Shaping Sorbian Language Areas

The city of Budyšin | Bautzen is regarded as the centre of the Sorbs in Upper Lusatia. The Domowina – Regional Association “Jan Arnošt Smoler” lives up to this role by advocating for the Sorbs living here and by organising events and activities.

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Sorbian Identity at the Centre – Domowina Regional Association Budyšin | Bautzen

The city of Budyšin | Bautzen is regarded as the centre of the Sorbs in Upper Lusatia. The Domowina Regional Association “Jan Arnošt Smoler” lives up to this role by advocating for the Sorbs living here and by organising events and activities.


One of our very popular event is the family get-to-gether at the Sundowner Bar.

Commitment to Language Areas and Culture

The regional association operates in the area of the former district of Bautzen. The Domowina local groups and associations belonging to the regional association organise a diverse programme:

  • excursions, lectures and autumn concerts for members and interested participants
  • family afternoons, social Sorbian gatherings and discussion evenings

The events provide opportunities to hear and speak the language. In this way, existing language spaces are preserved and further strengthened. In addition, Witaj and ZARI offer language courses that promote the acquisition and further development of Sorbian across different age groups and formats – from traditional language classes to practice-oriented learning, walks and other everyday activities in which the active use of Sorbian is encouraged.

Together we explore our Łužica | Lusatia — like here on the Königsweg near Bělšecy | Ebendörfel.

The Regional Association in Transition
Founded on 24 July 1921, the Regional Association was one of the largest within the umbrella organisation during the GDR period. Following the political changes of 1989/90, membership declined, as many members joined newly established specialist associations. Over the past decades, the work of the regional association has also evolved. In addition to cultural activities, the focus now includes social and educational topics. Increasingly, people from the majority population are also becoming involved; they support the Sorbian language and culture.

Encouragingly, many young Sorbs are returning to their homeland. For this reason, particular attention is given to work with young families and children.

Festival of the Sorbian Language at the Sorbian School Museum in Stróža | Wartha

Cooperation and Bilingualism
The Regional Association maintains numerous partnerships in order to keep the Sorbian language and culture visible. Since 2010, this has included cooperation with the administration of the UNESCO Biosphere Reserve Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape in Stróža | Wartha and with Sachsenforst, the State Forestry Enterprise of Saxony. As a result, partners’ publications are now produced bilingually, ensuring that technical terms and geographical names, for example, are also presented in Sorbian.

In addition, as a Regional Association we support municipalities in our area in implementing the municipal funding scheme aimed at promoting the Sorbian language in everyday life.

The local heritage association “Radiška” in Stróža | Wartha reflects Sorbian culture in a particularly distinctive way. Among other activities, it runs the “Korla Awgust Kocor” School Museum. The association offers insights into the history of Sorbian schools while also highlighting the decades-long process of linguistic suppression and Germanisation.
The Regional Association also works closely with the Radibor youth club “Radworske z. t.”, the Radibor Parents’ Initiative (registered association) and Bjesada Jeßnitz (registered association).

The Regional Association stands for lived partnership between majority and minority and is committed to keeping the Sorbian language and culture vibrant within a modern society.


Become a Member 

Application for membership: download PDF document

Application for membership: download PDF document

PDF for completion on a computer.

You can find the membership application as a Word document here.

Download .pdf (864,24 KB)

Events


Contact

Katja Liznarjec | Ließner
Regional Representative in the Regional Association “Jan Arnošt Smoler”
03591 550-211
katja.liznarjec@domowina.de
  • Represents Domowina in the Regional Association “Jan Arnošt Smoler with a focus on Sorbian affairs in the Budyšin | Bautzen region
  • Contact person for Sorbian associations, institutions as well as friends and supporters of Sorbian culture in the region
  • Advises councils and local authorities on projects to protect and promote the Sorbian people
  • Supports municipalities in integrating Sorbian interests into local planning and development processes
  • Identifies needs for action in implementing legal provisions on Sorbian language and culture
  • Analyses and forwards regional Sorbian concerns to Domowina’s Main Office in close cooperation with the Regional Board
  • Supports language motivators in the Regional Association to strengthen Sorbian language use
     

Committees / Representation of Domowina:

  • Member of the Biosphere Reserve Council, Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape
     

Volunteering:

  • Member of the Domowina Local Group Pančicy-Kukow | Panschwitz-Kuckau
  • Member of OHTL e.V.
  • Member of the Selection Committee for the EU LEADER programme, Upper Lusatian Heath and Pond Landscape
  • GTA Sorbian at primary schools