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Family in Berlin undergoing trial in the Ore Mountains region

Berlin residents: Berlin family temporarily residing in the Ore Mountains region

Family in Berlin undergoing trial in the Ore Mountains region
Family in Berlin undergoing trial in the Ore Mountains region

Family Bids Adieu to Metropolitan Life: A Berlin Family's Journey to the Ore Mountains - Family in Berlin undergoing trial in the Ore Mountains region

Trial Living Experiments in the Ore Mountains Attract Urban Dwellers

Trial living programs in rural mountain towns like the Ore Mountains, Germany, are gaining traction as a means to attract people, particularly from large cities, to experience life in these picturesque regions. One such family, Philipp Jäger, his wife Katharina, and their daughter Romy, recently spent a month living in Zwönitz, a town in the Ore Mountains, on a trial basis.

The family, who have lived in Berlin for ten years and have traveled extensively, were drawn to the trial living program to explore remote work opportunities and immerse themselves in local life. The program, which reflects a modern approach that embraces telework, aims to showcase the region’s livability and natural beauty, inspiring people to reconsider relocating to such rural areas.

In Zwönitz, the trial participants worked remotely, explored local businesses and nature, and took advantage of coworking spaces. They also had the opportunity to visit nearby towns, such as Oberwiesenthal, and even took a sightseeing flight.

The trial living project in the Ore Mountains is not solely focused on attracting large numbers of new residents. Instead, its primary goal is to understand expectations and inform urban development and infrastructure decisions. The program has received a significant response, with 270 applications, most of which came from large cities like Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and Frankfurt.

Similar initiatives might be ongoing or under consideration in other towns, such as Görlitz, to combat rural depopulation. Though specific details about Görlitz’s trial living programs were not available, it is reasonable to infer that they share similar goals with those in the Ore Mountains.

The city of Görlitz has a long history with trial living offers, dating back to 2008, initially aimed at attracting residents from the outskirts to the city center. Currently, the program is reserved for employees of the newly emerging research center for astrophysics.

Other communities in the Ore Mountains are also offering trial living experiences. For instance, in Guben, trial living participants are offered furnished guest apartments for two to four weeks, with weekly Stammtische organized, and company internships available upon request. Last year, 31 people took advantage of this trial living offer in Guben, with a similar number expected this year. Interested parties can now live in Görlitz on a trial basis for three months.

The goal of these experiments is not for participants to ultimately decide to live in the Ore Mountains. Instead, the primary objective is to showcase the livability of the region and inspire others. As Daniel Schalling from the Ore Mountains Regional Management noted, "The goal of the experiment is to showcase the livability of the Ore Mountains and inspire others."

For the Jäger family, the beauty of the Ore Mountains and the friendly locals have made their trial living experience enjoyable. Philipp Jäger, who works remotely in a digital agency, finds the Ore Mountains beautiful and enjoys the hilly surroundings with his racing bike. His wife Katharina, who works in the event industry, is using her free time to get to know the land and people of the Ore Mountains.

As the trial living experiment in the Ore Mountains continues, it will be interesting to see if more urban dwellers are inspired to make a permanent move to these picturesque rural towns.

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