We finally arrived after a small delay in Newark and a 7.5-hour plane ride. I was able to catch some z’s on the plane but definitely not during my usual sleeping hours. When we got off the airplane, I noticed how quiet everything felt. I expected the Munich Airport to be super busy since so many people travel through it every day, however, it was only 7 a.m., so maybe I will see the busier side during our return home. We then stood in line at customs for quite a while. In the EU there is a new (supposedly faster) system where you scan your passport, face, and fingerprints. This system is being gradually implemented to reduce risk and make the EU more secure. However, since they are just testing it out, we had to go through customs again the old fashion way. After this long process, I finally got my passport stamped, and we were on our way.
We headed to Augsburg on a bus, and almost everyone took a nap, including myself. We then met up with Elisabeth, a research associate at the University of Augsburg, to talk about the program and eat lunch. Afterward, we took a short walk to meet up with a tour guide, who led us through much of Augsburg while teaching is about the history of the city, their innovative water management system, and the Fugger family. The buildings we saw seemed to be surprisingly modern for such an old city. It is also very flat, which made walking around much easier than walking through Pittsburgh.
While touring Augsburg, it was clear that the city had once been an important financial and commercial center. One example of this was the lasting influence of the Fugger family. We visited the Fuggerei, the world’s oldest social housing complex, which is still in use today. Jakob Fugger believed in giving back to the community and created this housing complex to support individuals in need. The rent was set at one Rhenish guilder per year, which today is only about €0.88 annually. This shocked me because it is unlike anything I have ever seen, especially compared to the rent prices in South Oakland. Occupants are expected to live there for a few years, rebuild their finances, and then leave so others can benefit from the housing as well.
The city’s strong history of wealth and commerce is still visible today, as the Fugger family’s legacy continues helping others more than 500 years later. After all this exploring, I was ready for a long night of sleep to recover from the jet lag and prepare for the rest of the trip. I was left wondering how different cities around the world could benefit from systems like the Fuggerei.