Saterland Frisians

The Sater Frisians are one of the smallest language groups in Europe. They belong to the eastern branch of the Frisian ethnic group and are therefore a recognized minority in Germany. They inhabit the Saterland ( saterfries. Seelterlound ), a municipality in the northern district of Cloppenburg ( Lower Saxony).

The Sater Frisians originate from Festlandsostfriesen, after several storm surges left around the year 1200 their ancient homeland and today Saterland populated. There superimposed and they assimilated the scantily -based Westphalian- Saxon native population. The fact that they are clearly among the Frisians, is an event in May 1400: Along with the other East Frisian dominions and rural communities, they signed an agreement with representatives of the Hanseatic League, that they would grant the Vitali brothers, active in the North Sea pirates, no more help. Even in a document from this period, the Sater Frisians as to the seven Frisian Seelanden duly designated.

The special feature of today's Sater Frisians is that they have retained the last Friesen in eastern Friesland the old Frisian language. Approximately 1000 to 2500 people speak an interspersed with Lower Saxony elements Frisian dialect, Sater Frisian. A study by the University of Göttingen is at 2250 persons.

The villages in which is yet to hear the language Ramsloh, Scharrelmann, Strücklingen and Sedelsberg are in the community Saterland. The appropriate place signs are bilingual labeled with the corresponding names Sater Frisian Room Else, Schäddel, Strukelje and Sedelsbierich.

Not simply is the definition of who exactly is a Saterfriese. It is undisputed in the "Language Friesen ". Also no longer Frisian local population can be regarded as Frisian, but now also a high proportion living on be delayed population Saterland. Nevertheless in Germany the commitment to membership of a minority is free. Thus, everyone is a Saterfriese, who refers to himself as such.

The Sater Frisians are among the few Friesen, who are traditionally Catholic. During the Reformation, although they changed to Protestantism, but were re-Catholicised after the Peace of Westphalia because of their affiliation with the Diocese of Münster.

To the cultural aspects of Sater Frisians and the preservation of the language takes care of the home club " Seelter Bund" who has added to his coat of arms next to the Sater Frisian seal with the image of Charlemagne and the colors and lily of the flag of the Dutch province of Friesland. This is to explicitly emphasizes the total membership of the Frisian culture.

The Inter -Frisian Council Saterland is represented along with Ostfriesland, the Oldenburg and Friesland Frisian other areas of Lower Saxony in the eastern section.

Literature and sources

  • Annette Heese: The Saterland - A journey through the history of community Saterland, Saterland 1988, ISBN 3-9801728-0-5
  • Hanne Klöver: Searching for Clues in Saterland: A reader on the history of a community Frisian origin in the Oldenburg region, SKN Druck & Verlag GmbH & Co., Saterland 1998, ISBN 3-928327-32-1
  • Saterland Frisian folk life: texts and testimonies from d fries Saterland with hochdt. Übers / C. Marron Fort [ed]. Rhauderfehn: Ostendorp, 1985, ISBN 3-921516-42-0
  • Saterfrisian votes: texts and testimonies from d fries Saterland with hochdt. Übers / C. Marron Fort [ed]. Rhauderfehn: Ostendorp, 1990, ISBN 3-921516-48- X
  • Friesland
  • Saterland
  • Friesian
  • Ethnic group in Europe
  • Ethnic minority in Germany
East Frisians Storm tides of the North Sea Saterland Frisian language History of the term "Catholic" Friesland (district)
709992
de