The Fuggerei: Why You Can Live In One Of These Idyllic Medieval Houses - For Just 88 Cents

The Fuggerei is the world’s oldest social housing project. It’s been part of the city of Augsburg, in southern Germany, for 500 years now. Special rules apply to live there. One of them - you have to be Catholic.
#Fuggerei #Augsburg #SocialHousing
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[@SamDiMento]

That's quite a legacy, to still be helping out the poorest hardworking citizens 500 years after your death...

[@AdZS848]

Now that's the kind of social housing all countries should have. All jokes aside, it looks like a great place. I will go there next time I am near Augsburg.

[@kwacou4279]

It's not gov. housing. It's private. Thank Capitalism.

[@dennismarfo3536]

"It is not enforced but any resident if they feel the respect and the gratitude say the prayers ". I am far from religious, but I would gladly say my prayers for a blessing like this. May the soul of the founder and that of his descendants be forever blessed.

[@rhalfik]

If that was how the entire clergy managed the money in mych church, I'd gladly be a believer.

[@sierrachoco5271]

@@rhalfik Stay away from the Catholic Church bullshit - it is an evil organization. I know, I was forced into it in my childhood!

[@athapa01]

Exactly what I thought

[@fabiandimaspratamathesecond]

@@sierrachoco5271 And yet here I am, born & raised catholic, nothing happened in my country as you say. It's not an evil religion, rather a religion degraded by evil people. At least be grateful you are not in a cult where you will be beheaded or bombed just because you are not in the same faith.

[@sierrachoco5271]

@@fabiandimaspratamathesecond I'm glad nothing happened to you in your country, in the USA it is a different and horrific story, best wishes!

[@fabiandimaspratamathesecond]

I'm raised Catholic. Religious or not, it's amazing how they preserve their history and architecture there in Fuggerei. Even some families are still living in there. Great. The medieval German vibes is still strong outside, yet inside, it looks like ordinary modern home.

[@rhalfik]

This is the kind of architecture that ages well with time. It just needs to be kept in good condition and have lots of greenery.

[@redwoods7370]

May God bless the soul of Jakob Fugger! Blessed are those who care about and care for the poor and lower income people.

[@yakyakgaming1027]

0:59 this is so wonderful. I love the art, the african style and colors, the dogs, its all so warm and comfy. The art is outstanding too.

[@yakyakgaming1027]

Please be aware that this video is about the "Fuggerei" donated place, not to be mistaken with the Fuggers family history. There is a lot of critic, too.

[@mysterioanonymous3206]

And Jeff Bezos flies to... Very high up but not quite space, instead. Henceforth, Jeff shall be known as the man who flew very close to space, but not quite, instead of building social housing that lasts for hundreds of years.

[@sivtech]

No it's not.

[@sr-gc6vh]

@@goclick You are naive.

[@fabianfischer4229]

@Robert That is the ridiculous part. For most of us, two billion is such an incredibly great sum, but it is in fact less than ONE PERCENT of his net worth.

[@eliasm8439]

@@fabianfischer4229 Yes - It IS whitewashing and it is penuts for Jeff Bezos - but the same is true for the Fuggerei. The video set its focus on the Fuggerei but Jakob Fugger was also a profit orientated capitalist - he did not become rich by chance.

[@marcoantoniov.t.9558]

Well said! 👏 Solidarity 🙋‍♂️

[@UtubeAW]

In the US… you get a cardboard box under an overpass

[@damatar]

Until a city "beautification" project comes and cleans out your camp

[@etiennen4136]

It's more than 88 cents for the cardboard

[@thespicemustflow2956]

I bet you vote for blue policies. If so, that is your self-induced shotgun wound.

[@rosedaleconfidential102]

In Canada where I am the rent for one bedroom apt. is 1250 and UP!

[@Incegnito_27]

And yet some think the country is the greatest in general or was even great to begin with , will be horrible human beings more like demons , and then have the nerve to post it on instgram and smile , as if it was some sort of accomplishment . See this is why most immigrants countries are better than the mainland . At least people how aren't .... the opposite of sensible humans ... you know what I'm trying to say , not trying to be attacked or murked here ... the downfall of ... everything yk . 🙃🙂😀🥲💢💢👌👌👌👌

[@gluteusmaximus1657]

Anyone noticed how clean and beautiful the Fuggerei is ? Even though it is a social housing area !

