Domowina

Domowina (Sorbian: "Home") is a political independent league of the Sorbian and Wendish people and umbrella organization of Sorbian societies in Lower and Upper Lusatia, Germany. It represents the interests of Sorbian people and is the continual successor of the previous Domowina League of the Lusatian Sorbs (German: Domowina Bund Lausitzer Sorben, Sorbian: Zwjazk Łužiskich Serbow, Lower Sorbian: Zwězk Łužyskich Serbow).

Domowina
Founded1912
TypeNon-profit, NGO
Location
WebsiteOfficial website
Former ballroom and community center in Hoyerswerda, foundation of the Domowina

Name

The Sorbian word Domowina is a poetic expression for 'homeland'. The name was proposed by Domowina co-founder Bogumił Šwjela, then Lutheran pastor of Nochten and Sorbian linguist.[1]

History

The Domowina institution, founded in Hoyerswerda in 1912, is situated in Bautzen (Budyšin) in Saxony alongside other cultural institutions of the Sorbian people for which it serves as an umbrella organization.[2][3]

The Domowina was closed by Nazi authorities in 1937 and reopened on 10 May 1945, right after the end of World War II, and regained official status in the German Democratic Republic.[4]

Under East German rule, Domowina was a mass organization included in the National Front, and was effectively controlled by the SED. Though the government did recognize Sorbs as a linguistic community within the GDR, they were not recognized as a minority, which ran contrary to the demands of the league. Upon the fall of communism in East Germany and German reunification, Domowina was reformed yet again, this time as an independent organization.

Regional associations

In Sorbian, the regional associations are called župa.

founded July 24, 1921 in Bautzen
  • Domowina Regional Association "Michał Hórnik" Kamenz:
founded July 24, 1921 in Crostwitz
founded July 24, 1921 in Hoyerswerda
  • Domowina Regional Association Lower Lusatia in Cottbus:
founded May 31, 1991 in Cottbus by fusing the former regional associations of Cottbus (since 1949/50), Guben/Forst (1954), Calau/Lübben (1955) and Spremberg (1956)
  • Domowina Regional Association "Jakub Lorenc-Zalěski" in Schleife:
founded October 28, 2013 as a successor of the Regional Association Weißwasser and Niesky which in turn was created in 1991 by fusing the two regional associations of Niesky and Weißwasser. Those were once one regional association (Niesky, founded 1945), but separated for political reasons in 1957 to match the administrative division of the GDR.

Members

The following associations are members of the Domowina:

  • the regional associations of Domowina (Sorbian: župa)
  • the Sorbian School Association
  • the Union of Sorbian Students
  • the Serbski Sokoł (Sorbian Sports Association)
  • the Sorbian Cultural Tourism Association
  • the Maćica Serbska (Sorbian Scientific Association)
  • the Union of Sorbian Choirs
  • the Sorbian Artists Association
  • the Society of Saints Cyril and Methodius (Association of Catholic Sorbs)
  • Pawk (Sorbian Youth Association)
  • the Sorbian Union of Trade
  • the Sorbian Cultural Sponsoring Society
  • the Society for the Promotion of Sorbian Culture and Informal Center in Berlin
  • the Bildungsgut Schmochtitz Sankt Benno (as a sponsoring member)

Seat
Serbski dom – seat of the Domowina in Bautzen

The Domowina has its main seat in the Serbski dom in Bautzen.

Branch offices
  • Haus der Sorben Bautzen (Serbski dom Budyšin)
  • Wendisches Haus Cottbus (Serbski dom Chóśebuz)

Regional offices

Chairmen
Period Chairman
1912–1927 Arnošt Bart
1927–1930 Jakub Šewčik
1930–1933 Jan Křižan
1933–1950 Pawoł Nedo
1951–1973 Kurt Krjeńc
1964–1990 Jurij Grós[5]
1990–1991 Bjarnat Cyž
1991–1992 Jan Pawoł Nagel
1993–2000 Jakub Brankačk
2000–2011 Jan Nuk
2011–present David Statnik

Association's journal

Domowina's association's journal is Naša Domowina ("Our Domowina"). Originally, it was created by Pawoł Nedo a supplement for the Serbske nowiny newspaper in 1935. Today, it bears the full name Naša Domowina – Informacije třěšneho zwjazka * Informacije kšywowego zwězka * Informationen des Dachverbandes ("Our Domowina – Information from the umbrella organization") in Upper Sorbian, Lower Sorbian and German. It is issued by the Bautzen branch office of Domowina.

See also

References
  1. Schurmann, Peter (2020). "Bogumił Šwjela und sein politisches Vermächtnis" [Bogumił Šwjela and his Political Legacy]. Lětopis (in German). Bautzen: Domowina-Verlag (1): 21–37. ISSN 0943-2787. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
  2. History of Domowina (in Upper Sorbian)-(in Lower Sorbian)-(in German)
  3. Bresan, Annett. "Domowina". Sorabicon (in German). Serbski Institut. Retrieved 19 March 2023.
  4. Peter Kunze (1995). Kurze Geschichte der Sorben. Ein kulturhistorischer Überblick in 10 Kapiteln. Sächsische Landeszentrale für Politische Bildung, p. 70, ISBN 3-7420-1633-4 (in German)
  5. Secretary of the Federal Executive of Domowina


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