Sorbs in Germany

Though most news about ethnic minorities seems to come out of Eastern Europe, Germany recognizes four: the Frisians and the Danes in the northern province of Schleswig-Holstein, Roma across the country and the Sorbs (Lusatians, Wends) in the eastern provinces of Saxony and Brandenburg.

The Sorbs are a West Slavic nation of around 60,000 people. They have two literary languages: those living in Brandenburg use Lower Sorbian; while those living in Saxony use Upper Sorbian. More information about the Sorbian languages can be found here.

Generally speaking, the Sorbs enjoy a high degree of legal protection in Germany. This protection has been bolstered by Germany’s ratification of various international agreements concerning minority groups. On the federal level, Sorbs’ rights are mentioned in the German Unification Treaty of 1990. However, most responsibility for minorities falls to the Lands (provinces). The constitutions of the Lands of Saxony and Brandenburg (1992), the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Sorbs in the Land of Brandenburg (1994) and the Law on the Protection of the Rights of the Sorbs in the Land of Saxony (1999) are important provincial-level laws.

Last year, a major issue in Sorbian communities was the elimination of the entire village of Horno. An energy company called Vattenfall moved most of the residents of Horno to the town of Forst in order to expand a coal mine near the village. Locals took the company to the European Court for Human Rights in Strasbourg, which unfortunately ruled against them on the principle that there is public interest in the mine expansion.

Education is a significant problem as well. In principle the situation is good: Sorbian is taught at the pre-school through secondary school levels. The Institute of Sorbian Studies at the University of Leipzig and the Sorbian College of Social Education in Bautzen train Sorbian teachers. Language classes for adults are available in Bautzen and Cottbus.

However, in March 2004, the Committee of Ministers of the Council of Europe drew attention to Lower Sorbian, as well as to North and Saterland Frisian, declaring them to be threatened by extinction and recommending “immediate measures to strengthen education.” Weeks later, in April, the Council of Europe formally requested that the government of Saxony reconsider the way it handles Sorbian schools.

The province enforces a law which mandates a minimum number of students in classes and schools; due to lack of students, the number of Sorbian schools in Saxony has fallen from twelve to six in recent years. In 2003, widely publicized school closings occurred in Chrostwitz and in Heinersbruk. The province’s education ministry responded that while the minimum number of students for a primary school in 15 and for a secondary school is 40, but for Sorbian schools the minimum is already lower, at seven.

Most recently, on 4 August, news broke that the daily Sorbian-language newspaper Serbske Nowiny is threatened by cutbacks. Serbske Nowiny is published five days per week on four to eight pages by a staff of six full-time and one part-time employee. The federal government has announced it is cutting back funding to Sorbian cultural institutions including the newspaper, as is the province of Brandenburg. Some 90 percent of the budget of Serbske Nowiny comes from public sources, and so any cut in its federal funding could be a massive blow.

The central organization of the Sorbs is Domowina, the Union of Lusatian Sorbs. The organization was founded in 1912 as an umbrella organization for the various Sorbian organizations which existed at that time. With the reunification of Germany and the introduction of real democracy to East Germany, Domowina reformed itself in 1990 and is now the most important organization among the Sorbs.

Domowina has several goals, among them “the maintenance, development, promotion and expansion of the language, culture and traditions of the Sorbian people, as well as a Sorbian national awareness, sense of community and regional identity.” It also strives to unify and support all Sorbian organizations; to defend Sorbian interests in public fora; and to promote mutual respect between Sorbs and Germans and cooperation among Sorbs and other Slavic nations and minorities.

Other important Sorbian organizations are the Association of Cyril and Methodius, the Circle for the Support of Sorbian Folk Culture, the Foundation for the Sorbian Nation, Maćica Serbska, the Sorbian Protestant Association, the Sorbian Union of Choral Associations, the Union of Sorbian Cultural Tourism and the Union of Sorbian Sport Associations "Sokoł."

Young people are the focus of Pawk, the Sorbian youth association. Aside from its other activities, Pawk is organizing “Dny Mlodziny/Day of Sorbian Youth in Lusatia” from 18 to 22 August in Crostwitz. This festival will feature concerts of Sorbian folk and rock music, as well as workshops for young people.

Sorbs are well represented on the international level. Domowina represents the Sorbs as a member of the Federal Union of European Nationalities (FUEN), the European Bureau of Lesser Used Languages (EBLUL) and The Society for Threatened Peoples. Pawk represents Sorbian young people as a member of the Youth of European Nationalities (YEN).