Palani Mohan

In 1819, driven by starvation and economic crisis, about 2,000 Swiss people emigrated to Brazil. After a deadly journey, they founded Nova Friburgo in the mountains near Rio de Janeiro. Unfortunately, their lands barely provided enough to feed, and the settlers scattered. Some returned to Rio where they lived in poverty and crime, others headed North where coffee could be grown, and made prosperous business there, particularly thanks to slavery. In this survey, Thomas Brasey documents the nowadays town of Nova Friburgo and evokes in a strongly personal way the adventure of the Swiss settlers. Beyond the historical scope of his approach, he raises the tragically topical issue of emigration, and remembers us that not so long ago western Europeans left their continent by boat in search of a better place to live.