Strengthening Promotion of Sorbian Language is Collaborative Push by Coalition and CDU - Promoting Sorbian Language Gains Support from Coalition and CDU
The future of the Sorbian language in Lausitz, a region in Brandenburg, Germany, is under scrutiny, with CDU MP Julian Brünning raising concerns about its current state. To address this issue, the SPD/BSW coalition and the CDU have joined forces to bolster the Sorbian language, aiming to improve its educational infrastructure, increase bilingual opportunities, and secure funding for its preservation.
At the heart of the initiative is the Witaj concept, which serves as the foundation for Sorbian-language education in kindergartens in Lausitz. This innovative approach allows children from German-speaking families to learn Sorbian through Sorbian educators, fostering a more inclusive environment for the minority language.
The coalition's proposals include expanding the concept of bilingual education in kindergartens and schools, a move aimed at raising the prestige and normalization of Sorbian. This could encourage a stronger cultural identity among young Sorbs and improve their cognitive flexibility.
Recognizing the importance of well-trained teachers, the coalition plans to start teacher training for the Sorbian language at the Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg in the winter semester 2026/27. This move is expected to improve the quality and quantity of educators proficient in the language, ensuring that the language is taught accurately and effectively.
In an effort to secure funding, ministers-president of Brandenburg and Saxony, Dietmar Woidke (SPD) and Michael Kretschmer (CDU), have asked Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU) to negotiate an agreement on joint funding of the Foundation for the Sorbian People in Upper and Lower Lusatia. This agreement could lead to more robust support for Sorbian language programs, including teaching materials, extracurricular activities, cultural events, and community initiatives.
The Sorbs/Wends, who have been settled in the Lausitz for around 1500 years, view these efforts as crucial for the revitalization and preservation of their language and culture. SPD politician Lars Katzmarek and BSW MP Falk Peschel both believe that promoting the Sorbian language would strengthen the Sorbian-speaking community.
These plans, if implemented, could have significant impacts on the future of Sorbian-language education and the Sorbian-speaking community. They aim to preserve the Sorbian language, strengthen its cultural identity, and create a sustainable environment where Sorbian is spoken, taught, and valued. This could lead to a more resilient Sorbian-speaking community with ongoing cultural and linguistic vitality.
- The Community and Employment Policies could play a significant role in the future of Sorbian-language education by providing funding for initiatives aimed at preserving and strengthening the Sorbian language, such as the Foundation for the Sorbian People in Upper and Lower Lusatia.
- The politics surrounding the Sorbian language in Lausitz can be closely tied to general news, as the current state of the language and efforts to preserve it have attracted attention from politicians at the regional and national level, including MP Julian Brünning of the CDU and Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
