Sorbian Ethnography, History, and Geography

The aim of this chapter is to provide a general overview of the Sorbian people and its origins, as well as the usage of geographical access points.

1. General Overview

The Sorbs of today are the descendants of two West Slavic tribes that resided since about 600 AD in what is known today as the geographical region of Lusatia, or Lausitz in German. Lusatia is located in eastern Saxony and southeastern Brandenburg, Germany. Lusatia itself is subdivided into Upper Lusatia and Lower Lusatia. The terms “Upper” and “Lower” refer to the elevation, rather than latitude of the respective lands. In fact, Upper Lusatia is located to the south of Lower Lusatia. The Sorbs of Upper Lusatia are descended from the Milzane tribe, while the Sorbs of Lower Lusatia are descended from the Luzici tribe (both are Latinized names). 

The large majority of the Upper Sorbs reside in the highland area between the cities Bautzen, Kamenz, and Wittichenau. The Lower Sorbs live in and near the famous Spree Forest (German: Spreewald) northwest of Cottbus which is flat marshland with once thick forests. 

Historically, the Slavic tribes west of the Poles and north of the Czechs were called the Wendish tribes. The originally twenty-one main Wendish tribes resided on what is today eastern Germany, the western edge of Poland, and in parts of northwest Germany. The divisional border ran from Thuringia (in the south) to Hamburg on the North Sea, separating the Wends (on the east) from the Germanic tribes (on the west). Since these Wendish tribes failed to form any type of common political structure, the invading Germanic tribes, starting in about 800 AD, conquered them. Only the two aforementioned tribes survived to the present day. Presently, the term Sorbs is preferred. 

Map of the present settlement areas of the Sorbs within Germany