Germany's Betrayal of Haiti

But Germans' motives for settling there spelled trouble for GOH later on. They began meddling in the country's internal affairs, with several failed coup d'etats. As an example of their greed for power, they coerced GOH into paying exorbitant indemnities for a minor incident involving a Haitian-German at the Port-au-Prince dock. Haiti paid quickly to halt threats of violence to Port-au-Prince.

A decade after the turn-of-the-century, in 1910, the German colony of only 200 exercised economic muscle in excess of their numbers on the island. They continued to make inroads, running Haiti's export market to their profit. In finance, they bought the debt-ridden National Bank of Haiti, wed Haitian women to acquire property, and traded in Haitian currency, making huge profits by changing regulatory rules to benefit themselves.

In 1917, Haiti declared war against Germany, chasing them out of the country. But a technicality kept the declaration from taking effect. Post World War I, the Germans re-entered Haiti, recovering their businesses and money. The U.S. Monroe Doctrine and the U.S.'s occupation until 1934 kept German interference at bay.

Germany has repaid Haiti's initial kindness with greed, manipulation, and defecating on the Haitian flag to show their scorn. Haiti is demanding an apology from them.

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Read more: Coup D'Etat, Haitian flag, Germany, US Occupation of Haiti, Humiliation, indemnity, Monroe Doctrine, German, National Bank of Haiti, International

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