Sorbian under pressure: Brandenburg's new measures for the language of the Sorbs

Sorbian under pressure: Brandenburg's new measures for the language of the Sorbs

In Brandenburg, the Lower Sorbian language is facing major challenges. The situation in Lower Lusatia shows that bilingualism is hardly visible - apart from election information and some labels, the language is rarely heard or spoken. Around 60,000 Sorbs live in Lusatia, with two thirds of them living in Upper Lusatia in Saxony and a third in Lower Lusatia in Brandenburg. This reports nd-current.

What many people don't know is that the Lower Sorbian language is similar to Polish, while Upper Sorbian has more similarities with Czech. According to information from Wikipedia

Shortage of teachers

A central problem is the lack of qualified teachers. In Vetschau, Straupitz and Drebkau, teachers are now active again for Lower Sorbian lessons, but in Lieberose lessons had to be stopped due to a teacher transfer. A new program that has been giving newcomers access to language lessons since 2021 is showing initial success: seven out of eight participants are already in use. However, training teachers remains a challenge.

The Technical University of Cottbus-Senftenberg is planning to train primary school teachers specifically for the subject of Lower Sorbian from the winter semester of 2026/27. This initiative is supported by the Brandenburg coalition of SPD and BSW as well as the opposition CDU, who are seeking greater promotion of the Lower Sorbian language. The concept of bilingual education in daycare centers and schools plays a central role in preserving the Sorbian identity. RBB24 emphasizes that Lower Sorbian-speaking families should have the opportunity to learn this language in daycare centers in the future.

Financing the Foundation for the Sorbian People

In order to improve the situation in the long term, a new financing agreement for the Foundation for the Sorbian People is required. This foundation is currently being financed with 23.9 million euros between 2021 and 2025 by the federal government and the states of Saxony and Brandenburg. The state government is also being asked to lobby the federal government for a new financing agreement, as the existing agreement expires at the end of this year. Here, both CDU MPs and SPD politicians offer suggestions for strengthening the Sorbian-speaking community, with education being cited as the key to preserving Sorbian identity.

The Sorbs have been living in Lusatia for around 1,500 years and proudly preserve their customs and traditions. But time is of the essence – currently only around 5,000 people actively speak Lower Sorbian in the region. A package of measures to promote this language, which is to be initiated by various political factions, could make a decisive contribution to raising the Lower Sorbian educational culture in Brandenburg. Only through targeted educational measures and financial support can the Lower Sorbian language be freed from its endangered situation.