Now Available: New Research Results

Jan Kilian
Pastor, Poet, Emigrant
by Trudla Malinkowa

Few people are more strongly associated with the Sorbian emigration movement of the 19th century than Jan Kilian. In 1854 the pastor, born in Doehlen in Upper Lusatia, left his home country for Texas where, along with a large number of fellow Sorb immigrants, he founded the colony called Serbin.

At an international conference on the occasion of Kilian’s 200th birthday that was held in Germany in September 2011, scholars presented new studies into his work as a theologian and author of hymns, his family origins, and the circumstances of his emigration, which have now been collected in a bilingual volume entitled, Jan Kilian (1811-1884). Pastor; Poet, Emigrant, edited by Trudla Malinkowa and published by The Domowina Publishing House in Bautzen, Germany. The papers that were presented at the conference impressively demonstrate how a Sorbian farmer’s son shaped the history of both Lusatia and his adopted Texas home.

Jan Kilian (1811-1884). Pastor, Poet, Emigrant, three years in the making, began with research and writing by the various scholars whose papers were presented at the conference. Since that time, the editor, Trudla Malinkowa, has expended many more months of effort to bring the information together and present it in a cohesive volume in both German and English languages.

For more information, check out Schriften des Sorbischen Instituts 58 or Domowina Verlag Bautzen 2014.

The book can be ordered in Germany at:

Kubon & Sagner GmbH
Heβstraβe 39/41
80798 München, Germany
Tel.: +49 (0)89/54218-0
Fax: +49 (0)89/54218218
postmaster@kubon-sagner.de

and in the United States at:

Kubon & Sagner, Inc.
1532 T Street NW
Washington, D.C. 20009

In addition, the TWHS gift shop will soon have available for sale a limited number of copies of Jan Kilian(1811-1884) – Pastor, Poet, Emigrant. Contact the museum for more information or for pricing information.