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The Region of the Sorbs and Wends
image author: Niederschlesischer Oberlausitzkreis/Dagmar Bilke Already in the 6th/7th century over a dozen Slav tribes came into the nearly unpopulated region of Elbe and Saale as a consequence of migration; they were called in Germanic language 'Wends). So the Lusatian Sorbs, who gave the region its name, took possession of the Niederlausitz and the Milceni the Oberlausitz. With the Germanic east expansion, in the time from the 8th to the 12th century all west Slavic ethnic groups between Baltic Sea and Erzgebirge lost their independence. In the course of further Germanic expansion and colonisation most tribes were forced in a power struggle of the nations to renounce their national independence. The Sorbs withstood the German authority, expanded their settlements through cultivation of new land coverage, retained in defiance of all Germanizing attempts their language, culture, and developed their own script. Today the Sorbs / Wends are the few exceptions who hold their own as national minority in Germany; whereby the description minority is not quite right. For the protection of the Sorbs / Wends rights the association Domowina was founded.
image author: Volker Ettelt / Stadt Vetschau The Wends look back on 450-year old Sorbian literature and the Wends are not a minority of a country but a independent Slavic nation. They form with around 60000 kinsmen an outstanding part of Lausitz history with their independent culture and traditional customs and are exceptional in regional everyday life. Ignorant visitors between Spreewald and Oberlausitz Highland are often surprised about bilingual village names and signs, which are for locals a matter of course.
One can describe the Spreewald as centre of the Lower Sorbian way of life. Here the lower Sorbian language and the Sorbian customs have stayed deeply-rooted. Annually diverse, traditional folk festivals take place; colourful attractions for visitors from far and wide. Some customs, which originated in the Sorbian culture, have been adopted by the German population. Probably the best-known example is the Easter egg painting and the Easter riding; but also zampern, putting up the maypole, Hahnrupfen as well as harvest festival have expanded at least here in the Lausitz.
After the political change in 1989 the Sorbs / Wends experienced apart from moral support also financial backing. The provincial governments of Brandenburg and Saxony as well as the Federal Government founded a "Stiftung für das sorbische Volk" for the protection of the Sorbian way of life. But this should belie basic difficulties. Most of all the lower Sorbian language is acutely endangered and special care and support is needed to protect thel anguage for the coming generations.
Weitere Informationen
Quellenangabe:
Lausitz WIKI
Deutschland
