I am not Wendish. What research I have done into my origins suggests that all my ancestors since time immemorial came from the south of England. I became interested in languages and history when I was at school. I studied Russian and by way of comparative philology became interested in the Wendish language. I wrote my London Ph.D. on a Wendish linguistic subject. Fifty years later here I am translating Serbske Nowiny into English for my new Wendish brother in Texas. I believe that justifies the use of the word ‘obsession.’
I seem to be the only person in the world whose native language is English, who can understand nineteenth-century Upper Sorbian printed in Gothic type. Fortunately, I find the work quite interesting myself. There are of course plenty of Sorbs who could translate the texts into German, but personally I think it is better if they are translated direct from Upper Sorbian into English. I’m 83, but my current plans are to stay at my desk for the foreseeable future and I’m glad to be doing something useful.
ČMS 1929:62-4. Obituary 108. Oberlehrer Jan Arnošt Hančka. Headmaster and Cantor in Purschwitz. *11.9.1867 – †17.6.1928 Translated from Upper Sorbian by Gerald Stone on 11 October 2017 at the request of the Wendish Research Exchange. -0- Arnošt Hančka was born on 11 September 1867 in Guttau, where his father had a farm. His childhood years …
Oberlehrer Jan Arnošt Hančka. Headmaster and Cantor in Purschwitz. Read More »
This short autobiography of Hančka’s early years was first published in the children’s magazine Raj in 1928, shortly before the author’s death. It was translated from Upper Sorbian by Gerald Stone in 2017 at the request of the Wendish Research Exchange. -0- As I write these lines, I have no intention of making out that …
The Sorbian Hymn by Dr. Gerald Stone first appeared in 1993 in Perspektiven sorbischer Literatur (ed. W. Koschmal), 79-95. Cologne-Weimar-Vienna: Böhlau. THE SORBIAN HYMN 1 A belief in the importance of secularization in literary history has caused the Sorbian hymn to receive less attention than it deserves, even though …
Sorbian books from the library of Dr Gerald Stone FBA, to be donated to the Bodleian or Taylorian Library at Oxford, England. None of the following is in the Bodleian catalogue: 1. Duchomny wopor Wjernych Kschesczijanow, aby Kyrlischowe Knihi (Budyšin, 1734). 2. (bound under same cover as 1.) To nutyrne Dzjecżo Boże… wot Jana Böhmerja …
Publications on Sorbian subjects by Dr Gerald Charles Stone FBA. Books 1971: Lexical changes in the Upper Sorbian literary language during and following the national awakening (=Lětopis Instituta za serbski ludospyt 18/1). Bautzen/Budyšin: Ludowe nakładnistwo Domowina 1972: The smallest Slavonic nation: the Sorbs of Lusatia. London: Athlone Press 1995: (ed.) Kěrluše (=Serbska poezija 37), Bautzen/Budyšin: …
Dr Stone produced his latest book, Slav Outposts in Central European History: the Wends, Sorbs and Kashubs in 2016. It can be purchased through Bloomsbury Publishing. The introduction to the book is reprinted below. Slav Outposts in Central European History Introduction Wends, Sorbs, and Kashubs This is a history of the westernmost Slavs. It is …
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The Smallest Slavonic Nation is the best read about the people called Wends or Sorbs. It can be purchased from Amazon. The Introduction to this fascinating book can be read below. Introduction Location and Distribution The people forming the subject of this study have been known variously in English as Wends, Lusatians orSorbs. They constitute a national minority …