[@juliangraeve328]

Maybe it has something to do with the architecture. Other social housing buildings are often quickly build, thus made out of cold materials like concrete with little to no details. These buildings though are very detailed, you can see the craftsmanship.

[@KJ-yises]

It’s the people as well. If they are just poor and no drug problem, then they do not trash the place.

[@hmvollbanane1259]

"Catholic people from Augsburg that fell into debt due to no failure of their own." Guaranteeing that you have a rather homogenic group of tenants who share the same cultural background, language, culture and religion as well as that you don't get drug addicts, alcoholics and so on.

[@celiajarvis3168]

The wrong tenants will have this beautiful neighborhood full of papers, bottles, needles, rats in about a month. I'm glad they strictly handpick the tenants.

[@bugsygoo]

So much prejudice against the poor in such a small space. How obnoxious.

[@snm2222]

Goodness, this Fugger descendant looks like his ancestor. You can see striking resemblance, even to the bust in the garden!

[@Sanpedranoazul]

How lovely to think of others in need, God Bless them!

[@lesleymetthews4590]

I love Ilona's place its decorated so trendy

[@jltrack]

That would be $2,000/month for an apartment of that size in San Fransisco

[@Stanley-px3bt]

$3000

[@paxundpeace9970]

Still this an very big exception in Germany and only includes housing for a few hundert people.

[@user-de4cq6uk6l]

could see that going for $4000 in some neighborhoods

[@MrGigi-dz9cv]

Yes. But You need to take a closer look at those buildings. They are so close, and crowded. That îs not a place to live.

[@MrGigi-dz9cv]

Besides, high humidity and mold, are an issue.

[@marilyng8127]

This is a great ideal of compassion for housing.

[@jennyl.5358]

It's a beautiful place to visit you get to see an apartment as it was, & one as it is now, & the underground shelter/ museum where people hid during the war. It's downtown close to shops. 30min from Munich. There used to be a large U.S. Army base there. I'm what happens when single soilders go overseas a lot of me come back. Ich liebe Augsburg und meine deutsche Familie.

[@krystalwells7086]

This is awesome!

[@balasmj]

I would love to live there Not for the rent But I love vintage architecture

[@unkownperson4204]

yeah but you have to pray 3 times a day to the fugger family, and you have to be catholic, and you have to have lived 2 years in augsburg.

[@ungas024]

​@@unkownperson4204 Not to the Fugger Family but to the Lord, thanking him for the blessings that they have, that the housings shall be available for eternity and this is to ensure the souls of the tenants are secured.

[@lindawatmore3321]

The royal family of the UK 🇬🇧could learning more about realistic renting of properties on their royal estates and not living of the wealth generated from being wealthy landlords.

[@nikoleigraham8747]

You know there is something to be said about the real reason why rents in big cities is so high, and that is government taxes on rent, and the idea that residents MUST pay a private company to manage the building. This adds up and makes life expensive for many people. I would say private companies cannot be allowed to manage building, and people MUST be able to opt out of paying for that stuff.

[@ghassanalniser3261]

The area is beautiful

[@ThreeRunHomer]

Building Fuggerei around the world would be a great project for the billionaires that are proliferating these days.

[@markusberndkrause2858]

So even I would live Augsburg, I couldn’t get a place in the Fuggerei. As a former catholic and now atheist.

[@MickeyKnox]

Tja, die "Nächstenliebe" endet anscheinend da, wo der Glaube des "Nächsten" beginnt.

[@hape3862]

@@MickeyKnox Atheistische "Gebete" helfen dem ollen Kapitalisten doch nicht in seinem Fegefeuer, also wieso sollte er uns billig wohnen lassen? Ich habe mich übrigens selbst schon mal dort beworben, wurde aber abgelehnt.

[@MickeyKnox]

@@hape3862 oh, das fuggt aber ganz schön up

[@sm3675]

Get well soon 💙

[@Politik-mit-Kopf]

@@MickeyKnox bester Kommentar 😂

[@michaelthomas366]

Very interesting indeed! Schon.

