Schurmann, Peter: Bogumił 学jela and his Political Legacy. Between Loyalty and Critical Distance
Lětopis Abstract 2019 2: Peter Schurmann: Bogumił 学jela and his Political Legacy. Between Loyalty and Critical Distance
From the 1890s Bogumił 学jela had a determining influence on the fate of the Sorbs in Upper Lusatia, and above all in Lower Lusatia. As a
co-founder of the Domowina, as well as being the person who gave it its name in 1912, he had a decisive influence on the profile of the umbrella
organization of the Sorbian societies. The Federation of the Lusatian Sorbs became not only the main adviser on organizational and financial
questions, but also led the way in formulating political demands in the second half of the 1920s in relation to the preservation and development of
the Sorbian language and culture. 学jela was furthermore active in the educational and scientific society, Maćica Serbska, whose Lower
Sorbian section, Maśica Serbska, was a member of the umbrella organization. He was one of the leading figures in linguistic research in
both parts of Lusatia. In Lower Lusatia he also became involved in researching Sorbian field-names, especially in the Cottbus District.
After 1933 he remained true to his critical view that the German state was doing nothing to preserve the Sorbian language and culture. The secret
police organization of the state (Gestapo) interrogated him and tried to prove that he was hostile towards the German state. It did not succeed. But
pressure from the Nazi authorities led in 1941 to him being banned from holding further public church services in Wendish by the Evangelical
Consistory of the Mark Brandenburg, so 学jela left Lower Lusatia. After 1945 he also took part in the re-foundation of the Domowina in Lower Lusatia
and Brandenburg, although he was living in Thuringia. He did not succeed in returning to his ancestral homeland.
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