Group Works to Preserve History of Texas Wends
The mission of the 37th annual Texas Folklife Festival in San Antonio June 13-15 is to showcase, educate, and preserve the ethnic diversity that makes up the State of Texas. One of the festivals original participants is the Texas Wendish Heritage Society.
The Texas Wends are relatively unknown- a fact the Heritage Society has worked to change since their 1971 founding. The groups work centers around the operation of the Wendish Museum located in the now unincorporated town of Serbin, Texas.
Serbin is located in southwestern Lee County, about 50 miles east of Austin. The town served as the mother colony for the Texas Wends, and the towns name means Wendish Land.
Serbin was founded in 1855 by a group of about 500 Wends who fled their native Lusatia to escape Germanification and religious persecution. Lusatia is now a historical region located in the German states of Saxony and Brandenburg.
Not wishing to abandon their Lutheran faith for the state Evangelical church, or to adopt Germanic names and customs, the Wends organized themselves under Pastor Johann Kilian. Their journey to Texas took them through a Cholera epidemic of Liverpool and the Yellow fever epidemic of Galveston.
In January 1855, the surviving immigrants purchased 4,000 acres of land from the Delaplain League at a dollar an acre. 95 acres were given to Pastor Kilian to establish a church and a parochial school. The church was named St. Pauls Lutheran. Both the church and the school remain in operation today.
St. Pauls Lutheran, built in 1870, is among the 20 painted churches of Texas, so called because of their ornately painted interiors. 9t was the first church in the state to become affiliated with the Missouri Synod Lutheran denomination, and currently has 600 active members.
Throughout the late 19th century, the town of Serbin and its residents thrived. But generations passed, and residents followed the railroad to towns and cities nearby. As their population dwindled, the remaining Serbin Wends assimilated into the nearby and much larger German population. The German tongue replaced the Wendish language in both the Serbin church and newspaper. No sooner had the Wends made this transition, however, than World War I broke out, bringing with it a rise in anti-German sentiments.
Once again, the Wends were forced to assimilate, this time to English. Today there remain only two people in the Serbin area who can speak the Wendish language.
Despite being relatively unknown the Wends have had a lasting impact on the culture of Texas. The largest influence, perhaps, is their religion. Today, the Texas District of the LCMS has approximately 329 congregations; second only to the District of Missouri.
Another popular tradition rooted in the Wendish past is the painting of Easter eggs. Not to mention a love of sauerkraut, noodles, pickles, and sausages.
These treats and other crafts will be featured at the Wendish booth at the Texas Folklife Festival, along with cooked cheese, sandwiches, and authentic fare. It is through events like Junes Folklife Festival and the Wendish Festival held in Serbin in September, that the Wendish Heritage Society hopes to share the stories of their ancestors. These events are also important fundraising opportunities for the society. The money raised at festivals allows them to continue their work preserving the Texas Wendish Heritage Museums grounds, structures, and numerous artifacts.
FYI: The Texas Wendish heritage Museum is at 1011 Country Road in Giddings. Hours are Tuesday through Sunday from 1pm-5pm. Admission is $2 for adults, admission for children 14 and under is free. The Wendish Festival is September 28, 2008 in Serbin. For more information, call 979-366-2441 or visit the website at http://wendish.concordia.edu/.
The Texas Wendish Heritage Society will participate in the 37th annual Texas Folklife Festival June 13-15 in San Antonio, sponsored by UTSAs Institute of Texas Cultures. For more information, call 210-458-2224, visit the website at www.texasfolklifefestival.org, or see story on page 15.
