Who are the Wends?
The Wends are a Slavic people from Eastern Germany. Historically they have lived in a region called Lusatia, which is primarily located in Eastern Germany today. Though the Wends have never had their own nation, they do have their own language (Sorbian) and distinct culture.
Conditions in Lusatia in the early nineteenth century caused some Wends to contemplate immigration. Beginning in 1849, some immigrated to Texas seeking to preserve their faith, language, and culture. The largest group, consisting of about 570 persons, sailed for Texas in 1854 along with their pastor, the Rev. Jan Kilian. These Wends settled in the southern part of modern-day Lee County and established a community called Serbin.
Image by Serbski kulturny archiw/Sorbisches Kulturarchiv; licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Germany.
Why Immigrate?
The primary reasons that the Wends immigrated to Texas were to preserve their language, culture, and Lutheran faith. Learn more about the events that shaped their decision.
The Churches
Between 1854 and 1900 the Wends expanded from Serbin to communities as far away as Copperas Cove. Learn more about the congregations they formed and were involved with.
The Communities
Learn more about the communities where the Wends of Texas established their new homes.
Image from the Archives of the Texas Wendish Heritage Society
Book Coming Soon
Wendish Lutherans in Sam Houston’s Texas will tell the story of the first fifty years of the Wends in Texas with historical sketches and photographs of the churches and communities they settled.
More Information
The Wendish Research Exchange
If you’re interested in researching your family’s Wendish connections, this is a great place to start!
The Texas Wendish Heritage Society
The TWHS has members all over the world who are working to preserve the unique culture of the Texas Wends
Further Reading
The following books contain more information about the Wends in Lee County and other parts of Texas.
These links are Amazon affiliate links; if you purchase a book after clicking on one of these links, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you.
