and Rochlitz. Even names of major cities like Leipzig and Berlin are most likely of Wendish origin. Today, the only remaining minority people of Wendish origin, the Sorbs, maintain their traditional language and culture and enjoy cultural self-determination exercised through the Domowina. The third minister president of Saxony Stanislaw Tillich (2008–2017) is of Sorbian origin, being the first head of a German federal state with an ethnic minority background. The Texas Wends In 1854, the Wends of Texas departed Lusatia on the Ben Nevis seeking greater liberty, in order to settle an area of central Texas, primarily Serbin. The Wends succeeded, expanding into Warda, Giddings, Austin, Houston, Fedor, Swiss Alp, Port Arthur, Mannheim, Copperas Cove, Vernon, Walburg, The Grove, Bishop, and the Rio Grande Valley. A strong emphasis on tradition, principles, and education is evident today in families descendant from the Wendish pioneers. Today, thousands of Texans and other Americans (many unaware of their background), can lay claim to the heritage of the Wends. Other uses Historically, the term "Wends" has also occurred in the following contexts: Until the mid-19th-century German-speakers most commonly used the name Wenden to refer to Slovenes. This usage is mirrored in the name of the Windic March, a Medieval territory in present-day Lower Carniola, which merged with the Duchy of Carniola by the mid 15th century. With the diffusion of the term slowenisch for the Slovene language and Slowenen for Slovenes, the words windisch and Winde or Wende became derogatory in connotation. The same development could be seen in the case of the Hungarian Slovenes, who used to be known under the name "Vends". It was also used to denote the Slovaks in German-language texts before c. 1400. The German term "Windischland" was used in the Middle Ages for the historical Kingdom of Slavonia (in Croatia). The terms Veneta, Wenden, Winden etc were used in reference to the westernmost Slavs in the 1st and 2nd century CE, as a reference to the name of the earlier tribes of Veneti. See also Sukow-Dziedzice group Northern March Limes Saxoniae Kashubians Drevani Wendland Slovincians Baltic Slavic piracy Sorbs Czech people Slovenes Wendish question References Further reading External links Sorbian Cultural Information Texas Wends Australian Wends Texas Wendish Heritage Society Wendish Research Exchange Ancient Slavs Early Slavs Historical ethnic groups of Europe Lechites Sorbs Wendland West Slavic history