German town offers free accommodation in bid to attract residents
Eisenhüttenstadt in Brandenburg, on the Polish border, will offer a free furnished flat for two weeks in September to applicants interested in trying life in the town.
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.
Advertisement
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.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Local Germany
16 hours ago
- Local Germany
Germany unveils tax breaks to boost stagnant economy
"It's important to send a clear signal in support of our country's economic strength and competitiveness," Finance Minister Lars Klingbeil said at a press conference. Klingbeil he said he hoped the package, worth a cumulative 45.8 billion euros, could be pushed through parliament by the end of the month. Under the plans, Germany's corporate tax rate would fall by one percent a year from 2028 to reach 10 percent, down from 15 percent. Companies would also be able to deduct 30 percent of the cost of new machinery and equipment from their tax bill between 2025 and 2027, and electric company cars would receive preferential tax treatment. Economy Minister Katherina Reiche said in a statement the plans would send an important "signal" to firms that Germany was open for business. "Germany is back," she said. "Today's cabinet decision means we are going for growth and increased competitiveness, and more measures will come." Germany's economy has struggled in recent years in the face of high production costs at home, increasingly fierce Chinese competition and growing global trade tensions fired by US President Donald Trump. READ ALSO: Trump extends deadline for tariffs on goods from Germany to July 9th The new government under conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz has already set out plans for a 500-billion-euro infrastructure fund in a bid to put the economy back on the right track. But analysts have warned that money alone will not be enough to restart Germany's economic motor without structural reforms. Commenting on an earlier outline of the tax plan, Deutsche Bank economist Robin Winkler said the deductions would provide "a welcome short-term stimulus for the manufacturing sector" without being a silver bullet. "Its impact on facilitating the broader structural transformation of the German economy is likely to be limited," he said in a research note. Advertisement Some of Germany's regional governments -- which would have to approve the plans in the parliament's upper house -- have voiced concern at the cost, with 28 billion euros in lost revenue forecast for them between 2025 and 2029. "These billions in investments will go up in smoke if the states and municipalities see holes in their core budgets," Anke Rehlinger, the leader of the Saarland region, said in an interview with news website T-Online.
Local Germany
16 hours ago
- Local Germany
'Slap in the face': Applicants blast Germany's plan to scrap citizenship reform
Germany's Federal Cabinet in Berlin passed a bill recently that aims to scrap the three-year path to citizenship for those foreigners considered "highly integrated". Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the conservative Christian Social Union (CSU) who had brought the bill forward suggested that it marks the beginning of a "migration turnaround" -- essentially a tightening of Germany's immigration policies -- along with more patrols on the country's borders and the end of family reunifications for refugees . Advertisement The looming legal change, which still needs a vote of approval by the Bundestag, would prevent some people from applying for German citizenship until they've resided in the country for at least five years. But it was initially unclear how many of Germany's foreign residents it would affect, because eligibility for the fast-track three-year path was relatively limited. To get a better sense of how many immigrants would be affected, and what the changes mean for them, we conducted a survey of affected readers and got an expert view on the move. How many people are affected? Dr. Herbert Brücker, head of migration, integration and international labour market research at the Institute for Employment Research (IAB), told The Local that he thought the number of people directly affected by the law change would be "very small". He said that the fast-track was "only earmarked for people who meet requirements regarding earnings, language proficiency and no dependency on welfare benefits etc., but also have to prove extraordinary achievements in the labour market, schools und universities, or other areas such as science, arts or (professional) sports." Recent naturalisation statistics confirm that very few applicants had managed to gain citizenship with the fast-track path. While Germany saw a record number of naturalisations in 2024 , nearly 50,000 more than the year before, only a few hundred of those were from fast-track applicants. In some German states, it seems that not a single fast-track naturalisation was approved. In Berlin however there were over 300 new "fast-track" citizens. Advertisement READ ALSO: Germany sees record number of foreigners gaining citizenship In response to our reader survey, several people said that they had planned to apply for citizenship via the three-year route, or had already submitted an application to naturalise after three years of residence. Dis-incentivising skilled worker migration? Asked if he thought the legal change would work against Germany's efforts to lure skilled workers, Brücker said that he would expect it to have a negative effect. "The fast track procedure was designed exactly to improve the position of Germany in the global competition for talent, for example in comparison to Canada, the US and Australia," he said. Engelhard Mazanke, director of the LEA, speaks at a naturalisation ceremony in the Berlin district of Wedding. Photo: picture alliance/dpa | Bernd von Jutrczenka He added that highly-skilled workers tend to be "more mobile than other groups of migrants, and have more choices" about where to go. But he also noted that citizenship is "just one among many factors affecting [immigrants'] location choice". Advertisement One reader, who identified herself only as Mel, told The Local, "This feels like a slap in the face." "As someone who ticks all of the boxes, it's frustrating that [the government] seems to want to penalise people who chose to learn the language, and pay some of the highest taxes." Mel said she would have been eligible to naturalise as of next year and had turned down job offers in other countries in favour of remaining here and having a chance to apply to become German. She added that if the law change would be reason enough for her to reconsider her efforts to remain in the country. Advertisement "My skills are in high demand and Germany doesn't seem to want them," she said. "I have turned down job offers in other countries in favour of remaining in Germany to apply. If Germany scraps this route, I will consider other jobs in other countries." Alexandra Curry from Lower Saxony was another fast-track applicant who was left angry over the move to scrap it. "I planned my whole life around the application," she said. "I didn't apply for jobs or masters programs, so that I didn't have to leave my state and start the application again. "So many missed opportunities. Whilst my application is still under consideration and I am likely to be accepted for it, if the cancellation of the law