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The Texas Wends or Wends of Texas are a group of people descended from a congregation of approximately 558
Sorbian/
Wendish people under the leadership and pastoral care of
John Kilian ( wen, Jan Kilian, german: Johann Killian) who emigrated from
Lusatia
Lusatia (german: Lausitz, pl, Łużyce, hsb, Łužica, dsb, Łužyca, cs, Lužice, la, Lusatia, rarely also referred to as Sorbia) is a historical region in Central Europe, split between Germany and Poland. Lusatia stretches from the Bóbr ...
(part of modern-day
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
) to
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish language, Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2 ...
in 1854. The term also refers to the other emigrations (and all descendants) occurring before and after this group. However none came close to the size or importance of the Wendish culture in Texas.
History
Nineteenth century
Lusatia
In 1817,
King Frederick William III of
Prussia
Prussia, , Old Prussian: ''Prūsa'' or ''Prūsija'' was a German state on the southeast coast of the Baltic Sea. It formed the German Empire under Prussian rule when it united the German states in 1871. It was ''de facto'' dissolved by an em ...
ordered the
Lutheran
Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...
and
Reformed
Reform is beneficial change
Reform may also refer to:
Media
* ''Reform'' (album), a 2011 album by Jane Zhang
* Reform (band), a Swedish jazz fusion group
* ''Reform'' (magazine), a Christian magazine
*''Reforme'' ("Reforms"), initial name of the ...
churches in his territory to unite, forming the
Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union
The Prussian Union of Churches (known under multiple other names) was a major Protestant church body which emerged in 1817 from a series of decrees by Frederick William III of Prussia that united both Lutheran and Reformed denominations in Pr ...
. The unification of the two branches of German Protestantism sparked a great deal of controversy. Many Lutherans, termed
Old Lutherans
Old Lutherans were originally German Lutherans in the Kingdom of Prussia, notably in the Province of Silesia, who refused to join the Prussian Union of churches in the 1830s and 1840s. Prussia's king Frederick William III was determined to uni ...
, chose to leave the established churches and form independent church bodies. Many left for America and Australia. The dispute over ecumenism overshadowed other controversies within German Lutheranism. The group which eventually became the Wends of Texas was part of this movement, its members distinguished in their specific ethnic identity as Wends, i.e. a Slavic minority living within a predominantly German environment.
Resisting the merger of Lutheranism and Calvinism being forced by the national church, this group, comprising members of many congregations and villages, met at
Dauban on March 23, 1854, to make decisions on what was to be done. It was decided to meet again in May to call a pastor. May 25, 1854, saw the call of John Kilian as pastor of the newly formed congregation and plans began to form for the emigration to Texas.
Crossing the Atlantic
Converging at
Hamburg
(male), (female) en, Hamburger(s),
Hamburgian(s)
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, utc_offset1 = +1
, timezone1_DST = Central (CEST)
, utc_offset1_DST = +2
, postal ...
, they traveled to
Hull, England, where they were expecting to begin their voyage across the sea. Upon arrival they found their intention to travel on one large ship was fouled as two smaller ships awaited them. After negotiating and waiting for news to come back, their would-be ship line transported them to their requested ship among the
White Star Line
The White Star Line was a British shipping company. Founded out of the remains of a defunct packet company, it gradually rose up to become one of the most prominent shipping lines in the world, providing passenger and cargo services between t ...
's line of packet ships, the Ben Nevis in
Liverpool
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. With a population of in 2019, it is the 10th largest English district by population and its metropolitan area is the fifth largest in the United Kingdom, with a popul ...
, England.
![J Kilians gravestone](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a8/J_Kilians_gravestone.png)
While in Liverpool, the group was exposed to the
1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak. After setting sail, they were forced to drop anchor at
Queenstown, Ireland, to have the ship quarantined and the disease complete its cycle. Continuing on, they landed in
Galveston, Texas
Galveston ( ) is a coastal resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a population of 47,743 in 2010, is the county seat of surrounding Galvesto ...
, after passing the health inspection. Finding the largest city of Texas (at that time) beset by
yellow fever
Yellow fever is a viral disease of typically short duration. In most cases, symptoms include fever, chills, loss of appetite, nausea, muscle pains – particularly in the back – and headaches. Symptoms typically improve within five days. In ...
, they hurriedly continued on to
Houston
Houston (; ) is the most populous city in Texas, the most populous city in the Southern United States, the fourth-most populous city in the United States, and the sixth-most populous city in North America, with a population of 2,304,580 in ...
(then about half the size of Galveston). By the time they had left Galveston, a total of 73 had died from various ailments, 55 of which died from
cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine by some strains of the bacterium ''Vibrio cholerae''. Symptoms may range from none, to mild, to severe. The classic symptom is large amounts of watery diarrhea that lasts a few days. Vomiting and ...
