The Sorbs of East Germany

[curupira]

It is an older study but nonetheless an interesting one. They cluster with other Slavs. It would be interesting to see the Gedmatch results of a Sorb. Has anyone here seen them?


Population isolates have long been of interest to genetic epidemiologists because of their potential to increase power to detect disease-causing genetic variants. The Sorbs of Germany are considered as cultural and linguistic isolates and have recently been the focus of disease association mapping efforts. They are thought to have settled in their present location in eastern Germany after a westward migration from a largely Slavic-speaking territory during the Middle Ages. To examine Sorbian genetic diversity within the context of other European populations, we analyzed genotype data for over 30 000 autosomal single-nucleotide polymorphisms from over 200 Sorbs individuals. We compare the Sorbs with other European individuals, including samples from population isolates. Despite their geographical proximity to German speakers, the Sorbs showed greatest genetic similarity to Polish and Czech individuals, consistent with the linguistic proximity of Sorbian to other West Slavic languages. The Sorbs also showed evidence of subtle levels of genetic isolation in comparison with samples from non-isolated European populations. The level of genetic isolation was less than that observed for the Sardinians and French Basque, who were clear outliers on multiple measures of isolation. The finding of the Sorbs as only a minor genetic isolate demonstrates the need to genetically characterize putative population isolates, as they possess a wide range of levels of isolation because of their different demographic histories. European Journal of Human Genetics (2011)
http://www.nature.com/ejhg/journal/v19/n9/pdf/ejhg201165a.pdf

SB in the maps below:
http://i68.tinypic.com/32zurdl.jpg

[curupira]

In my opinion, the most interesting is how they cluster firmly with other Slavic speaking groups as opposed to their German speaking neighbours. It also shows how important Slavic migrations may have been in shaping the modern Eastern Europe.

They are like one of the Westernmost Slavic tribes, they entered what is now Germany a very long time ago (the Obotrites are another example: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obotrites ):


Sorbs arrived in the area extending between the Bober, Kwisa, and Oder rivers to the East and the Saale and Elbe rivers to the West during the 6th century. In the north, the area of their settlement reached Berlin. The earliest surviving mention of the tribe was in 631 A.D., when Fredegar's Chronicle described them as Surbi and as under the rule of a Dervan, an ally of Samo. The Annales Regni Francorum state that in 806 A.D. Sorbian Duke Miliduch fought against the Franks and was killed. In 840, Sorbian Duke Czimislav was killed. In 932, Henry I conquered Lusatia and Milsko. Gero II, Margrave of the Saxon Ostmark, reconquered Lusatia the following year and, in 939, murdered 30 Sorbian princes during a feast. As a result, there were many Sorbian uprisings against German rule. A reconstructed castle, at Raddusch in Lower Lusatia, is the sole physical remnant from this early period.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbs#Early_Middle_Ages


7th century
Dervan's province.
The oldest mention of the Surbi is from the Frankish 7th-century Chronicle of Fredegar, in which they are mentioned as a Slavic tribe under the leadership of dux (duke) Dervan ("Dervanus dux gente Surbiorum que ex genere Sclavinorum"), which joined the Slavic tribal union of Samo (known in historiography as "Samo's Empire"). The Surbi lived in the Saale-Elbe valley, having settled in the Thuringian part of Francia. The Saale-Elbe line marked the approximate limit of Slavic westward migration. The Surbi and other Slavic tribes joined Samo after his decisive victory against Frankish King Dagobert I in 631. Afterwards, these Slavic tribes continuously raided Thuringia. The fate of the tribes after 658 is undetermined, though they subsequently returned to Frankish vassalage.

8th century
In 782, the Sorbs, inhabiting the region between the Elbe and Saale, plundered Thuringia and Saxony. Charlemagne sent Adalgis, Worad and Geilo into Saxony, aimed at attacking the Sorbs, however, they met with rebel Saxons who destroyed them.

In 789, Charlemagne launched a campaign against the Wiltzi; after reaching the Elbe, he went further and successfully "subjected the Slavs". His army also included the Slavic Sorbs and Obotrites, under Witzan. The army reached Dragovit, who surrendered, followed by other Slavic magnates and chieftains who submitted to Charlemagne.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sorbs_(tribe)

The reconstructed Lusatian gord (fortification) of Raduš (Raddusch), near Vetschau in Lower Lusatia:

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/35/Slavenburg_raddusch.jpg

[Peterski]

They are only a minor isolate (not a major one) because they were not isolated from other Slavic-speakers (Poles & Czechs) until the 1600s. They became an enclave surrounded by German-speakers only during the 1700s-1800s as Germanization progressed.

[Silver Lining]

I know someone 1/4 Sorb.

[Peterski]

I know someone 1/4 Sorb.

Convince them to order a DNA test.

[Mikula]

I know someone 1/4 Sorb.

Upper Sorbian or Lower Sorbian?

[Silver Lining]

Upper Sorbian or Lower Sorbian?

Upper

[Peterski]

Sorbs in Saxony 1864 census:

https://i.imgur.com/DeTVICm.png

Sorbs in Saxony 1861 census:

https://i.imgur.com/2EWCUmz.png

Sorbs in Prussia 1843-1861:

https://i.imgur.com/KKVO5L0.png

https://i.imgur.com/TOSEdxC.png

[RenaRyuguu]

HOLLER