In Germany, many cultures and traditions live side by side. However, most Germans are virtually unaware of one ethnic group that has lived here for centuries: the Sorbs. They primarily live in the east of the country, in Lusatia.
“Witajće k nam!” That’s Upper Sorbian for “Welcome”. The same greeting in Lower Sorbian is “Witajšo k nam!” Never heard it before? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Hardly anyone knows anything about the 60,000 or so Sorbian people who have official national minority status in Germany.
So it’s high time for a trip to beautiful Lusatia, as it is mainly there – in the states of Saxony and Brandenburg – that Sorbs live. One way to learn about their culture and history is to take the Sorbian Impressions cycle trail in Upper Lusatia, a 250-kilometre-long route through Sorbian territory. As you cycle along you will pass typical farms and wayside shrines, will be able to visit traditional homes and museums and can chat to Sorbs while staying in family-run accommodation. With a bit of luck you will also have a chance to experience one of the Sorbian festivals, featuring artistic traditional costumes and music.
This West Slavic ethnic group already moved west 1,400 years ago. It was long oppressed: in the nineteenth century the German Empire banned the Sorbian language in schools, while the Nazis outlawed Sorbian associations and murdered Sorbian intellectuals in concentration camps. Under the GDR regime the Sorbian population suffered extensive paternalism and control, and everyday use of the Sorbian language declined steadily. Currently, Sorbs are threatened by right-wing-extremist attacks. Nonetheless, the Sorbian flag and national anthem are now officially recognized and the rights of Sorbs are enshrined in the state constitutions of Brandenburg and Saxony.
You can get a sense of this East German minority’s at times difficult history at the Sorbian Museum in Bautzen. But you can really enjoy yourself here, too: the historic Krabat Mill in Schwarzkollm, named after a legendary figure, will enchant you with Sorbian sagas, traditional handicrafts and Sorbian cuisine. At the Martin Nowak Neumann House you will be introduced to the life and work of a Sorbian artist, while the Sorbian Weaving Museum in Drebkau showcases traditional costumes. If you happen to be visiting the region at the right time of year, you should definitely not miss out on the famous Easter egg markets or the St. John’s Day festivities in Casel. And how about taking in a ballet performance one evening at the Sorbian National Ensemble or watching a play at the German-Sorbian Volkstheater in Bautzen?
Women wearing traditional Sorbian festive costumes prepare for the start of the youth carnival. | Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa/Patrick Pleul
Sorb women wore less festive dress in their daily lives: women wearing Sorbian work clothes at the open-air museum in Lehde, a village in the Spreewald. | Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa/Patrick Pleul
The grounds of the historic Krabat Mill in Schwarzkollm, which offers traditional handicrafts and Sorbian cuisine. | Photo (detail): © picture alliance/dpa/Frank Hammerschmidt
The Sorbian Easter egg markets are famous well beyond Lusatia. The traditional eggs are decorated using a wax-based technique. | Photo (detail): © Adobe
Detours
What does Görliwood mean, why can you find a piece of the Caribbean in Bavaria and where can you dance in front of bucket wheel diggers? In our series we take you on a trip each month to somewhere in Germany that you may not yet know but should definitely be introduced to. We reveal places that are not to be found on the usual tourist trails. Are you ready for a bit of a detour?
January 2025