[@farydeneme4716]

Qué interesante! Es una lástima los subtítulos y el audio no estén en español.

[@beth6252]

Look how nicely these are cared far. That would be on the part of the residents, is my guess, and a big part of being able to pull this off.

[@kanscopeichel491]

Amazing and beautiful

[@pradeepjames408]

Thanks fors the Big ❤ for sharing this place for the people in need , where it's still in use in the current scenario at same cost.

[@erinrising2799]

Someone show this to Bezos, this is what rich people should do with their money

[@mauricefricke6236]

Jakob Fugger was the Jeff Bezos of his time. In order to acquire his wealth and status, he fucked a lot of people over and created monopolies while working together with the morally corrupted Catholic Church. He was one of the first truly modern reckless capitalists and did more harm than any good. The Fuggerei is an expression of his guilty conscience in his later life. This is a theme for many millionaires and billionaires, they do the most immoral and disgusting things, destroying countless lives in the process and then later they open charities and help the poor, thinking that it somehow balances out their wrongdoing. Andrew Carnegie and John D. Rockefeller are good examples of that, they turned it into a competition to see who would spend more of their respective fortunes for charities and other public projects while being hailed as saints by the newspapers (Carnegie Hall in NYC is one of those projects). It is dishonest and obviously not only driven by a guilty conscience but also the need for positive public recognition. They don't turn into good people all of a sudden. With that being said, I do think that it's a great thing that the Fuggerei is continuing to provide housing, especially since Jakob Fugger has been dead for 500 years.

[@OutsideTheGlobe]

@@mauricefricke6236 Well said.

[@Pine15]

In medieval times, it was actually considered a duty of the rich to tend to the poor by donating food, building hospitals or housing like Fugger. Partly because wealth was considered a sin(greed) - though not just the rich, most normal citizens at least had the moral duty to give beggars at least a little money for a bath house visit eg

[@Pine15]

*Fugger really was a kind hearted man though he didn't act just on duty

[@Nicknacktheking]

So awesome

[@jannetteberends8730]

Can’t watch this video, it makes me sick… Of jealousy. I want to live like that.

[@aliciapitterson2010]

This is wonderful

[@MrBelmont79]

Very nice, but does it has rent control? I would hate to sign a rental agreement for $.88 a year and then five years later they hike the rent to $1.00 a year 🙄

[@dweuromaxx]

Hahaha. Imagine that 😉

[@valentinposadas4386]

Congratulacion..... From México 🇲🇽🇲🇽🇲🇽👍...

[@johnnybegood8531]

Does anybody know the name of the song played at the end?

[@Austin8thGenTexan]

Sie wissen, dass Sie in Bayern oder Österreich sind, wenn die Leute Sie mit "Grüß Gott" begrüßen. 👍

[@blackforest_fairy]

Das ist auch in Baden-Württemberg gängig.

[@jaanu2222]

I love this place

[@deepalib3096]

So interesting

[@LambentOrt]

Amazing!

[@ndorobei4391]

I want to build free housing for all citizens in my country.

[@relaxingnature2342]

Back to basics!

[@beegee22]

Marvelous!

[@charlieangel9705]

How do I sign up?

[@Toyos-yk3ri]

Wonderful indeed . So well kept and everyone very grateful for the assistance. Truly a great success.

[@kleuafflatus]

I started the video fully believed it's in Italy because of the name and the obviously Catholic symbolisms, imagine my shock when the first tenant speaks in German! I was like wow, they managed to find a bilingual that speaks perfect German! 🤣 P.s. I was opening a coconut with a knife so I wasn't paying full attention when the narrator mentions Bavaria lol

[@lenoxlenox9447]

🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@swagatochatterjee7104]

Reminds me of Red Vienna and Karl Marx Hoff

[@samtoo2010]

if this happpend in America, u will see all tenants dealing with drug, hokers, and gun violence all day. and gangs fighting on the streets.

