Domowina


Domowina 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. The organization has been a member of the Federal Union of European Nationalities since 1990.

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.

History

The Domowina institution, founded in Hoyerswerda in 1912, is situated in Bautzen in Saxony alongside other cultural institutions of the Sorbian people for which it serves as an umbrella organization.
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.
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 on 17 March 1990, this time as an independent organization.

Regional associations

In Sorbian, the regional associations are called župa.
  • Domowina Regional Association "Jan Arnošt Smoler" Bautzen:
  • Domowina Regional Association "Michał Hórnik" Kamenz:
  • Domowina Regional Association "Handrij Zejler" Hoyerswerda:
  • Domowina Regional Association Lower Lusatia in Cottbus:
  • Domowina Regional Association "Jakub Lorenc-Zalěski" in Schleife:

    Members

The following associations are members of the Domowina:
  • the regional associations of Domowina
  • the Sorbian School Association
  • the Union of Sorbian Students
  • the Serbski Sokoł
  • the Sorbian Cultural Tourism Association
  • the Maćica Serbska
  • the Union of Sorbian Choirs
  • the Sorbian Artists Association
  • the Society of Saints Cyril and Methodius
  • Pawk
  • 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

    Seat

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

Branch offices

  • Haus der Sorben Bautzen
  • Wendisches Haus Cottbus

    Regional offices

  • Regionalbüro Kamenz in Crostwitz
  • Regionalbüro Hoyerswerda
  • Regionalbüro Bautzen
  • Regionalbüro Weißwasser/Niesky in Schleife

    Chairmen

Association's journal

Domowina's association's journal is Naša 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 in Upper Sorbian, Lower Sorbian and German. It is issued by the Bautzen branch office of Domowina.