Germany's Forgotten Slavic Language

Deep within the borders of modern-day Germany lies a region that doesn't speak German as its native tongue. Welcome to Lusatia (Lausitz), home to the Sorbs - the last survivors of a Great Slavic migration that once reached the banks of the Elbe. In this video, we trace the 1,000-year struggle of the Sorbian people. From their defiance of the Holy Roman Empire and the Polish-German border wars to surviving the "Germanization" of Prussia and the linguistic suppression of the 20th century. How did this "Slavic Island" survive in the heart of a Germanic powerhouse? We also dive into the unique Sorbian language: a West Slavic tongue that preserves ancient features lost in Polish and Czech. Become a member on Patreon & get your name in the credits + exclusive content! https://www.patreon.com/generalknowledge 00:00 The Secret Slavs of Germany 01:31 Mapping the "Serbja" Enclave 02:42 The Slavic Migration Origin 03:20 Imperial Conquest: The HRE Enters 03:55 The Polish Occupation 04:39 Forced Germanization & Bohemian Law 05:50 The League of Six Cities 06:21 The Saxon-Polish Power Struggle 07:55 Prussian Rule & Ethnic Erasure 08:58 The Sorbian Cultural Insurgency 10:42 1919: The Failed Independence Bid 12:03 Modern Sorbia: A Living Relic 12:38 Linguistic Breakdown: Dual Numbers & Dialects Stay up to date on more content from me: Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@generalknowledge.pt Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/genknowledge/ Join the Discord Server: https://discord.com/invite/f4neAVWZfF Business Contact: [email protected] #GeneralKnowledge