[@semiramisbonaparte1627]

No because the rules to even get in is to firstly be religious (catholic), in good social standing, and to say 3 prayers a day for the founder. So those types of tenants would never make the cut

[@Chewy00]

​@@semiramisbonaparte1627are Africam Americans allowed?

[@semiramisbonaparte1627]

@Chewy00 yes so long as they are Catholic and adhere to the given rules and have been a resident of Germany for a certain amount if years

[@rumideo6]

Why there's no Euromaxx in DW app

[@dweuromaxx]

@Gagandeep Singh Singh There actually is: Just go to culture/lifestyle or search the media center for "euromaxx". But make sure you subscribe to our youtube channel, too - additional clips can also be found here!

[@rumideo6]

Any way to watch today's addition of Euromaxx in DW app

[@rumideo6]

Any way to watch today's addition of Euromaxx in DW app

[@Rog5446]

The estate may have been founded in Medieval times, but these houses are not Medieval.

[@julianarodriguex899]

That prayer part really sucks.

[@patriayvida6850]

That's Middle Ages Socialism-style.

[@Pine15]

The fuggerei was private though not in any governments hands

[@tomwelch6281]

Yes stop overpriced housing everywhere

[@nirjharbhatnaagar1982]

These places will be haunted for sure if these are that old...but it's a nice place to stay in any way..for a star refugee.

[@marvinamann4969]

They aren't that old for Germany. Most buildings in the city centre of Augsburg, the city where this is, are from the same time period. Some are even significantly older

[@MrFirebolt48]

1521 isn’t medieval anymore though, just saying. It’s very early modern times and yes I did study history 😁

[@Pine15]

I mean they missed it by like 30 years? I think that's passible

[@ClaudioBenassi]

I feel I was born in one of them. But then you grow up.

[@ClaudioBenassi]

No place for a###### in places like these. The requirement fo the catholic faith might seem idiotic but it’s better than random policemen keeping the place with arrogance.

[@tomsimpson5317]

Give anything to live there

[@bencash1137]

Well, uhm, there is also another explanation why the Fuggerei was founded, and that's questions the noble ideas. So the other explaination is that the Fuggerei was founded to keep the poor people, the begger out of the uptown and out oft sight oft the wealthy society. We all won't know that's really behind it, but that's plausibel too. But the Fuggerei is always worth visiting.

[@blackforest_fairy]

Well that is more or less nonsense but even so it does give people who would be homeless otherwise a home

[@turboseize]

If you take a closer look, this was certainly not the case. While 88ct/year is nothing today, 500 years ago that amount still meant something. It was about a quarter of the usual rent at that time in Augsburg. So while the rent was low enough to be affordable, it was also high enough to ensure that people had to work. Also, the gates were closed at night and entrance was only possible after paying a hefty fee. This was to prevent prostitution (as the fee would eat away the night's profits) and alcoholism (after a night in the pub, nobody would have money left for the fee). This seems a clear indication that Fugger's intent was to help poor people - and specifically the working poor, those who were poor without any fault of their own.

[@franciscoferriol4622]

Olaf where You live???

[@kippercat123]

Strange that you have be Catholic to enjoy one of these houses.

[@koalabear1984]

Cope

[@kmvenezia4337]

Shhhhh! Don't let the Americans know.

[@81Earthangel]

Look don’t get me wrong it’s great to give back to the community. But how many serfs had to suffer, so that the Emperor could pay back the loans to the Emperor, how many people died in the Fugger copper mines, etc. It’s like with Walmart, first you pay thousands of employees below the living wage and then you are suddenly the friend of everyone because you finance a few museums, schools, hospitals and social projects. If Walmart would have paid decent wages he would have died with millions instead of billions. You can pray to show your respect to them, but should you? Does a little good at the end of your live make up for decades of sin?

[@jackmeeellleee4896]

Fugger´s heir and chairman of the Fugger companies was also involved in the African slave trade...so I agree 100 percent with you.

[@richardmckrell4899]

For 88 cents a year, one resident per apartment does not make much sense. I'd think 2 residents per apartment would be the minimum. I also doubt the poorest people in Germany have flat screen TV's, microwave ovens and a dog.

