A city in Germany who wore an infamy name tries to attract foreign inhabitants with a free accommodation program
The city of Eisenhüttestadt is alphad on the banks of the Oder river, photo: Shutterstock
A city in eastern Germany offers two weeks of free accommodation to encourage people to move there, in an effort to increase their population that has registered a strong decline after reunification of the country, CNN reports.
Eisenhüttestadt, located near the border with Poland, about 100 kilometers from Berlin, offers a 14 -day test for potential new residents, according to a statement issued by the Local Council earlier this month.
“The project is addressed to all those interested to move to Eisenhüttestadt – such as commuters, people interested in returning to the city, qualified workers or people working on their own and seeking a change of landscape,” the statement said, mentioning that the entries are opened until the beginning of July.
The chosen participants will live for free in an apartment furnished on September 6-20, as part of an “innovative immigration project” called “Make your plans now”, says the Local Council.
They “will have the opportunity to know the life, work and community in (Eisenhüttestadt) in a 14-day living experience-free and even in the center of the city,” the communication of the local authorities points out.
German authorities will help those who wish to get acquainted with the city
In order to help the participants become familiar with the city, the Council will organize a series of activities, including a guided tour of the locality, a visit to a factory and various trips.
The Council will also encourage participants to remain permanent, and local affairs will provide internships, job observation programs and interview opportunities.
Founded in 1950, Eisenhüttestadt, which can be translated as the “city of the steel combined”, was the first completely planned city built under the socialist government of the former Eastern German.
Located on the banks of the Oder river, the city was built by socialist planners around a huge steel combination.
Previously known as Stalinstadt, or the city of Stalin, after former Soviet dictator Iosif Stalin, the city was renamed only after the reunification of East Germany, following the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989.
Like many other cities in the former Eastern Germany, Eisenhüttestadt has registered a decline in the population since reunification, from a peak of over 50,000 inhabitants at the current level of about 24,000, said the local official Julia Basan for the Local Publication RBB24.
The initiative aims to attract new permanent residents, especially qualified workers, Basan said.