.
Arrival in Texas
Upon arrival in Houston, many of the Wends did not have enough money to continue the journey inland other than to travel on foot, carrying what they could. Along the way many stopped short of the congregation's planned destination in other German communities. Ultimately arriving in present-day
Lee County, they founded the Low Pin Oak Settlement (now
Serbin, Texas
Serbin is an unincorporated community in southwestern Lee County, Texas, United States. Located about east of Austin, it was originally established as Low Pin Oak Settlement by Sorbian (Wendish) immigrants to Texas in the mid-1850s. The communit ...
).
Settlement
Through their first winter they survived in little more than dug-outs and meager shelters. Through the coming year, they finished building their first church and school, and continued to preserve their culture. Kilian persevered, preaching in both
Sorbian and
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
as more German migrants moved closer. Eventually he added
English
English usually refers to:
* English language
* English people
English may also refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England
** English national ide ...
to the list of his preaching languages. The use of German had made such inroads into the community that gravestones for Kilian and his family were carved in German. His sons continued the Wendish preaching and teaching, but with them ended the last of major Wendish language exposure to the small colony.
Civil War-era
The Wendish valued strong work ethic and having emigrated seeking liberty, did not feel it necessary to participate in
slave ownership. Many Wendish homesteads continued to grow and develop profitable cotton crop during this time. As a result of high premiums on cotton from the
Union blockade of the Gulf and borders, the Wends
smuggled cotton for sale on European Markets, evading federal troops and bandits and boosting the
economy
An economy is an area of the production, distribution and trade, as well as consumption of goods and services. In general, it is defined as a social domain that emphasize the practices, discourses, and material expressions associated with the ...
.
Several Wendish men served honorably in
1st Battalion Infantry, Waul's Texas Legion, having been recruited by a Captain Robert Voigt, Company C. The unit was eventually captured and sent to detainment by federal troops in 1863 at
Yazoo City
Yazoo City is a U.S. city in Yazoo County, Mississippi. It was named after the Yazoo River, which, in turn was named by the French explorer Robert La Salle in 1682 as "Rivière des Yazous" in reference to the Yazoo tribe living near the river's ...
. Among C Company was a Wend, Johann Kieschnik, who, while in custody, was immediately sought out by his captors for his services as a shoemaker. Several Wendish men became seriously ill, and died in federal captivity.
Twentieth century
Expanding land and economic opportunities enticed many to start new Wendish communities and churches throughout Texas and gradually throughout the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
. This intensified following the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, with many Wendish families moving to cities across the world. During this time,
Concordia University Texas
Concordia University Texas is a private university in Austin, Texas. The university offers undergraduate, graduate, and online degrees as well as an adult degree program for part-time and returning students.
Concordia University Texas is affi ...
began studying and documenting the Texas Wends and their journey, leading to the development of the Texas Wendish Heritage Museum near the original St. Paul Church, Cemetery, and Picnic Ground. This study began to bring the Wends back together, represented by a Wendish Festival started in 1988 and is still continuing. In the 1990s, the Wends began organizing trips to the
Domowina
Domowina (Sorbian language, Sorbian: "Home") is a political independent league of the Sorbs, Sorbian and Wendish people and umbrella organization of Sorbian societies in Lusatia, Lower and Upper Lusatia, Germany. It represents the interests of ...
and have sustained relations with the residing
Wends of Lusatia.
Very little literature written in Wendish has been translated into German, much less into English. In 2018, a Texas university student translated a collection of seven Wendish poems from German into English. The poems all stressed Wendish identity, written originally in Wendish. In 2018, they had been translated into German by
Kito Lorenc
Kito Lorenc (4 March 1938 – 24 September 2017) was a German writer, lyric poet and translator. He was a grandson of the writer and politician Jakub Lorenc-Zalěski.
Lorenc attended the Sorbian boarding high school in Cottbus from 1952 to 1956 ...
and published .
Present day
The towns and surrounding areas of
Serbin,
Warda, and
Giddings Giddings may refer to:
* Giddings (surname)
*Giddings, Texas
Giddings is the county seat of Lee County, Texas, United States situated on the intersection of U.S. Highway 77 and U.S. Route 290. Its population was 4,969 at the 2020 census. The ci ...
are still composed largely of descendants of the original Lusatian pioneers; though without many Wendish speaking pastors, the culture largely exists today in the Texas Wendish Heritage Museum, which continues to publish a newsletter, hosts the annual Wendish Festival, organizes trips for Wends to visit the
Domowina
Domowina (Sorbian language, Sorbian: "Home") is a political independent league of the Sorbs, Sorbian and Wendish people and umbrella organization of Sorbian societies in Lusatia, Lower and Upper Lusatia, Germany. It represents the interests of ...
