to attract the immigrants, the brazilian government had promised large tracts of land, where they could settle with their families and colonize the region. the first years were not easy. many germans died of tropical disease, while others left the colonies to find better living conditions. the german colony of são leopoldo was a disaster. nevertheless, in the following years, a further 4,830 germans arrived at são leopoldo, and then the colony started to develop, with the immigrants establishing the town of novo hamburgo ("new hamburg").