Mina Witkojc

Mina Witkojc (German: Wilhelmine Wittka; 28 May 1893, Burg (Spreewald) – 11 November 1975) was an important Sorbian journalist, ethnic advocate, and poet.

In 1907 (age 13 or 14), Mina moved to Berlin and began working as a children's maid and a flower arranger to make ends meet.

In August 1921, she happened to meet a group of Czech and Upper Sorbian intellectuals with Arnošt Muka who were traveling in the Spreewald.

During these years, she had many contacts with Upper Sorbian intellectuals, such as Arnošt Muka and Jan Cyž [de], from whom she received many suggestions.

In 1931, Mina Witkojc was pushed out of the management of the Serbski Casnik because of her democratic views, and in 1933 the new National Socialist government banned her from writing.

For example, Witkojc was briefly arrested for alleged pro-Czechoslovak agitation while putting up Sorbian-language posters for the local elections.

She gained prominence as the co-author of an anthology and through publication of individual poems and articles in the Lower Sorbian newspaper Nowy Casnik.