for their investment losses in the country; this is according to one historical account.
German Captain Basch who was fresh from victory in the Franco-Prussian (France-Germany) war was said to have taken the job of retrieving the money for the businessmen because the Haitian government had shown sympathy to France during the war.
On June 11th 1872, Basch arrived in the Bay of Port-au-Prince aboard the warship Vineta and no more than two hours after arrival surprise-attacked a Haitian vessel anchored in the bay. The Germans took two Haitian sailors hostage - before receiving a government response.
Unprepared and aware of his impotence, Haitian President Jean-Nicolas Nissage Saget (1869-1874) gave the Germans the money they demanded. A Haitian poet expressed the national indignation of paying the Germans by saying, we "threw the money to the Germans as one would cast a bone to a dog."
Captain Basch took the money and returned the two hostages and left Port-au-Prince. But the resentment caused by his unwarranted action lingered for many years.
