The Great Challenge: Education in North Frisia
Frisian language classes are currently only available as voluntary courses – A conversation about the issues facing the Frisian community
Ilse Johanna Christiansen often spoke of the Frisians as the least protected minority in Germany. Why is that?
Heinrich Bahnsen: Historically, Frisians have not spoken with a unified voice. The Friisk Foriining, founded in 1923 after the 1920 plebiscite, was more Danish-oriented and saw Frisians as a nationality rather than a minority group. Conversely, the North Frisian Association viewed Frisians as a cultural and linguistic minority within the German nation. This ideological debate lasted for decades. Today, we agree that we are part of the German nation.
Do the two groups collaborate today?
Bahnsen: Yes, there is excellent and successful collaboration now. However, because we did not articulate our position collectively for many years, we were not perceived as strongly as other minorities. Since we started working together, we've seen more success. The protection of Frisians is now enshrined in the state constitution, not as a national minority but as a Frisian ethnic group. Yet, in federal politics, we align with other minorities and are viewed as a minority, not just a group.
In 2020, the "Friisk Stiftung" was established, modelled after the Foundation for the Sorbian People. Has it benefited the Frisian community?
Bahnsen: The foundation's primary purpose is to manage funding programs that were previously handled by the ministry and state chancellery. It centralizes funds from both state and federal levels.
Has the foundation had any other effects?
Bahnsen: The foundation doesn't directly engage with the community. It primarily oversees fund administration. However, we've recently created a special unit within the North Frisian Institute called "Nordfriisk Liirskap," which aims to develop Frisian teaching materials for all educational levels, including kindergartens. Previously, there were no official materials—teachers had to create their own. We hope this will lead to a more systematic production of resources to teach Frisian more effectively and sustainably.
Currently, Frisian is only offered as an optional course outside the regular curriculum?
Bahnsen: Yes, these are voluntary courses.
Should Frisian be a mandatory part of the curriculum?
Bahnsen: We would like to see Frisian included in the regular curriculum. We also wish for subject lessons to be taught in Frisian, but this requires training teachers at the university level for all school stages.
That won't be easy to achieve.
Bahnsen: No, but it's the most straightforward path to sustainable language preservation. In North Frisia, on the mainland and islands, there are about 85,000 Frisians who follow the principle "Anyone who identifies as Frisian can be one," without any prerequisites. Of these, an estimated 6,000 to 9,000 are native Frisian speakers. Fewer and fewer are learning Frisian as their mother tongue; instead, they learn it in kindergarten or school. Frisian is well-represented in primary schools, especially in villages where it is still spoken natively. It is much less present at the secondary level.
What other challenges do the Frisians face?
Bahnsen: There is a tendency for native speakers not to pass the language on to their children, often due to increasing mobility. In the past, many believed that teaching their children Frisian would cause them problems in school. Today, we know the opposite is true. There's also another problem.
What is that?
Bahnsen: We have a very high average age among our volunteers and struggle to find younger people willing to get involved. This issue is separate from the language itself. We need young people, but in some areas, they are not present in the numbers North Frisia needs. We would benefit from offering compensation or the ability to hire staff.
In North Frisia, there are many bilingual Frisian-German signs, but only a few Danish ones. Why is that?
Bahnsen: The entrance signs are the responsibility of the municipalities, while road signs on state and federal roads fall under state and federal jurisdiction and funding. The bilingual signs are based on the Frisian Law passed in the state parliament in 2004, which regulates the use of the Frisian language in official communications and public bilingualism.
The Sorbs experienced a significant boost from the Europeada in 2012. Do you expect the same for the Frisians?
Bahnsen: We hope so. It is very important that the Europeada takes place here, as it brings us great visibility.
Heinrich Bahnsen
Since the untimely death of Ilse Johanna Christiansen, chairwoman of the North Frisian section of the Friesenrat on 15 May, the vice-chairman, Heinrich Bahnsen, has taken over. Bahnsen, a retired banker, is active in various Frisian associations and institutions. In this interview, he talks about the challenges facing the Frisian community.
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