A Brief History of the Wends/Sorbs.
This article is the work of Marlene Fennel and was published in the November 2007 Newsletter of the 'South East Family History Group Inc' (South Australia). We thank them for permission to reprint the article on our website.
A Brief History of the Wends/Sorbs.
This ethnic group is the smallest of the eleven Slavonic language groups living in north-
eastern Europe. They live in Lusatia in the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg.
Lusatia in German is Lausitz and in Wendish it is Luzici.
Bautzen is the centre for the Upper Lusations whilst Cottbus is the centre for the Lower Lusdations. Each has their own dialect. The Lower Sorbs are more related to the Polish language, whilst the Upper Sorbs are more like Czech.
In 2006 it was estimated that the population was 100,000. They are located approximately 60 kms south-east of Berlin and extend southwards for 125kms.
The land ranges from swampland in the north, across a sand plain to mountains in the south. The area is irrigated from the Elbe and Oder rivers, and from approximately 100 lakes.
ORIGINS
They originated from north of the Black Sea about 4000 years ago.
In an era before Christ they settled in the River Vistula region.
Following the decline of the Roman Empire, they travelled in a westerly direction and finally settled in northern central Europe , between the Oder and Elbe rivers.
The Germans vacated the land on which they settled.
King Waldemer IV of Denmark who died in 1375, assumed the official title of "King of the Wends". This title was used until 1972.
During the periods of Bronze and the Iron Ages, archeological evidence has proven they grew crops of wheat, barley & millet, plus grazed cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and horses.
During the Persian, Greek & Roman periods they used a plough made from a
single piece of wood.
During the time of the German expansion and conquest they witnessed fighting.
This repulsed them greatly as fighting was foreign to their culture.
By the year 932 the Duke of Saxony defeated the Lusations and made the acceptance of Christianity a condition of peace. The Wends rebelled against this decision.
During the rule of Margrave Gero at least 30 Sorbian Princeses were murdered.
Prior to the adoption of Christianity they were a deeply religious group. The God Bogu was responsible for all good things, whilst the God Zernabog was responsible for the bad times.
From 1002-1032 there was unity with Poland. The Polish King Boleslaw the Brave captured Bautzen and united the upper and lower Wends by the terms of the Peace of Bautzen.
Between 1517-1618 dramatic changes occurred for the Wends. They were of the Roman Catholic belief, but following the Peace of Augsburg in 1555, whoever ruled decided the religion. It was at this time that they became Lutherans.
Some 200 years after the death of Martin Luther, the bible was translated into Sorbian, thus making it the first source of the written language.
The years 1618-1648 saw a lot of conflict occurring between Catholics and Protestants. The land was destroyed, there were poor harvests, famine and disease.
By 1799-1815 Napoleon was moving huge armies across Europe and a decision was made by Saxony to become allied with Napoleon between 1806 and 1813, However, in February 1813 Lusatia became a battleground when Napoleon won the battle between Russia and Prussia.
Territorial re-allocation occurred in 1815 after the Viennese Congress, So the Lower Wends fell to the Prussian Province of Brandenburg, whilst the Upper Wends remained in Saxony.
After 1819 serfdom was abolished. This meant sons of the peasants could leave the land and work in the towns.
From 1830 the Lower Wends endured 10 years of restrictions while Frederick Wilhelm 3rd of Prussia tried to introduce a new order of worship. This caused great fear for the Wends and many were wanting to migrate at this time.
MIGRATION
1844-1848 potato blight struck, and the grain fields failed.
1846 the Dresdan-Bautzen railway was opened. This meant less isolation for these people.
1848 there was a revolution, which caused a high rise in unemployment.
1848-1856 many Wends migrated to Texas & Australia.
They travelled to Hamburg by boat or rail to sail to their new chosen country.
In 1912 the 'Domowina'....an organization of Sorbian Association to preserve Sorbian language and culture was introduced.
1933-1945 the Sorbs were victims of forced Germanization as the Nazi's thought of them as Sorbian speaking Germans and not ethnic Slavs.
Their newspapers were banned. Sorbian priests and teachers were sent to the
concentration camps.
Following WW II,the Domowina was re licensed and they could again publish their own newspaper. Sorbian Grammar schools were opened, theatres and cultural institutes were established
By 1991 the Domowina became an independent organization, and the Sorb people foundation was established.
There are Wendish Heritage Societies in Texas & Australia. They encourage the
Wends to promote traditional cultures such as egg painting, dancing, sausage
cooking, noodle making and, of course, beer drinking.
Sorbs first arrived in Australia on the first fleet in 1788.
Over the centuries, these people have suffered religious persecution, feudalism, famine fear of wars, but their tenacity, stubbornness and steadfast determination has seen them survive.
Marlene Fennell.
REFERENCES.
1.History-Background & Context- Wendish Heritage Society of Australia.
2.Wikipedia,the free Encyclopedia.
3. Wendish Sorbian Article by John Noack, April 1987.
4. Wends (Sorbs) The Australian People ;ed James Jupp.A&R,1988 R.J.Burgen.
5. Geography-Where Did the Wends Originate From-Wendish Heritage Society
Of Australia.
6. George Nielson "In Search of a Home".
7.Why did Germans Emigrate.
8. Christian Symmank.
9.About Wends & Sorbs Immigration in Australia.
10. Roediger Family history.
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Copyright by Marlene Fennell. Used with her permission.
