Görlitz attracts with trial living: nature, WiFi and new opportunities!

Görlitz attracts with trial living: nature, WiFi and new opportunities!

In the heart of the Ore Mountains, immigration is being advertised - not with impressive mountain panoramas or idyllic forests, but with the slogan “Meadows, forests and WiFi instead of a housing shortage”. This initiative aims to attract city dwellers in particular for a four-week trial period in the region. Like in August 2023 a family of three from Berlin who found their temporary residence in Zwönitz. The concept of trial living has gained traction since its introduction in Görlitz in 2008 and is now also offered in several other eastern German cities such as Guben, Wittenberge and Eberswalde, with Bautzen as the next candidate. [nd-aktuell] reports that Görlitz, with its around 57,000 inhabitants, is particularly dependent on immigration in order to stabilize and rejuvenate its own population.

The Görlitz initiative began to move residents of prefabricated buildings into Wilhelminian style houses. The trial living has now developed to the point that it is now also aimed at working people who are committed to ecological and social issues. The current season, which has been running since May 2025, focuses on employees of the German Center for Astrophysics, which could potentially create up to 1,000 jobs in the city. The scientific support of this project is provided by Professor Robert Knippschild from the Leibnitz Institute for Ecological Spatial Development.

Results from the trial living

The latest phase of trial living in Görlitz has now been completed and the first results were presented to the city council. Professor Knippschild pointed out that over 500 people have shown interest in this temporary stay in Görlitz since 2015. The surveys conducted by the 260 participants provide information about their expectations and impressions. Accordingly, Görlitz was seen as attractive for potential new residents, especially for young families and the so-called “empty nest” generation who are looking for a quiet living environment. [kommwohnen] emphasizes that the participants appreciate the urban character and the lively club life, but at the same time also express their wishes.

• Die Kritikpunkte beinhalten:
• Das Wohnraumangebot entspricht nicht immer den Bedürfnissen.
• Fehlende Informationen zu Miet- und Kaufkonditionen.
• Die Innenstadtangebote sind zu stark auf Tourismus ausgerichtet.
• Der Wunsch nach weniger Autoverkehr zugunsten von Rad- und Fußverkehr.
• Mangelnde Bezüge zur grenzübergreifenden Europastadt im Alltag.
• Klimaneutralität bis 2030 sollte sichtbarer umgesetzt werden.

The participants expressed the impression that, despite the diverse leisure options and the high quality of life in Görlitz, some improvements are necessary. In this context, the results suggest targeted recommendations for urban development that should be incorporated into urban policy. These include the promotion of specific qualities of the city as well as the targeted recruitment of new residents through image campaigns, with the focus on apartment buildings in the city center. [nd-aktuell] notes that there is a pleasing openness among the population in Görlitz, which supports the influx, and that around one in ten participants moved permanently to the city after the trial period.

In summary, it can be said that the trial living is not only an experiment for the participants, but also an important step in the urban development of Görlitz. By focusing on the needs of those interested in moving, the city could position itself for the future and remain attractive for new residents.