Der slawische Adel, seine Sprache und seine Namen zwischen Saale und Elbe vom 10. bis 13. Jahrhundert

Abstract

Slavic nobility, language and names between the rivers Saale and Elbe (10th-13th centuries) – In 2018 the archbishopric Magdeburg will celebrate its 1050th anniversary of existence. Therefore several questions in connection with interethnic relations between Slavic population and German governers are treated. From 930 up till 1150 a. Chr. a Slavonic majority was dominated by a German minority in all districts between the rivers Saale and Elbe. The author gives different answers and arguments by linguistic material to demonstrate mutual acknowledgement and tolerance by two different ethnics. The historical view allows results about interethnic communication since the 10th century. Furthermore an important fact can be made evident: German government accepted and preserved the old Slavic castles, regional names and lots of toponyms as signs of the former structure of the Slavic territory. The article offers special attention to the members of Slavic nobility. The author verifies about hundred persons with their names as examples of Slavic noble born representatives. Historical documents explain these persons’ duties as well as their secular and clerical charges in the time of Middle Ages. Some can be shown in top functions near to the German king or his margrave. German representatives apparently used the so called lingua Slavica misssionarica not only as language of Christian conversion, but also when it was necessary to discuss and to treat themes of administration.