German town offers free accommodation in bid to attract residents
The town's authorities said the scheme was aimed at attracting skilled workers, former residents who have moved away and self-employed workers looking for a change of scenery.
Those selected will be offered city tours to 'give them a real feeling' for the town, as well as introduced to local job prospects and internships. Before they leave, they will asked to write a 'love letter to Eisenhüttenstadt' in which they share their impressions of their stay.
Those interested can
apply
until early July.
The population of Eisenhüttenstadt has dropped by over half since German reunification in 1990. Like many areas of eastern Germany, it has suffered from depopulation as young people move because of a lack of job opportunities and prospects.
The modern town was founded by East German authorities as a socialist model city after the end of WWII alongside a massive steel mill, the town's largest industry. It was known as Stalinstadt between 1953 and 1961.
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The city is considered one of the preeminent examples of socialist architecture in Germany. Its town combines Stalin-era neoclassicism and more modern
Plattenbau
blocks of flats.
After reunification, the steel mill was privatised, causing thousands of employees to lose their jobs. Today, the steelworks has been modernised and employs about 2,500 people.
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