comes into immediate effect, maybe I just wasted the last year of my life and all the missed opportunities for nothing." Another reader, named Valentyn who lives in Munich, called the move a "bad decision" because it "decreases the desire to integrate." She pointed out that foreigners who might otherwise push themselves to learn C1 level German to be eligible for faster naturalisation will now just "not care" and settle for B1 understanding. Is there an argument for scrapping fast-track citizenship? Roughly half of the respondents to our survey said they either approved of Germany's decision to end the fast-track path, or were indifferent to the change. Notably, most of these respondents also answered that they planned to naturalise after the standard five-years of required residence (suggesting that they would not be eligible for the fast-track path). Advertisement Asked how they felt about the end of fast-track citizenship, one anonymous respondent from Hamburg wrote, " Das ist mir egal. " ("It doesn't matter to me.") In defence of their position they wrote that, the number of affected people was relatively small and five years was not a harsh residence requirement for naturalisation compared to other countries. They added, "I'd rather the government focus efforts on more impactful problems but if this satisfies their itch for further citizenship reform and protects the five year path and dual citizenship, then let's get it done so we can bring the focus back to more beneficial as improving the Opportunity Card program, for example." READ ALSO: Is Germany's 'Opportunity Card' visa too complicated to work? Many respondents to the survey who were not against the end of the three-year citizenship track shared this view, and many specifically cited the fact that the five year requirement would be maintained (as opposed to the previous eight) as a significant victory. For his part, foreign labour expert Brücker appears to be more worried about the symbolic significance of the law change than it's direct impacts. "We carry out surveys among the entire immigrant population in Germany," Brücker explained. "Interestingly enough, not only the refugees, but also immigrants using employment-related entry channels as well as EU citizens mention the respect for human rights, respect for the rule of law, and the welcoming culture among the main reasons they have chosen Germany as their destination country. "Thus, I think policies such as 'push-backs' of asylum seekers at the German border...[and] the general atmosphere and sentiments towards immigration also play a role. "Everything else equal, I would therefore expect that this also reduces skilled and highly-skilled labour migration to Germany."
Local Germany
16 hours ago
- Local Germany
How to manage seasonal allergies in Germany
More and more people seem to dread the arrival of spring and summer each year, fearing that the appearance of flowers and blossoms will herald a running nose and itchy eyes. For some newcomers in Germany, learning the word ' Heuschnupfen ' comes with experiencing it at a whole new level, or even for the first time. For those who suffer through the spring season, here's a look at what accounts for the rise in cases seen in recent years, as well as some of the best things you can do to reduce your suffering. Why are allergy cases on the rise? According to a press release from European Centre for Allergy Research Foundation , the pollen season really does last longer each year: 'Climate change means that pollen from grasses and herbaceous plants is flying around longer into the autumn, while trees are starting to bloom earlier in the year." Certain plants and trees, such as ragweed and birch (which bear an outsized responsibility for producing large quantities of allergenic pollen), are growing faster than ever before and producing even greater quantities of pollen as a result of global warming. Lifestyle changes in Germany are also a factor In common with much of the developed world, population density continues to increase in major cities in Germany – and numerous studies have shown that a higher proportion of people in cities suffer from seasonal allergies, compared with people who live in the countryside. Cities tend to be a few degrees warmer than the surrounding rural areas, which encourages plants to produce even more pollen. Common urban pollutants such as exhaust fumes can also make pollen grains more allergenic, according to a study in The Scientific World Journal . In addition, many cities in Germany have followed a policy of planting male-only trees, in order to protect streets (and the paintwork of cars) from the seeds, fruits or pods produced by female trees. However, the relatively high number of male, pollen producing trees, and the relative absence of female, pollen receiving trees, amounts to vast quantities of surplus pollen filling the air in our cities, and therefore also our eyes, noses and lungs. Other changes in the way we live may also have an impact on our susceptibility to allergies. The move towards smaller family sizes and improved sanitation means that infants are typically exposed to fewer infectious diseases. Some studies suggest that these infections – previously acquired from older siblings in larger families – play a part in conferring protection against allergies. Before German reunification, for example, allergy rates were significantly lower in the GDR (where larger households were more common) than they were in West Germany. Within a decade of reunification, as lifestyles began to align across the former border, so did the rates of hay fever. Advertisement How to avoid giving in to seasonal allergies 1. Don't suffer unnecessarily. Find the antihistamine which works for you and keep it close. The go-to, over the counter antihistamine in Germany is Cetirizine (around €8 for 100 pills), but bear in mind that it makes some people sleepy. You may want to take your daily dose before going to bed. A piece of advice: finding the right hay fever medication for you can be a hit and miss process. Some medications won't start working until a few days after you start taking them and others won't work at all. Visit your nearest chemist and ask for Heuschnupfentabletten . They will be able to advise you on alternatives including Loratadin and Levocetirizine, or on nasal sprays which can provide more immediate relief. READ ALSO: German word of the day: Heuschnupfen 2. Try and get into the habit of washing your hands and face when you come home to remove pollen. If you have time, take a shower and wash your hair. Turn your pillow over at night for the same reason, and try to change your bedding more frequently. To reduce the number of allergens in your environment, vacuum your floors and regularly wipe down surfaces with a damp cloth. When the time comes to replace your pillows, blankets and mattresses, go hypoallergenic. Advertisement 3. Ask your doctor to refer you for an allergy test. If you can find out exactly what's causing the allergic reaction, you have a much better chance of avoiding it. You can also play detective on your own, by using this pollen risk index tool from the German weather service to find out what types of pollen are in the air while you're having a reaction. 4. Avoid filling your home, garden or balcony with plants which make your symptoms worse. Sunflowers, daisies and chrysanthemums are all related to ragweed – an invasive species in Germany and one of the primary causes of hay fever in the country.
