Sorbian flag, in Pan-Slavic colors, introduced in 1842
|
|
Traditional female costume of Lower Lusatia (Spreewald)
|
|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 60,000–80,000 (est.) • 45–60,000 Upper Sorbs • 15–20,000 Lower Sorbs |
|
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Germany |
60,000–80,000 |
 Czech Republic |
2,000 |
 Poland |
fewer than 1,000 |
| Languages | |
| Sorbian (Upper Sorbian, Lower Sorbian), German | |
| Religion | |
| Majority Roman Catholicism, Lutheranism | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Other West Slavs (especially Silesians and Poles) |
|
_1971,_MiNr_Zusammendruck_1723-1724.jpg)
The Sorbs are Slavic people. They live mostly in Germany and Poland. There are 60,000 Sorbian people in the world. About 25,000 people speak one of the Sorbian languages.
In Germany and Poland Sorbs do not use the old fashioned words "Wends" or "Wendish" to describe themselves. American and Australian communities often prefer to call themselves "Wends" or "Wendish". They think that “Sorb” and “Sorbian” are bad words.
Upper Sorbian and Lower Sorbian dialects are protected languages in parts of Germany under the European Charter for Minority or Regional Languages
Images for kids
-
The reconstructed Lusatian gord (fortification) of Raduš (Raddusch), near Vetschau in Lower Lusatia.
-
"House of the Sorbs" (Serbski dom) in Bautzen
-
Bilingual names of streets in Cottbus
-
Lusatia was part of the Polish state between 1002 and 1031 under the rule of Bolesław I.
-
Bautzen, German-Sorbian folk theatre
-
Stamps from the East German period
-
The Flag of Upper Lusatia
-
The Flag of Lower Lusatia
-
Map of approximate Sorb-inhabited area in Germany.
-
Map of area and towns inhabited by Sorbs.
-
Detailed map of Sorb-inhabited area in Germany (in Lower Sorbian).
_1982,_MiNr_Zusammendruck_2716-2721.jpg)
