Wends

[Vojvoda]

or Sorbs, Slavic people (numbering over 100,000) of E Germany, in Lusatia. They speak Lusatian (also known as Sorbic or Wendish), a West Slavic language with two main dialects: Upper Lusatian, nearer to Czech, and Lower Lusatian, nearer to Polish. The towns of Bautzen (Upper Lusatia) and Cottbus (Lower Lusatia in modern Silesia) are their chief cultural centers. In the Middle Ages the term Wends was applied by the Germans to all the Slavs inhabiting the area between the Oder River in the east and the Elbe River and the Saale River in the west. German conquest of their land began in the 6th cent. and was completed under Charlemagne (8th cent.). A coalition of Wendish tribes in the 10th cent. and again in the early 12th cent. temporarily halted German expansion. A crusade against the pagan Wends was launched in 1147 under the leadership of Henry the Lion of Saxony and Albert the Bear of Brandenburg. The crusade itself was, on the whole, a failure, but in subsequent years Henry the Lion, aided by Waldemar I of Denmark, Albert the Bear, and other princes, carried out a systematic campaign of conquest. By the end of the 12th cent. nearly all Germany except East Prussia had been subjected to German rule and was Christianized. However, a group of Slavic-speaking Wends has maintained itself to the present day in Lusatia. They call themselves Srbi and hence are known also in English as Lusatian Sorbs or Serbs.

The Smallest Slavonic Nation: The Sorbs of Lusatia (1972)

Wendish towns:

NEM/SERBSKO

- 04600 Altenburg i.Thüringen//Starohród
- 14547 Beelitz i.d.Mark//Belica
- 15848 Beeskow//Bezkow
- 04847 Belgern b.Torgau//Bela Hora
- 14806 Belzig//Belsko
- 1 Berlin//Barlin
- 1477 Brandenburg//Branibor
- 05552 Borna b.Leipzig//Borno
- 091 Chemnitz i.Sachsen//Kamjenica
- 04680 Colditz//Koldica
- 04774 Dahlen i.Sachsen//Dolan
- 03253 Doberlugk-Kirchhain//Dobrolug-Góskow
- 04720 Döbeln//Doblin
- 01 Dresden//Drježdzany
- 04849 Bad Düben//Dzewin
- 04838 Eilenburg//Jilow
- 04910 Elsterwerda//Wikow
- 03238 Finsterwalde//Grabin
- 79 Frankfurt a.d.Oder//Frankobrod nad Odru
- 15848 Friedland i.d.Mark//Bryland
- 15890 Eisenhüttenstadt(EH)//Pribrjoh (EH hieß vordem "Fürstenberg", von dem es den sorb. ON übernommen hat)
- 15517 Fürstenwalde a.d.Spree//Pribor
- 04643 Geithain//Chitan
- 08371 Glauchau//Hluchow
- 04668 Grimma//Kremjen
- 01558 Großenhain i.Sachsen//Wulki Wosyk
- Havel (Fl.)//Habola
- 14913 Jüterbog//Jutrobóh
- 15711 Königs Wusterhausen//Parsk
- 12557 Berlin-Köpenick//Barlin-Kopjenik
- PL-Lebus//p:Lubusz//s:Lubuš
- 04 Leipzig//Lipsk
- 04703 Leisnig//Lesnik
- 04924 Bad Liebenwerda//Rukow
- 01623 Lommatzsch//Hlomac
- 15926 Luckau i.d.Niederlausitz//Lukow
- 14943 Luckenwalde//Lukowc
- 01662 Meißen i.Sachsen//Mišno
- 04769 Mügeln b.Oschatz//Mohilno
- 01990 Ortrand//Wótran
- 04758 Oschatz//Wosec
- 04523 Pegau//Pegawa
- 09322 Penig//Pjenk
- 01796 PIRNA // PERNA
- 0852 Plauen//Plawno
- 144 Potsdam//Podstupim
- 17291 Prenzlau//Pribyslaw
- 06909 Pretzsch a.d.Elbe//Prec
- 16928 Pritzwalk//Pribyslawk
- 015 Riesa//Ryzawa
- 09306 Rochlitz//Rochlica
- 04741 Roßwein//Roswin
- 09619 Sayda//Zajdow
- 01814 Bad Schandau//Žandawa
- Scharmützelsee (beliebter Urlaubssee bei Berlin)//Tšemušnica
- Schlaube (Fl. i.d.Niederlausitz [NL])//Žlobja
- 01855 SEBNITZ // ZEBNICA
- 03249 Sonnewalde//Grozišco
- 1358 Berlin-Spandau//Barlin-Spandawa
- 01833 Stolpen//Stolpno
- 15859 Storkow i.d.Mark//Storkow
- 01616 Strehla//Strjela
- 04425 Taucha b.Leipzig//Tuchow
- 06682 Teuchern//Tuchorin
- 01737 Tharandt//Toron
- 04860 Torgau//Torgawa
- 08233 Treuen i.Vogtland//Drjewno
- 14929 Treuenbrietzen//Werna Brjazyna
- 14929 Treuenbrietzen S//Werna Brjazyna-juh
- CZ-Warnsdorf i.Böhmen//tsch:Varnsdorf//s:Warnolcicy (dem "Warnolcicy" würde eigentlich die tschech. Form "Arnoltice" entsprechen; vielleicht hat man aber den dt. ON (i. tschech. Buchstaben) wegen der Bedeutung v.a. als Industriestandort so belassen)
- 06886 Lutherstadt Wittenberg//(Lutherowe Mesto) Bela Hora
- 04808 Wurzen//Worcyn
- 06712 Zeitz a.d.Elster//Žitc
- 39261 Zerbst//Serbišco
- 15806 Zossen b.Berlin//Sosny
- 09517 Zöblitz//Sobolsk
- 08297 Zwönitz//Zwonica

