Klein-Venedig, or Welserland, was a German colony in modern day Venezuela and Guyana during the early-mid 16th century, and is widely considered as the most significant German colonial effort in the Americas. However, this area at the time was claimed and previously ran by Spain. As some would be quick to point out, both Spain and the closest thing to Germany at the time, the Holy Roman Empire, were both ruled, or as close to ruling as one can get with the HRE, by the same person, that being Charles V and I. The overall mediocrity of the German effort, combined with the Spanish still pressing their claims and Charles V falling out with the Welser family (the family that effectively ran the colony), caused the colony to lose its charter and return to Spanish control.

So what if this last bit never happened? What if a German colony existed in South America into the age of enlightenment, and beyond? How could colonialism be changed, and how would this shift the political balance of the much maligned Holy Roman Empire? Could it be integrated as another state? Would it be possible for this to become a new beginning for the Empire? Or was Klein-Venedig’s fate sealed from the beginning?