Reducing Cultural Insecurity among the Sorbs in Germany after 1945 : The Significance of Legislation in Saxony and Brandenburg

Abstract:

Following the demise National Socialism in 1945, the new German authorities adopted a strategic program aiming for the recognition and protection of the Sorbian national minority. For the first time in history, German state authorities adopted specific provisions for the legally based promotion of the Sorb’s language and culture. Despite good intentions at the outset, this did not necessarily lead to a feeling of greater cultural security for all Sorbs as time went on. This chapter examines the passing of two acts for the protection of the Lusatian Sorbs after World War II and the long-term effects they had on their sense of belonging to the German Democratic Republic and on their cultural security. The first section deals with the issue of ethnic inferiority felt among the Sorbs, as a result of the past minority policies, and the need to introduce countermeasures. The second section looks at the more realistic and pragmatic demands made by the Sorbian representatives, which led to appropriate regulations for the only recognized national minority in East Germany. Much effort was invested in their practical implementation and the reconstruction of Sorbian cultural life in spite of recurrent complications and setbacks.