In accordance with the Romantic spirit, Sauerwein believed that poetry was rooted in popular tradition and that a fresh literature could be based on the minority languages. His own poetry and songs are based on this idea, and he came to be among the pioneers of Lithuanian and Sorbian literature with the epic poem "Nemunyciai" (The Memel People, 1894) and "Serbske stucki" (Sorbian Songs, 1877). His poem "Lietuvninkais mes esam' gime" ("As Lithuanians we are born", 1879) is still popular in Lithuania as a national hymn.