, and is open throughout the year with special events, in
Serbin, celebrating the traditions and history of the Wends.
With renewal of the sense of Wendish culture since the 1970s, the Texas Wendish Heritage Society preserves the history and culture of this group with their museum located in Serbin. The 3000+ artifacts, documents, and original log buildings of Johann Killian and his congregation serve as the chief voice of this bygone era. A Wendish Fest has occurred annually every fourth Sunday in September since 1988 to celebrate
Wendish culture, traditions, and background. The festival has grown to be a premiere celebration of Wendish culture, with attendants from all over the world gathering to share their stories, eat Wendish Noodles and streusel coffee cake, participate in
cross-cut saw
A crosscut saw (thwart saw) is any saw designed for cutting wood perpendicular to (across) the wood grain. Crosscut saws may be small or large, with small teeth close together for fine work like woodworking or large for coarse work like log ...
and other traditional competitions, and keep alive the way of life brought from
Lusatia
Lusatia (german: Lausitz, pl, Łużyce, hsb, Łužica, dsb, Łužyca, cs, Lužice, la, Lusatia, rarely also referred to as Sorbia) is a historical region in Central Europe, split between Germany and Poland. Lusatia stretches from the Bóbr ...
. They continue to decorate eggs in their cultural fashion and their egg noodles are never far from the table.
The original church bell, having been brought from Lusatia and since replaced in the St. Paul Lutheran Church's bell tower, now rests at Concordia University Texas in
Austin
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...
. That institution was founded by Texas Wends and is affiliated with the
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS), also known as the Missouri Synod, is a traditional, confessional Lutheran denomination in the United States. With 1.8 million members, it is the second-largest Lutheran body in the United States. The LC ...
.
See also
*
Mato Kósyk
Mato Kósyk (18 June 1853 – 22 November 1940) was a German minister and Sorbian language poet. He was born in Werben, Prussia, emigrated from Lower Lusatia to the United States, and died at his rural home near Albion, Oklahoma.
Youth
Kósy ...
*''
Giddings Deutsches Volksblatt The Giddings ''Deutsches Volksblatt'' was a trilingual German-American newspaper published in Giddings, Texas. Most of the content was in German, while many stories were in English and some short supplements were in Wendish ( Sorbian), the language ...
'' which had articles in Wendish
*
Texas Silesian
References
Other sources
*Blasig, A. (1957) ''The Wends of Texas''. The Naylor Company. San Antonio, Texas. ASIN B0007DXAP2 OCLC 1224161
*Caldwell, L. (1961) ''Texas Wends: Their first half-century - With historical, biographical & genealogical information on the Serbin Wends, the Schatte & Moerbe families in particular''. (The Anson Jones Press. Salado, Texas) ASIN B0007E9MBC
*Cravens, Craig and David Zersen, editors. ''Transcontinental Encounters: Central Europe Meets the American Heartland'' (Austin, TX: Concordia University Press, 2005)
*Engerrand, G.C. (1934) ''So-Called Wends of Germany and their Colonies in Texas and Australia''. (University of Texas bulletin, no. 3417. Austin, Texas: The University)
*Grider, S. (1982) ''The Wendish Texans''. (The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures. San Antonio, Texas) .
*Malinkowa, T. (2009) ''Shores of Hope: Wends Go Overseas'' (Austin: Concordia University Press)
* Malinkowa, Trudla, ed. 2014. ''Jan Kilian (1811–1884). Pastor, Poet, Emigrant. Sammelband der internationalen Konferenz zum 200. Geburtstag des lutherischen Geistlichen, Bautzen, 23.–24. September 2011. Papers of the International Conference on the Occasion of the 200th Birthday of the Lutheran Minister, Bautzen, 23–24 September 2011.''
ach chapter in both German & EnglishBautzen: Domowina Verlag.
*Nielsen, G. (1989) ''In Search of Home, Nineteenth-Century Wendish Immigration'' (College Station: Texas A & M University Press) .
* Wukasch, Charles. ''A Rock Against Alien Waves: A History of the Wends'' Second Edition (Austin: Concordia University Press, 2008)
* Zersen, David. ''An Exciting Find in a Wendish Vault in Texas.'' Concordia Historical Institute Quarterly. Fall 2012.
* Zersen, David, ed. ''The Poetry and Music of Jan Kilian'' (Austin: Concordia University Press, 2011)
External links
Texas Wendish Heritage SocietyWendish Research Exchange{{Ethnicity in Texas
Texas culture
History of Texas
Ethnic groups in Texas
European American culture in Texas
Lutheran Church–Missouri Synod
Slavic ethnic groups