[@richardmckrell4899]

@@rin_etoware_2989 That's why there should be more than one person in an apartment. If it was for profit, I'm fine with 0 people living there.

[@arnodobler1096]

what a mindset US?

[@richardmckrell4899]

@@arnodobler1096 Common sense mindset

[@arnodobler1096]

@@richardmckrell4899 nope

[@mariaweston5477]

Ideal Medieval?

[@anthonyc8257]

Sign me up

[@geams]

Hey, Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos and Larry Page, take some notes here!

[@dreyt5197]

Nice looking homes. One day we all will leave the earth so let's at least consider securing eternal life. Repent and be saved by believing in Christ work on the cross.

[@positroll7870]

"idyllic medieval houses " Medieval? In what universe? Who writes this stuff? The Fuggerei dates to the 1520s. That's way AFTER Columbus landed in America and the 1495 constitutional reform of the HRE bringing the general peace, replacing the noble right to feuds with imperial legal proceedings. Gutenberg printed his bible more than 50 years earlier. The reformation has started. The knights have already been rebelling because their social position is undermined by guns. The big peasant war is just around the corner. It's called EARLY MODERN TIMES. Frühe Neuzeit. NOT MEDIEVAL. Late renaissance, if you prefer. The Fuggerei is the socialist flip side to the early capitalist developments of which Jacob Fugger was the main proponent. The Fuggerei as a planned, progressive building project is the very opposite of medieval.

[@MrFirebolt48]

You’re right it’s not medieval (I’ve written the same thing in a comment) however to say that the time period from 1492 to 1520 is way after is an overstatement. That’s not even 30 years.

[@positroll7870]

@@MrFirebolt48 Personally, I think the 1450s with the fall of Constantinopel and the introduction of the printing press with movable letters are a better point to end the medieval period. So thats 75 years of Renaissance having passed (and Augsburg, with its 200 merchant houses trading a lot with Venice, was influenced by the Renaissance early on). But 1520s is clearly after the limits everybody gets tought in school. So maybe I should have said "obviously after" to be more precise. But my main point is: those houses arent medieval, because they are built in a very different way for a very different purpose. Calling it medieval gives a very wrong impression ...

[@ashwin372]

Wow and America has highest number of homeless people

[@goyoelburro]

The problem is that the home is technically not yours if you are paying rent, even if it is only 88 cents. Any change in government can change that policy and you can be evicted. I'd rather have a system where people get free housing that is their Personal Property, and not property of the state. This would give even more stability and empowerment to the people who live in them.

[@dweuromaxx]

@Gregory Pankow If it were privatized, however, it is more likely that the residential property would then be sold and thus be available to the market - prices would increase accordingly. People with less money could then no longer afford to live there.

[@positroll7870]

This isnt a "government in charge" but a freaking charitable foundation. It's PRIVATE. It has been around for 500 years, operating under the same rules, fixed by its founder 20 years after Columbus died. That foundation has been around twice as long as the US of A. Doesnt get more stable than that. Also, evicting people in Germany is VERY hard. Not to mention that German constitutional law requires that the government puts a roof over your head when you are evicted and cant afford anything else.

[@platinum11110]

You haven't really paid attention to the info provided.

[@MultiPetercool]

Yep. Native Americans living on some reservations have the same problem. You can’t get a home equity loan if you’re an Indian on some US reservations. That is the ultimate injustice!

[@SunshineGelb]

Can I live there if I'm not german?😀

[@dweuromaxx]

@Sunshine One must have "lived at least two years in Augsburg, be of the Catholic faith and have become indigent without debt."

[@SunshineGelb]

@@dweuromaxx Ok, thanks DW.😀

[@Remigius0815]

This happens when business people care - as opposed to governments ruining it…

[@kerstinmarx2354]

The complex is run by a private foundation that adheres to the principles of the founder, which is "helping people who are in need by no fault of their own" - is that what you refer to by "business people"? Whilst I agree that a government running an estate like this might lead to a less than ideal situation, due to inefficiencies, neglect, etc., I'd be extremely wary of "business people" such as private equity looking to make a nice margin. Just my $0.02.

