Eurolang 18.09.2003

Sorbian parents appeal to keep their school

Copenhagen 18/09/03, by Brigitte Alfter

Sorbian parents lost an important legal case against the province of Saxony trying to prevent their children's school in the village of Crostwitz from being closed. They have proceeded to take this to the appeal court, and, according to the president of the court, the hearing has now been set for next Wednesday.

The school in Crostwitz - one of two Sorbian secondary schools (age 10-16) - has been closed since the summer holiday due to new school legislation in the province, requiring a minimum of 40 children per school and 20 children per class. The school in Crostwitz in recent years has had up to 17 students per class, however there were only 7 students for the youngest class this year.

Currently children go to another school, as the school in Crostwitz is closed. The urgent hearing was called for in order to keep the school open until another legal procedure, which the same group of parents have raised, will be decided upon. according to Thomas Schmidt, the lawyer of the group of parents, their main claim consists in trying the question of minority protection, as guaranteed in the constitution of the state of Saxony weighed against general considerations about public funding, as requested in Saxony legislation.

Minority representatives argue that the general rules regarding schools cannot apply to minority schools, and they require special status for minority schools. Already two years ago when the quarrel about the schools started, a Sorbian spokesperson stated that not only have these schools got an educational function, but they also play an important role in the development of the national identity of minority youths.

Crostwitz is one of only two Sorbian secondary schools (age 10 to 16). The Sorbian minority has until now had two Sorbian primary schools (age 6 to 10) and two secondary schools, another four primary and secondary schools in the region have both Sorbian and German classes. To continue their education Sorbian students are able to attend a Sorbian gymnasium (enabling them to apply for university).

There have been numerous protests among Sorbians, who were only informed of the school closure threat a few weeks before the summer holiday.

Recently there have been protests near the German embassy in Prague during the visit of German chancellor, Gerhard Schröder, in the Czech Republic.

Catholic Sorbians in July also addressed the pope. Recently the chairperson of the main Sorbian organisation Domowina, Jan Nuuk, informed students and parents in Crostwitz that the pontiff had sent a message to say that he was thinking about the community in Crostwitz and that he prayed for them and blessed them. This was reported by Domowina news service.

Sorbians are a Slavonic minority and today approximately 60,000 Sorbs live in the German-Polish-Czech border region in the provinces of Saxony and Brandenburg. (EL)