Sorbian literature

Sorbian literature refers to the literature written by the Western Slavic people of Central Europe called the Sorbs[1][2][3] in Sorbian languages (Upper Sorbian language and Lower Sorbian language).

Sorbian literature began with the Reformation and the translations of religious texts. The first translation of the New Testament was made in 1549 by M. Jakubica and the first printed book in 1574 was Albin Moller's Zpevnik a Katechism (hymnal and catechism).[1] See also Bible translations into Sorbian.

The British Library houses many copies of early Sorbian literature, the earliest being a copy of the Lord's Prayer dating from 1603. Sorbian is also noted in one of the first multilingual dictionaries: Megiser's Thesaurus Polyglottus, published in Frankfurt in 1603.[1]

Around twenty books were available by 1700, mostly about religion. Little from that early period has survived.[1]

Jurij Brězan published books both in Upper Sorbian and German and Jurij Koch in Lower Sorbian and German.

Sorbian Poetry

Sorbian poetry flourished in the late 1800s with one of the most notable poets being Handrij Zejler, who published between 1883 and 1891.[1]

Sorbian Journals

The longest running of various Sorbian journals is called the Casopis Macicy Serbskeje, published between 1848 and 1918.[1]

List of writers

• List of Sorbian-language writers
• List of Sorbian-language poets

References

1. British Library Lusatian (Sorbian) Collections
2. John Andrew Reaves (1996). The Development of an Ecologically Critical Sorbian Literature as a Consequence of the German Democratic Republic's Dependence on Soft Coal as an Energy Source. University of Wisconsin--Madison. Retrieved 29 April 2013.
3. Peter Barker (zgodovinar.) (1993). Some Reflections on the Reception of Sorbian Literature in German After 1945. Böhlau. Retrieved 29 April 2013.