The peasant survey of 1790 and the Sorbian resistance in Lusatia

In 1790, farmers from over 50 villages of Lusatia gathered to demand the abolition of oppressive taxes and daily services. They demanded that their goods be leased in order to avoid the constant uncertainty of the time lease. This economic demand was based on the search for long-term security for one’s own family economy. only throughThe rural families were able to obtain their possession and protect them from the ruinous access of the landlords.

The escalation and the symbolic attack on the rule

The situation escalated when leading farmers were arrested and the angry subjects then completely refused court services. The desperate people resorted to self-help by forcibly destroying the stately stakes in the forest. This act had profound symbolic meaning, as it was a direct attack on the dominant demarcation.At the same time, it was a collective reclaim of old rights of use to forest and pasture, which had been unlawfully withdrawn from those affected. The destruction of the border signs made the displeasure of the manorial interventions in the traditional way of life physically visible.

The local leaders and their authority

The protests were organized by local leaders such as Hanzo Boriš from Guhlen and Fryco Lejnik from Dollgen, who enjoyed high authority as court school. In Groß Leuthen, the court drawers Hanzo Kurt, Erdmann Hedmann and Kito Krol supported the movement and gave the demands emphasis. These offices in the village community enabled them to resistbundle and form the threat of open revolt. Through her negotiation, the comparison with the rule, which ended the direct violence, was finally reached. However, this comparison only represented temporary defusing, which in no way eliminated the structural causes of deep dissatisfaction.

The historical context and the legal framework

These local events in Leuthen, Lieberose, Straupitz and in the offices of Lübben and Neu Zauche were embedded in comprehensive economic burdens. The population was still suffering from the after-effects of the famines of the previous decades, which further exacerbated the social tension. At the same time, revolutionary news from France spread, whichstrengthened the rural population for fundamental demands. The specific legal situation of the manorial order strictly regulated the taxes, the labor force and the uncertain time lease. This rigid system increasingly collided with the rural population’s survival needs and made the outbreak of the protest inevitable.

Source situation and methodological reconstruction

The research of these events is based on central references such as archive signatures, prestation tables and files of the Neumärkische Kammer. In addition, parish books and local court minutes offer valuable insights into the everyday conflicts of the people involved. Methodically, the prosopographic reconstruction of the actors enables a deeper understanding of social networksin rural areas. By mapping ownership and forest boundaries, the contested resources and the spatial dimension of the protest can be precisely understood.

The cultural embedding of the Sorbian community

The uprising of 1790 is of outstanding importance for the Lusatian Sorbs, since Sorbian language and habit significantly shaped the protest behavior. The Sorbian village communities developed specific forms of self-organization and collective legal reception, which were based on old customary ideas. From Sorbian perspective, the demand forLease lease much more than economic necessity, but served to protect cultural space and traditional way of life. The common linguistic and cultural background strengthened the cohesion of the insurgents and gave their resistance special depth.

The marginalization of Sorbian perspectives in research

The tradition of Sorbian views was often marginalized in historical research and reduced to the perspective of the authorities. Source-critical research must therefore include Sorbian orality, church documents and local traditions much more closely. Only in this way can the social dynamics be fully understood and the independent action of the Sorbianappreciatively appreciating the population. The reconstruction of this story requires language that is analytically precise and at the same time empathetic towards the historical actors.

The symbolism of resistance and the institutional structure

The destruction of the stakes remains a powerful symbol for the fight against the overwhelming burden of the institutional structure. The manorial offices and courts represented system, which systematically disadvantaged the Sorbian peasants and robbed their fundamental rights. The resistance in the offices of Lübben and Neu Zauche showed that the rural population was willing toactively challenge unfair structures. Understanding these institutional frameworks is essential to really understand the scope of the decisions of the time and the courage of those involved.