Upon completion of the turn, the youths departed.
In the early 1990s, following the reunification of Germany, the Central German region underwent significant economic restructuring due to the coal phase-out. This transition resulted in the closure of many coal mines and related industries, leading to substantial job losses, particularly for young people entering the workforce. Consequently, youth migration from the region increased as many young workers sought employment opportunities in more prosperous regions of Germany and Western Europe.
The period between 1991 and 1993 saw an intensified migration as restructuring policies took effect and immediate job losses occurred. Key impacts included an outmigration of young people, a decline in population of younger cohorts, social and economic strain on communities previously dependent on coal mining, and demographic challenges.
Approximately 30,000 young adults left the Leipzig and Halle coal region during this time, with particularly dramatic losses among young adults. A net loss of 14,000 young adults was recorded over three years (1991-1993). Most of the young adults who left the Central German region in the 1990s moved to Bavaria, Baden-Württemberg, North Rhine-Westphalia, Lower Saxony, and Hesse.
The labor market in the Central German region is expected to ease up, opening up new opportunities for young adults, including those affected by the coal phase-out. However, the demographic change in the region is pronounced due to a large part of the parent generation leaving in the past, with around 300,000 people expected to reach retirement age in the next ten years, while only around 180,000 will enter the workforce.
To counteract the decreasing number of young adults, social geographer Klaus Friedrich particularly in rural regions calls for measures such as strengthening regional centers, preserving daycare centers and schools, and implementing a family- and child-friendly regional policy to attract young families to the countryside. County Commissioner Goetz Ulrich (CDU) is already thinking about what will happen to the miners in ten years, with many expected to find new employment.
The largest still active mine in the Central German Coal District is the Profen opencast mine, which is mainly located in the Burgenlandkreis. By at the latest 2035, the last Central German mines will close. Billions from the federal government are intended to secure the structural change in the Burgenlandkreis with new schools, industrial projects, and future jobs instead of coal, but not everything is running smoothly.
In conclusion, the coal phase-out in the Central German region during the early 1990s led to significant youth migration. While the labor market is expected to improve, measures are being taken to attract and retain young people in the region to address the ongoing demographic challenges.
- The transition from coal to other industries in the Central German region in the 1990s triggered a considerable shift in the job industry, resulting in substantial losses, particularly for young people entering the workforce.
- The migration of young adults from the Central German region, following the coal phase-out and subsequent job losses, was intensified during the years 1991 to 1993 due to restructuring policies.
- The energy sector's transformation in Central Germany had far-reaching impacts, such as an outmigration of young people, a decline in population, and social and economic strain on communities.
- In an effort to mitigate the decreasing number of young adults in rural regions, social geographer Klaus Friedrich emphasizes the need for measures like strengthening regional centers, preserving daycare centers and schools, and implementing a family- and child-friendly regional policy.
- The closure of the last Central German mines, expected by 2035, will be followed by structural changes in regions like the Burgenlandkreis, with billions from the federal government provided for new schools, industrial projects, and job opportunities in areas beyond finance and energy.
- The job-search scenario for those affected by the coal phase-out in the Central German region is gradually improving, but policy-and-legislation efforts and career-development strategies are required to address the ongoing demographic challenges.
- Educational institutions and self-development resources play a crucial role in enabling young people to adapt to the new job market and personal-growth opportunities that will emerge from the phase-out of coal and other war-and-conflicts-unrelated challenges faced by the region.
