The Wendish Research Exchange - Kellerowa, Ines: In the Battle Against Destruction. The Revitalisation of Sorbian Traditional Costume in Horno

Lětopis Abstract 2013 2: Kellerowa, Ines: In the Battle Against Destruction. The Revitalisation of Sorbian Traditional Costume in Horno

The Sorbian area of settlement has been severely affected by the mining of lignite since the 1920s. The example of the village of Horno/Rogow in Lower Lusatia is used to illustrate what effects the change in the landscape have had on the region, the people and in particular the Sorbian way of life. Horno had to give way to lignite mining and was demolished in 2005. Economic interests were given priority over the interests of the Sorbian minority. Despite compulsory resettlement and the loss of their original home village it can be established that the battle against demolition had a long term positive effect amongst the Sorbs, in that they returned to an interest in the history of their village and the region, which had been strongly influenced by Sorbian cultural traditions, and to the customs, costumes and the language. The employment of Sorbian cultural traditions during the protests against the destruction of the village led the inhabitants to engage more actively with their Sorbian past and to practise once again in the present day Sorbian customs and traditions in their new village.