Denis (Dionis), Albertus

One of the first members of the Portuguese community in Hamburg. On May 31, 1611, he with two others signed the agreement which assured to the community its cemetery in Altona. In 1612 he was with othersformally admitted to the town by the Senate and the aldermen. He was banker to Count Ernest of Schauenburg, the reigning prince of the county of Pinneberg in southern Holstein, whom he supplied with silver bullion for his mint. In consequence of his confidential relations with the count, he came into collision with the Hamburg authorities, who accused him of buying up reichsthalers coined in Hamburg to melt down in Altona. The Senate of Hamburg ordered him put into prison, but he escaped to Altona and settled there, protected by the count against the Senate of Hamburg and the hostile population of Altona. Christian IV. of Denmark committed to him (1619) the administration of the royal mint in the newly founded town of Glückstadt. He continued to be a member of the Hamburg Portuguese community, and in 1637 interceded as its representative with Count Otto of Schauenburg for the renewal of the cemetery privileges.

Bibliography:

  * Ehrenberg, Altona Unter Schauenburgischer Herrschaft, Altona, 1893;
  * A. Feilchenfeld, Anfang und Blütezeit der Portugiesen-Gemeinde in Hamburg. Hamburg, 1897;
  * M. Grunwald, Portugiesengräber, p. 130.



G. A. Fe.