Sorbs in Texas and Australia

In the middle of the 19th century, many Sorbs, especially Protestants from Upper and Lower Lusatia emigrated to Australia and Texas for religious and economic reasons.

Sorbs emigrated to Texas

In 1854, 550 Sorbs from Saxony and Prussia, led by the pastor Jan Kilian, traveled to the USA on board the ship “Ben Nevis”. In the state of Texas, the place “Serbin” was founded by the Sorbian emigrants. In 1926, the so-called “Texas Wends” founded Concordia University of Austin. Even today, 10 percent of the students and employees there have Sorbian roots. Around 10,000 people of Sorbian origin currently live in Texas.

For more information on Sorbs in Texas, see the Texas Wendish Heritage Society.

Emigration of Sorbs to Australia

Around 2,000 Sorbs emigrated to Australia between 1848 and 1860. They settled, for example, in Peter’s Hill in South Australia, in the Barossa Valley wine-growing region or in the south-west of Victoria.

For more information on Sorbs in Australia, see the Wendish Heritage Society of Australia.