Sorbian Members of the People’s Chamber in the GDR (1949–1990)

The activities of Sorbian deputies in the People’s Chamber, the highest legislative body in the German Democratic Republic, is a subject that has yet to be fully studied. This paper outlines the main findings of our research, undertaken in Germany in the years 2014–2016. For our study of Sorbian deputies, we have divided the existence of the People’s Chamber into three basic periods: the Era of Kurt Krjeńc (1950–1964/1967), the Era of Jurij Grós (1967–1990), and the Era of Democratic Changes (1990). Each period is associated with important figures from Sorbian Lusatia. We counted a total of 28 deputies in the People’s Chamber who were in some way associated with life in this region. However, there was no chance of promoting the interests of the Sorbs in the People’s Chamber, since despite being the GDR’s highest legislative body, its role was purely formal and symbolic