Griggs Courier

The Wendish Tongue in Germany.

Consul General de Kay writes for The Century a paper on the Serbian swamp Vendland under the title of "An Inland Venice."

Mr. de Kay says:

These people speak German to the lordlings as we pass Vendish to our boatman, but the Vendish is disappearing because, for the sake of the army, its teaching is discouraged. Throughout all this district, far over into Saxony, only a few churches still offer sermons in the old tongue. Yet if the Vendish tongue disappears the names of places will tell the tale, even as such names in Brandenburg and Saxony still do. Dresden, Leipsic, these are Vendish words or call them Slavic, with the broader term that now means the race. And hereabout are Cottbus, Vetschau, Muschen, Brahmow, Babow, Dlugy, Raddush, Leipe, Lehde, Byhleguhre, Straupitz and Lubben. And the flieisses that wind or shoot straight in and out of forest and cleared fields retain Vendish names: Mutniza, Blushnitza, Rogazo, Zschapigk, Polenzo, Groblitzo and Nabasatz.

Efforts have been made to give German names to many of them, but country people everywhere are great holders to precedent, and the people who stick so tightly to their old costume are not going to give up their place names without a struggle.