The Texas Wendish Heritage Society is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that has been preserving the history of the Texas Wends, a Slavic group of immigrants from Lusatia, since 1972. Wendish families began arriving in Texas as early as 1849 from Lusatia, a region in eastern Germany. In 1854, a Lutheran congregation of over 500 Wends immigrated on a chartered sailing ship and founded a new homeland on 4,254 acres in Serbin, Texas. The Texas Wendish Heritage Museum is located on the original 1854 Wendish settlement grounds and visitors are welcome to step back in time by touring the museum’s historical buildings.
In 1972, a small group of Wendish women founded the Texas Wendish Heritage Society, which implemented the establishment of the Texas Wendish Heritage Museum in 1979. Today, it remains the only Wendish museum outside of Germany. Our mission is to preserve Wendish cultural heritage and educate future generations about Texas Wends through the museum, family artifacts, the genealogical research library, demonstrations, exhibits, oral histories, college scholarships, and large scale events such as the annual Wendish Fest.
We have several buildings to explore, each offering a unique glimpse into Wendish history and culture. The Peter Building houses our Permanent Exhibit on the History of the Wends, detailing their emigration from Germany and their new life in Texas. Visitors can explore a small dock scene depicting the Wendish settlers' landing at the Port of Galveston, Texas on December 16, 1854, featuring a travel chest from the George Kasper family and a model of a 19th-century sailing ship. The St. Paul’s Lutheran Church's old school building, built in 1915, now part of the museum complex, originally served as a two-room schoolhouse for grades 1 to 8. The Kilian Building hosts member meetings and traditional Wendish activities, including egg decorating demonstrations during the annual Wendish Feast. Visitors can also enjoy a traditional Wendish lunch during museum tours and purchase Wendish noodles made by volunteers in the gift shop.
The Lillie Moerbe Caldwell Genealogy and Research Library Collections are housed in the Peter Building, offering a wealth of family histories, church records, and publications in German and Sorbian that provide insights into Sorbian customs, language, and traditions. The library's primary focus is on Wendish heritage in Texas from 1854 to 1990, containing manuscripts, institutional records, over 800 books, pamphlets, photographs, maps, and old newspapers. Highlights include rare books on religious, historical, and educational subjects, the Kilian translations into Wendish, original writings of Rev. Johann Kilian, and early editions of Martin Luther's works. Additionally, visitors can view about 1,000 images, collections of personal papers, and historical certificates.
