German-Lower Sorbian word list

German-Lower Sorbian word list

the bilingual settlement area

Sorbian/Wendish in the museums

The district of Spree-Neiße is characterised by the historical settlement area of the Sorbs/Wends. In Brandenburg, the proportion of Sorbs/Wends in the total population is less than one per cent. Nevertheless, they are known throughout the state. Not least because of their rich folklore and mythology.
The essential feature of Sorbian ethnicity and identity is the Sorbian language. Lower Sorbian (dolnoserbšćina) is spoken in Lower Lusatia and Upper Sorbian (hornjoserbšćina) in Upper Lusatia. In the Sorbian settlement area in Lusatia, bilingual place-name signs and designations on public buildings in German and Sorbian are noticeable.
The museum institutions of the Lusatian Museum Land have taken it upon themselves to design their exhibitions bilingually, in German and Sorbian. To help you, you will find corresponding word lists here.

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• Museum objects
• Plants
• Spices

Wendish Museum Cottbus / Serbski muzej Chóśebuz

Gallery | Exhibitions |  Offers for children

Lower Lusatia Regional Museum of Sorbian / Wendish History and Culture

Building / plot situation

Since 1994, the Wendish Museum has been located in a classicist former residential and commercial building in Cottbus' old town, not far from the Altmarkt. The building was completely renovated and the entire exhibition space was renewed. There is a new service area for visitor reception with cloakroom and lockers. A newly designed reception room with an introductory film to the exhibition was created. The permanent exhibition on the first floor was designed as a closed tour. The museum has a charming little courtyard with a traditional "Sorbian lime tree". The forecourt was designed in 2005 with a bronze sculpture by Peter Buth depicting the water sprite sitting on an erratic block, a Sorbian/Wendish mythical figure.

Characteristics

The exhibition features a new, high-quality design and colour concept, individual room design, new media offerings that allow visitors to experience the Lower Sorbian language. The exhibition of the Wendish Museum provides insights into prehistory and early history and also deals with the topics of Sorbian / Wendish folk art, visual arts, language, writing, literature, music, folk costumes, way of life and customs, Wendish coins and medals as well as the postal history of the Sorbs. The visitor learns that the autochthonous Slavs of Germany originally inhabited an area whose westernmost foothills stretched from Schleswig-Holstein in the north to Upper Franconia in the south of the country, and that the Wendish share in German history and folk development is greater than is often assumed and is by no means limited to Lusatia.

Special exhibitions / accompanying offers

Changing special exhibitions deal with historical, literary, folkloristic and artistic topics. The exhibitions are bilingual (German-Lower Sorbian / Wendish). Several times a year, there are events to accompany the exhibitions, concerts, readings, Wendish discussion groups (Serbske blido) and traditional events.
Guided tours are offered in German as well as in both Sorbian (Wendish) languages.

Offers for children - With Kobi to the museum

Kobi - the little house ghost - is at home in the museum. He lives there in a slipper under the stove. At midnight, he eavesdrops on the old museum pieces when they tell stories about the past. He tells these exciting stories to the museum staff, who then pass them on to the children - stories from the old, old days.

Kobi offers:

1. cultural wealth of the small Sorbian/Wendish people

2. easter egg painting courses

Gallery

Wendish-German Museum of Local History Jänschwalde / Serbsko-nimski domowniski muzej Janšojce

Gallery | Exhibitions | Offers for children

Teaching and preserving customs and language

Building / plot situation

The museum is located in the historic centre of the village, right next to the towerless neoclassical village church. Most of the exhibition is located in the rooms of the school building, which was built in 1875. The old parish barn has been converted into another museum building in keeping with its listed status. In the neighbouring stables, which, like the barn, date back to the first half of the 19th century, there are four further exhibition rooms. These give visitors an insight into everyday farming activities such as washing, churning butter, stockpiling and flax processing.

Characteristics

The Wendish-German museum of local history is located in the centre of the village. The exhibition is dedicated to the rural life of the Wendish and German population. The history of the village is brought to life with the help of farm furniture and domestic utensils. Small-scale farming technology and tools of the trade are on display. Of course, history is also illustrated here with photos, documents and certificates. The exhibits are shown as a display collection on 560 square metres. Another museum object is the parish barn opposite, which has been renovated in recent years in keeping with its listed status. The parish barn houses a gem of the local history museum: one of the last remaining funeral carriages in the region. There is also a fully functional loom. A collection of ceramics includes household vessels and artefacts from the last 300 years. The museum is consistently labelled bilingually in Wendish and German. The traditional Jänschwald costume is presented in all its facets. The museum has made a great contribution to the Jänschwald Christ Child, the "Janšojski bog". This figure is part of a regional pre-Christmas custom that has only survived to the present day in the municipality of Jänschwalde.
The museum also offers a digital experience: With the help of 360° VR glasses, you can immerse yourself in the documentary film "From flax stalk to linen wall" and go right into the middle of flax processing 100 years ago.

Special exhibitions / accompanying offers

Changing special exhibitions

• Thematic tours for school classes and tour groups are part of the programme.
• The Jänschwald Christ Child is a much sought-after tradition and is also out and about in neighbouring communities at Christmas time.

Offers for children - With Kobi to the museum

Kobi - the little house ghost - is at home in the museum. He lives there in a slipper under the stove. At midnight, he eavesdrops on the old museum pieces when they tell stories about the past. He tells these exciting stories to the museum staff, who then pass them on to the children - stories from the old, old days.

Gallery