[Zyklop]

Originally Posted by Vožd

or Sorbs, Slavic people (numbering over 100,000) of E Germany, in Lusatia.

30,000 according to official numbers.

[Zrinski]

Also 'Wend' is not a term just for Sorbs/Lusatians but for other Western Slavs as well. For example Slovenes were called Wends as well. This was just a name for Slavs under German rule.

[bocian]

Originally Posted by Mimas

30,000 according to official numbers.

According to you it was 60,000 about a month ago.

[Vojvoda]

Originally Posted by Zrinski

Also 'Wend' is not a term just for Sorbs/Lusatians but for other Western Slavs as well. For example Slovenes were called Wends as well. This was just a name for Slavs under German rule.

...from the Greek word 'Venedi' which in turn is from the Slavic name 'SloVeni'.The Franks referred to the Slavs in the eastern Balkans as Wends also.

[Zrinski]

Originally Posted by Vožd

which in turn is from the Slavic name 'SloVeni'.

Or 'Slaveni'...

[Vojvoda]

Or \'Slovani\'...

[Zyklop]

Originally Posted by bocian

According to you it was 60,000 about a month ago.

30,000 active speakers.

[Nerthus]

I heard 20.000 - 30.000

[Phlegethon]

After the electoral success of the South Schleswig Voter's Association in Schleswig-Holstein (well, not really an electoral success, but they now happen to help the losing party into power) the Lausitz Sorbs now want to found a party, too. It is supposed to be named Serbska Ludowa Strona (SLS). The Sorbian cultural umbrella organization Domowina however is against the party project, as the party not only will not be exempt from the 5% clause in elections but also because the Sorbian national conscience isn't as prevalent as with the Danes.

[Marcus Marulus]

Steinacher, Roland (2002). Studien zur vandalischen Geschichte. Die Gleichsetzung der Ethnonyme Wenden, Slawen und Vandalen vom Mittelalter bis ins 18. Jahrhundert (doctoral thesis). Wien, 2002.