Honouring Jan Skala

On Saturday, 11 January 2025, a special event was held in Njebjelčicy/Nebelschütz to honour Jan Skala, the important Sorbian poet, publicist and political activist who campaigned for the self-determination of the Sorbian people throughout his life. To mark the 80th anniversary of his death, candidates for the Serbski Sejm, representatives of the Domowina local group and other interested parties gathered to commemorate his achievements.

The event began at 3.30 pm with a wreath-laying ceremony at the Jan Skala memorial near the kindergarten in Nebelschütz. The pioneer of political self-determination for the Sorbian people was honoured together. This was followed by a poetry reading with musical contributions and words of welcome in the Catholic Bjesada. Juri Wuščanski and Křeščan Krawc reported on their personal points of contact with Jan Skala in their journalistic and political work. In his welcoming address, Dr Pětr Kroh, grandson and biographer of Jan Skala, traced the arc from his demands a century ago to the present day and the work of the Serbski Sejm.

Prior to this, 22 of the 39 candidates for the Serbski Sejm met for an intensive workshop in preparation for the Sejm election. They introduced themselves to each other and discussed their personal backgrounds, their connection to the Sorbian people and their goals for their work in the Serbski Sejm. The focus was on current and future work priorities such as the drafting of a state treaty, an education policy concept and the development of a Sorbian constitution.

Another central point was the promotion of the upcoming Sejm elections in order to arouse the interest of voters. In addition, a handbook on the work of the Serbski Sejm was presented, which is intended to facilitate the transition from the first to the second legislative period and strengthen principles such as mutual respect and consensus-orientation.

The day ended with coffee, cake and folk songs in a convivial atmosphere. The participants had the opportunity to discuss Sorbian topics, socialise and take away new ideas. The event not only provided space for remembering Jan Skala, but also for a lively dialogue about the future of the Sorbian community.

The organisers would like to thank everyone involved and invite the public to continue to play an active role in shaping the Sorbian future. Together we can preserve the legacy of Jan Skala and open up new paths for Sorbian culture and identity.