“We “In Mansfeld-Südharz, we are well trained in dealing with doomsday scenarios,” says André Schröder, district administrator in the Mansfeld-Südharz district. He doesn’t believe the gloomy forecasts for his district. There have been similar predictions in the past. They never actually came to pass, says the district administrator. “The fact is: Mansfeld-South Harz in the middle of Germany has experienced migration gains, i.e. more inflows than outflows, in the last three years and has not lost as much population as was predicted at the time.”
Nevertheless, demographic developments remain an issue for his district. Rural regions must therefore remain attractive, says Schröder. His district is specifically recruiting workers. “A welcome center on the Internet provides information about the school system, daycare places, job offers and real estate offers. For example, we have a baby ticket on local transport, which means we have discounted offers for young families. We also have settlement support, for example for doctors and civil engineers.”