Lower Sorbs
As low sorbent (Lower Sorbian Sexby or Dolnoserby , German external and self-designation often turning ), the Sorbs of Lower Lausitz referred, which differ from the Upper Sorbs in the Oberlausitz differ linguistically and culturally. The Lower Sorbian spoken in Lower Lusatia is an independent Slavic language , but it is closely related to Upper Sorbian . According to official information, 20,000 Lower Sorbers live in Brandenburg, but less than half of them still actively speak Lower Sorbian.
Designations
In their language the self-designation is Serby or serbski . In German they refer to themselves either as Sorbs or as Wends (old German name for Slavs ). In official documents of the state of Brandenburg they are therefore referred to as Sorbs / Wends .
Settlement area
Lower Sorbs still live in the area between Lübben and Senftenberg , especially in the area around Cottbus .
language
The Lower Sorbian language (also called Wendish language ) is a West Slavic language that is closely related to the Upper Sorbian language . Today only about 7,000-10,000 people speak the language, the continued existence of which is acutely threatened.
history
The Lower Sorbs see themselves as descendants of the Lusizi who settled in Niederlausitz since the 8th century. Archaeological finds in their former castles and settlements as well as the first written records bear witness to the life of this Slavic population in Lower Lusatia. Since the 14th century, Lower Lusatia was a subsidiary of the Kingdom of Bohemia .
Since the late Middle Ages, the Slavic population in Lower Lusatia was referred to as Sorbs and also called themselves that, although - just like the Milzener of Upper Lusatia - they were still mentioned separately from them in earlier written sources and did not belong to them.
With the takeover of parts of Lower Lusatia from the 15th century under Saxon and later also under Brandenburg rule, the native population was slowly pushed back by German immigrants, especially in the vicinity of the cities, although they still represented the majority in Lower Lusatia until the 19th century .
With the Reformation the importance of the Lower Sorbian language in the church increased, because according to Luther's intention, sermons, sacraments and pastoral care should be in the language of the local population. In 1543 the pastor Martin Richter wrote a baptism agenda in Lower Sorbian, in 1548 Mikławš Jakubica translated the New Testament , in 1574 Albin Moller Luther's Small Catechism. 1610 appeared prayers, psalms and Luther's catechism in Lower Sorbian by Handroš Tara .
In the 17th century the Saxon and Brandenburg rulers increasingly suppressed the Wendish language and culture. In 1668 the Elector of Brandenburg issued a ban on the Wendish language, Wendish pastors and teachers were dismissed, and books in Wendish were banned and burned.
In the centuries that followed, many Lower Sorbers assimilated and adopted German names and the German language. Due to the influx of workers in the course of industrialization since the 19th century, the proportion of the German population grew increasingly.
During the time of National Socialism , the use of the Sorbian language in public was increasingly restricted from 1937 and Sorbian organizations were banned; Sorbian pastors and teachers were transferred from Lusatia to other areas and Sorbian publications and church services were discontinued.
After 1949, Sorbian culture and language were promoted by the state, but the proportion of people who actively cultivated and received them continued to decline. The Lower Sorbian language was subject to a strong Upper Sorbian influence, as, for example, teachers from Upper Lusatia were employed in Lower Sorbian schools.
Culture
In Cottbus / Chóśebuz there is the Wendish Museum , a branch of the Sorbian Institute and the LODKA information center . There is also the only Lower Sorbian grammar school .
The newspaper Nowy Casnik reports weekly in Lower Sorbian. The children's magazine Płomje appears monthly, the cultural monthly Rozhlad , the scientific magazine Lětopis and the pedagogical journal Serbska šula also contain articles in Lower Sorbian.
The Bramborske serbske radijo ( Brandenburg Sorbian Radio ) broadcasts a one-hour program in Lower Sorbian on the RBB (Inforadio) program. The television program Łužyca is broadcast once a month on the RBB.
Traditions and costumes
Some regional customs, such as cock plucking and the like , are characteristic of the Wends in Lower Lusatia . a. that are maintained to this day.
