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The Wendish heritage in Giddings is celebrated annually in nearby Serbin Texas, put on by the Texas Wendish Heritage Society it occurs on the fourth Sunday every September.

The Texas Wends or Wends of Texas refers primarily to the 1854 emigration of a congregation of approximately 588 Sorbian/Wendish people under the leadership and pastoral care of John Kilian (In Wendish Jan Kilian, in German Johann Killian). Term also refers to the other emigrations (and all descendents) occuring before and after this group and should be noted, however none would come close to the size or importance of the Wendish culture in Texas.

Historical background

In 1817, King Frederick William III of Prussia ordered the Lutheran and Reformed churches in his territory to unite, forming the Evangelical Church of the Prussian Union. The unification of the two branches of German Protestantism sparked a great deal of controversy. Many Lutherans, termed Old Lutherans, 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 would eventually become 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.[1]

Such a church was formed in 1843 by 14 members and one pastor. By 1852 over 1200 members were recorded. A common thought since the time of its inception was to emigrate to another country where they would be able to freely practice their culture and religion. After negative reports returned from earlier groups that had migrated to Australia, the Weigersdorf congregation focused on Texas as their destination.

Present day area of Sorbian/Wendish living in SE Germany

Per government regulations filing was completed in Dauban Germany on March 23rd 1854 to formalize and association with intention to migrate. May 25th 1854 saw the formal call by the association/congregation to their familiar Pastor Johann Kilian who accepted the call.

The long awaited day was realized September 20th as the Wendish travelers boarded the clipper-ship Ben Nevis in Liverpool England bound for Texas. Misfortune struck in the form of cholera while in England that would be the chief cause of death for 55 of the total 74 deaths that occurred along the trip.

Forced to weigh anchor in Queenstown, Ireland the passengers were juggled between the Ben Nevis and a hospital ship while the ship was quarantined and the disease cycle was completed. Continuing on the Ben Nevis passengers passed the health inspections in Galveston on December 16th 1854 and were spurred to continue quickly on by land to Houston due to an outbreak of yellow fever.

Upon arrival in Houston, many of the Wends would 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 congregations aim in other German communities. Ultimately arriving in present-day Lee County, they founded the Low Pin Oak Settlement (now Serbin, Texas).

Through their first winter they survived in little more than dug-outs and meager shelters. Through the coming year, they would finish building their first church, a school and with them the promise of preservation for their culture. With a contract of only one year, Pastor Johann Kilian would persevere and serve his congregation, preaching in both Wendish and German as more German migrants moved closer. Eventually he would add English to the list of languages before his death. His sons would continue the Wendish preaching and teaching but with them ended the last of major Wendish language exposure to the small colony.

With the poor soil quality in much of the surrounding land, many moved to join or start new Wendish communities and churches though without any Wendish speaking pastors their culture would die out within a few generations.[2] [3]

Pioneer Wendish building present day on grounds of Texas Wendish Heritage Society

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, Texas. The 3000+ artifacts, documents and original log buildings of Pastor Johann Killian and his congregation serve as the chief voice of this bygone era. A Wendish Festival occurs annually every fourth Sunday in September to celebrate their cultural background. Although the traditions of those original Wends failed to be maintained at large in the community, the attendees to Wendish Festivals 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 in front of Building 'A' at Concordia University Texas at Austin having been founded by Texas Wends as part of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod serving as a testament to those founding Texas Lutherans' desire and motivation for continuing their faith even so far from home.[4]

The Texas Wendish Heritage Museum

See also

• Sorbian
• Wendish
• 1854 Broad Street cholera outbreak
• John Snow
• John Kilian
• Lusatia

References

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

Grider,S. (1982). The Wendish Texans. The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures. San Antonio, Texas. ISBN 0-86701-000-2.

Nielsen,G. (1989). In Search of Home, Nineteenth-Century Wendish Immigration. College Station: Texas A & M University Press. ISBN 0-89096-400-9.

Engerrand,G.C. (1934). So-Called Wends of Germany and their Colonies in Texas and Australia. University of Texas bulletin, no. 3417. [Austin, Tex.]: The University. ISBN 0-88247-188-0

|The University of Texas Institute of Texan Cultures at San Antonio (online)

| Project Rastko

| Concordia Lutheran College at Austin's Wendish Heritage

Links

Texas Wendish Heritage Society