[@Wandering.Homebody]

@@kerstinmarx2354 he is obviously referring to the founder of the foundation, some rich Augsburg merchant, i. e. a business person. You are not making any sense.

[@turboseize]

@@Wandering.Homebody Not only "some rich Augsburg merchant", but probably the richest guy on earth at that time. Fugger controlled about 2% of the world's GDP. Which means that in relative terms, he was probably the richest man who ever lived. It was his money that installed the emperor, allowed the rise of the house of Habsburg, laid the foundation to the Austo-Hungarian empire etc...

[@jemalo36]

caring business people are a very very very very rare breed though.

[@CheapHomeTech]

I'd like to see places like this for universities. Without the religious overtones from the dark ages.

[@hape3862]

We do have such places in Germany, they are called "Studentenwohnheim", where one can live for cheap during studies. When your parents aren't rich, you are also eligible for BaFöG, a public subsidy as a monthly income for living. It counts as a loan, which only has to be payed back half, the other half is granted for free. And you only have to pay it back if you are able to, i.e. when you have a good job after University.

[@alpenhuhn1]

@@hape3862 Students should pay back all the money they get during studies when they get a good paid Job in the future!

[@fabiandimaspratamathesecond]

Why the cynical tone? And why only to Catholics? Oh, if you criticize certain religion, pretty sure you will be beheaded.

[@arnodobler1096]

@@alpenhuhn1 like the US? Starting with Debt? No no

[@abhineetjn]

👍👍

[@mahathianand5927]

Am I the only one finding it discriminatory that this place allows only Catholics? It's not charity if you help people of only one religion, it's evangelism.

[@andridefian]

Because the owner was devout Catholic, so as thank you favor. You can pray for him 3 times daily.

[@donnagjoka2587]

I will like to live there 😌.. Germany it's beautiful ❤️❤️❤️❤️ people are educated friendly..the same Poland ex Yugoslavia..too..Austro Hungry ..all are clean blood race ..

[@gerdpapenburg7050]

That's whats all about the German sozialism!

[@patrisha7487]

As a welfare case, one should not be having more children to ensure that you live for Free stated in the contract. At 23, she will always be a government welfare case living for free while others work. In Germany, I was told that those on government assistance go on holiday to places like Mallorca. It must be the reason Germany is attracting so many asylum seekers & illegals.

[@tvs9978]

I was just wondering to myself. How do you grow up in Germany yet have zero skills training, are single and working on your 2nd child at 23?

[@arnodobler1096]

So then forced sterilization, as in 1933-45?

[@havenbastion]

I'm going to start with a dislike because i'm pretty sure i cannot live there as i have no resources with which to move and probably do not meet the qualifications to be there either. I believe you've lied to me. Let's see where we end up...

[@JohnTronto]

If Jesus was crucified for peoples sins then why would they need to pray for the founders salvation? Not logical. That would be logical in Judaism & Islam where there is no Jesus crucified for their salvation. Religious doctrines aside, this is awesome. And hats off to anyone in founders family who keep this when they could sell or use it for profit.

[@arnodobler1096]

Oh dear: so 1. Jacob Fugger was a bad boy and needed all the prayers in the world not to end up in purgatory for his sins. Not my opinion, but the belief then (now) Google also times "Ablasshandel" indulgence trade 2. In Islam, Jesus is considered one of the most important prophets, also as the Messiah. In Judaism as a swindler. 3. The Fugger family owned almost all the copper mines and most of the silver mines in Europe, and that was only one branch of the family empire. The few cottages were completely uninteresting, besides unsaleable since in a kind of foundation and by Jakob Fugger (probably the richest man of all time) so determined.

[@dafrasier1]

Times have changed. Being a Catholic and being responsible for all of the Child Sex Abuse. Not a good thing.

[@louispitagno9422]

Sorry, responsible? Speak for yourself. Are you responsible for the deeds of others that belong to your religion? Your country? Your ethnicity?

[@blackforest_fairy]

nonsense everyone is responsible for their own deeds. just because some chatolic prists did something like that it does not mean other catholics are responsible for it. + child abuse does not only happen in the chatolic church but also in many other places, sadly.

[@krystalwells7086]

This is awesome!