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FROM 22.9.22

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North Frisians

North Frisian is a very heavily subdivided language, with nine insular and mainland dialects. Preserving this diversity involves many issues. Should Frisian be recognised as a regular school subject? What impacts are mass tourism and rising house prices having on local communities? What is the extent of government support? Many North Frisians today speak Low German or German (and rarely Danish) as their native language. Rituals like the Biikebrennen bonfire night offer ways of participating in the North Frisian community beyond language.

Frisian at school

Schools are vital for passing on the North Frisian language. Many parents speak little or nothing of the language, because it used to be seen as old-fashioned not to teach children in standard High German. Even in the 1980s, teachers were still warning of the disadvantages of letting children grow up bilingual, let alone learn Frisian as their first language. So it’s important to many families today that children can actually learn the language in school. As yet, however, Frisian is a regular timetabled subject only in the senior classes on Föhr and at one Danish school. Other schools are unable to recruit teachers specifically for the subject. Teachers must also develop their own teaching materials. Accordingly, not enough young people currently see teaching Frisian as a career prospect. As with the equally crucial problem that public radio broadcasts virtually nothing in Frisian, changes to political priorities are urgently required here, both on the state and federal levels.

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MINORITY SECRETARIAT OF THE FOUR
AUTOCHTHONOUS MINORITIES AND ETHNIC GROUPS GERMANY

VISITOR ADDRESS:
Bundesallee 216 – 218 | 10719 Berlin

POSTAL ADDRESS:
Minderheitensekretariat der vier autochthonen nationalen Minderheiten
und Volksgruppen Deutschlands
Bundeshaus
c/o Bundesministerium des Innern und für Heimat
Alt-Moabit 140 | 10557 Berlin

MAIL AND PHONE:
wanderausstellung@minderheitensekretariat.de 
info@minderheitensekretariat.de 
Tel.: +49 (0)30 18681 14623

www.minderheitensekretariat.de
www.facebook.com/minderheitensekretariat.de

The Minorities Secretariat is the liaison office of the associations of the national minorities with the federal bodies.
It is funded by the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs on the basis of a resolution of the German Bundestag.

THE EXHIBITION IS A PROJECT OF THE MINORITIES COUNCIL OF THE FOUR AUTOCHTHONOUS NATIONAL MINORITIES AND ETHNIC GROUPS GERMANY AND THE FEDERAL COUNCIL FOR NEDDERDÜÜTSCH.

PROJECT REALISATION:
Minority secretariat of the four
autochthonous minorities and ethnic groups Germany

www.minderheitensekretariat.de

PROJECT LEAD:
Judit Šołćina/Judith Scholze

PROJECT MANAGEMENT:
Johanna Panse, Veronika Bjarsch

CURATION:
Dr. Robert Lorenc

EXHIBITION DESIGN:
buerojolas | Tim Jolas | www.buerojolas.de

IN COLLABORATION WITH:
Johanna Hoffmann, Isabel Latza, Ronny Licht | Berlin/Leipzig

EXHIBITON BUILDING:
rotes pferd | Eckelmann + Nolze GmbH Berlin | www.rotes-pferd.de

MEDIA DEVELOPMENT:
chairlines | www.chairlines.de
ostwärts-film | www.reinernagel.com
Stefan Damnig | www.stefan-damnig.de

WEBDESIGN & PROGRAMMING:
STARKAD | www.starkad.de

ADVISORY INSTITUTIONS:
Documentation and Cultural Center of German Sinti and Roma | www.dokuzentrum.sintiundroma.de

Niederdeutschsekretariat Hamburg | www.niederdeutschsekretariat.de

Nordfriisk Instituut Bräist/Bredstedt | www.nordfriiskinstituut.eu

Ostfriesische Landschaft, Plattdüütskbüro Auerk/Aurich | www.ostfriesischelandschaft.de

Seelter Buund Seelterlound/Saterland | www.saterland.de

Serbski muzej/Sorbisches Museum Budyšin/Bautzen | www.sorbisches-museum.de

Städtische Sammlungen, Serbski muzej/Wendisches/Museum Chóśebuz/Cottbus | www.wendisches-museum.de

Sydslesvigsk Forening Flensborg/Flensburg | www.syfo.de

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