The traditional costumes, especially for women, are a specialty of the area. They differ from village to village.
religion
history
The Lower Sorbs / Wends were mostly Protestant since the Reformation. Bibles, hymn books and other spiritual texts in Lower Sorbian have been published by the pastors Mikławš Jakubica , Albin Moller , and others since the 16th century . a. Due to the strong pressure of the Prussian and Saxon authorities, the Wendish / Lower Sorbian language has been massively pushed back in worship since the 17th century.
In 1815 there were 49 parishes in Niederlausitz in which Wendish preaching took place, in 1843 40 Wendish congregations with 43 pastors, in 1870 26 congregations, in 1880 14 congregations, around 1900 12 congregations. In 1912 there were still 9 pastors who preached in Wendish, in 1930 there were still 3. Since 1933 there were no more church services in Wendish
present
Since around 1998, individual services have been held in Wendish again, by a responsible pastor and supported by the Association for the Promotion of Wendish Language in Worship Services. V.
Personalities
15th to 18th century
- Jan Rak (Johannes Aesticampius, 1457–1520), theologian, scholar and humanist
- Jan Brězan (Johann Briesmann, 1488–1549), Lutheran reformer in Prussia and the Baltic States
- Mikławš Jakubica († around 1548), translated the New Testament into Lower Sorbian, first Sorbian written certificate
- Albin Moller (1541–1618), Protestant pastor, translated Luther's catechism and songs into the Lower Sorbian language
- Handroš Tara (Andreas Thar, around 1570 – around 1638), Protestant pastor, translated Luther's catechism, psalms and prayers, wrote other texts
- Jan Krygaŕ (Johann Crüger, 1598–1662), composer
- Jan Chojnan (Johannes Choinan, 1616–1664), Protestant pastor, wrote the first Lower Sorbian grammar
19th century
- Kito Fryco Stempel (1787–1867), Protestant pastor and founder of modern Lower Sorbian literature
- Pawoł Fryco Broniš (Paul Friedrich Bronisch, 1830–1895), Protestant pastor and writer
- Kito Šwjela (1836–1922), cantor and editor of the Bramborski Serbski Casnik
- Fryco Rocha (1863–1942), writer, also of children's literature
- Bogumił Šwjela (1873–1948), Protestant pastor, linguist, co-founder of Domowina
20th century
- Mina Witkojc (Wilhelmine Wittka, 1893–1975), poet and publicist
- Herbert Cerna (Herbert Zerna, 1905–1955), pastor, teacher and film director
literature
- Peter Kunze: The Sorbs / Wends in Lower Lusatia. 2nd edition, Domowina-Verlag, Bautzen 2000, ISBN 3-7420-1668-7 .
Remarks
- ^ Sorbian Wends and Wendish Sorbs Lausitzer Rundschau of December 19, 2009
- ↑ In Lower Lusatia, however, there are many people who tend to identify with the term "Wenden". Sorbs / Wenden Ministry for Science, Research and Culture of the State of Brandenburg
- ↑ [1]
- ^ Sorbian Wends and Wendish Sorbs Lausitzer Rundschau of December 19, 2009
- ^ Günter Wetzel : Teutons - Slavs - Germans in Niederlausitz. In: Report of the Roman-Germanic Commission. 83, 2002, ISSN 0341-9312 , pp. 206-242.
- ^ The Sorbs and the Reformation Sächsische Zeitung of March 21, 2017
- ^ The Reformation and the Sorbs in the Niederlausitz Association for Berlin-Brandenburg Church History
- ↑ cf. Peter Kunze: The Prussian Sorbs Policy 1815–1847 , VEB Domowina-Verlag, Bautzen 1978
- ↑ On the church singing of the Wendish population in Niederlausitz
- ^ History of Cottbus 1815 City Museum
- ↑ Detlef Kobjela , Werner Meschkank: From the magic song to the Wendish pop ballad - a contribution to the music history of Lusatia with a special presentation of the music history of Lower Sorbian. (= Potsdam contributions to Sorabistics. Volume 3). Potsdam 2000. p. 29 ( pdf )