Upper Saxon

Upper Saxon is spoken in the eastern German state of Saxony (Sachsen in German), a region rich in cultural heritage, historical significance, and artistic traditions. Located in the heart of Central Europe, Saxony shares borders with Poland and the Czech Republic, making it a crossroads of Slavic and Germanic influences. The region played a major role in German history, from the time of the medieval Margraviate of Meissen to the influential Electorate and later Kingdom of Saxony. It was also central to the Protestant Reformation—Martin Luther’s actions in nearby Wittenberg sparked religious transformations across Europe. Saxony boasts a proud legacy in music, philosophy, science, and the arts, having been home to figures like Johann Sebastian Bach, Richard Wagner, and philosopher Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz.

The main cities where Upper Saxon is traditionally spoken are Dresden, the baroque capital known as the “Florence on the Elbe”; Leipzig, a historic trade and publishing hub with a vibrant music scene and strong resistance movements during the GDR era; and Chemnitz, an industrial center with a modernist architectural heritage. Smaller towns like Meissen (famous for its porcelain) and Zwickau (birthplace of composer Robert Schumann) also contribute to the cultural mosaic of the region. Today, Saxony balances its historic charm with innovation, playing a key role in Germany’s science, tech, and education sectors.

The Upper Saxon Dialect

Upper Saxon German (Obersächsisch) is part of the East Central German dialect group and is spoken primarily in Saxony and parts of southern Brandenburg and Saxony-Anhalt. Despite its name, it is not a continuation of the Old Saxon language once spoken in northern Germany; rather, it developed out of Middle High German dialects influenced by Slavic substrata—a result of Germanic settlement in areas previously inhabited by Sorbian and other Slavic peoples during the High Middle Ages.

Linguistically, Upper Saxon is characterized by a distinctive intonation, a drawling or “muffled” vowel quality, and softened consonants, which often differ markedly from Standard German (Hochdeutsch). For instance, the German word ich (I) might be pronounced more like isch, and diphthongs can be reduced or altered. The dialect also tends to replace the g sound with a ch or j-like sound, and s with a sch-like pronunciation, contributing to its instantly recognizable tone. These features make it quite distinct, and often the subject of light-hearted mockery or exaggeration in German media.

Locals often refer to their dialect as Säggssch, an affectionate and self-deprecating phonetic rendering of Sächsisch, mimicking how it sounds when pronounced in the dialect itself. The spelling reflects the dialect’s phonological shifts: the “Säggs-” replaces the standard “Sächs-“, and the “-sch” ending mirrors the soft, slurred quality of the dialect. While some outsiders view Säggssch as provincial or difficult to understand, it remains a point of identity and pride for many Saxons, who see it as a link to their region’s unique history and character. In recent years, there has even been a small revival of interest in preserving and documenting the dialect as part of Germany’s linguistic diversity.

Asterix in Saxony

Four Asterix albums have been translated into Upper Saxon under the title “De Asterix”, bringing the famous Gaulish heroes to life in the distinct regional flavor of Säggssch. These editions were translated by Thomas Nicolai, a German comedian and actor from Leipzig known for his affinity with the dialect. The translations preserve the humor and spirit of the original while incorporating local expressions and phonetic spelling true to the Upper Saxon sound.