Tourists naturally gravitate towards big cities with famous landmarks and bubbling social scenes. Visitors to Germany are no different. As seen in my last post, my key places to visit are Berlin, Munich and Cologne. So, what happens to the rural villages outside these big centers?
In the 20th century, rural cities that had local industries in mining, steel, shipbuilding and traditional produce were the foundations of Germany’s economy. Now in the 21st century, the era of technology has marked the decline in such companies. The transition from factories to offices has not treated small cities well. As a result, villages are draining in people, money and life, while the big cities are swelling. Young, educated, professional people want to have culture at their finger tips, such as having an opera house, a first-division sports club, or a trendy fashion scene. As a result, that leaves only vacation homes in the countryside. Is there a way to save these once-booming historic towns?
