In search of a home: The Wends (Sorbs) on the Australian and Texas frontier (Birmingham Slavonic monographs)

Nielsen, George R.

Department of Russian Language and Literature, University of Birmingham

In the previous century a large portion of the smallest of the Slavonic nations left their German homeland and migrated to three distant continents. George R. Nielsen, in this revised edition of his classic study of Wendish migration, carefully describes the details of immigration and weighs the possible explanations for the exodus, the settlement, and acculturation patterns that resulted.
 The earliest emigrants traveled to Australia, but despite efforts to encourage unity, they were unsuccessful, and no single, large Wendish settlement was formed. The largest number migrated to Texas, where at Serbin, under the leadership of pastor Jan Kilian, they formed a Wendish community, retaining their own language in church, school, and home. Local agricultural conditions, however, proved too poor to sustain many people, so the Wends of Texas also scattered and eventually lost most of their ethnic distinctiveness. Smaller numbers of Wends migrated to Canada, Nebraska, and South Africa. These Wends generally settled among Germans and were absorbed by the local German communities.
 This work promises to continue as the standard reference on the overseas resettlement of these distinctive people.

In Search of a Home: Nineteenth Century Wendish Immigration

History

Americas

Texas A & M Univ Pr

One hundred years ago, in 1911, two young men lost their lives: one from a stab wound and the other by mob action. In an attempt to explain how such violence could take place in a prosperous and forward-looking community, the author first examines the growth of Thorndale as a small agricultural town on the railroad and then connects Thorndale's geographical setting in central Texas with its tradition of violence. This particular lynching was unusual in that it took place at night, thereby complicating apprehension of the members of the mob. However, as a result of intervention by the governor, four men were arrested for the crime and three were tried. The lynching was also unusual because the victim was of Mexican heritage thereby inciting the Mexican community to voice its outrage and demand justice. The nature of its reaction testifies to the political awareness of the Mexican minority and also provides an insight into its perception of Anglo society.

Vengeance in a Small Town: The Thorndale Lynching of 1911

iUniverse

In the previous century a large portion of the smallest of the Slavonic nations left their German homeland and migrated to three distant continents. The Wends, or Sorbs, were seeking--what? Fortune? Religious freedom? Land for their children to farm? George R. Nielsen, in this revised edition of his classic study of Wendish migration first published in 1977, carefully describes the details of immigration to Australia, Texas, and elsewhere and judiciously weighs the possible explanations for both the exodus and the settlement and acculturation patterns that resulted. The earliest emigrants traveled to Australia. Although they tried to take along a Wendish-speaking pastor to provide unity, they were unsuccessful, and no single, large Wendish settlement was formed. Instead, there were several different concentrations--some large, some small--and Wendish ways soon blended into German and finally local culture. The largest number migrated to Texas, where at Serbin, under the leadership of pastor Jan Kilian, they formed a Wendish community, retaining their own language in church, school, and home. The local agricultural conditions, however, proved too poor to sustain many people, so the Wends of Texas also scattered to different parts of the state and eventually lost most of their ethnic distinctiveness. Smaller numbers of Wends migrated to Canada, Nebraska, and South Africa. These Wends generally settled among Germans and were absorbed by the local German communities. This work, already recognized as the best source available, promises in its updated and expanded form to continue as the standard reference on the overseas resettlement of these unique people. The appendix lists all known Wendish emigrants to Texas and Australia, with biographical data.

In Search of a Home: Nineteenth-Century Wendish Immigration

Texas A&M University Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Nielsen, George R.. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Nielsen, George R.