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Poles breathe new life into Brandenburg

Though many Germans have left the eastern state of Brandenburg in search of better job prospects, an influx of Polish immigrants from across the border is breathing life into the Uckermark region.

Published: 24 December 2012 07:40 CET

Poles breathe new life into Brandenburg

The Popiela family. Photo: DPA

In Rosow, part of the Gartz municipal grouping, about 500 of the town’s 7,000 residents hail from Poland – something municipal director Frank Gotzmann called the “start of a trend.”

He said Gartz was looking to benefit from its proximity to the Polish city of Szczecin – formerly the German Stettin – just 20 minutes away.

And Brandenburg isn’t the only German state that’s attracting people from across the border. Polish families are also picking up and moving to Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania further north.

One of these families, the Popielas, made the jump to Gartz in 2007 and 2008, when Poland joined the Schengen zone – a move that paved the way for passport-free travel to and from Germany.

“We are really content,” Dominika Popiela said, praising Rosow for its affordable property values, air quality and peaceful nature. She and her husband now help other Poles settle in the area – providing advice on issues like real estate and getting to know Germany.

Many young parents are drawn to the area by cheap home prices; residences in Rosow are often more affordable than apartments in Szczecin, which is home to more than 400,000 people.

The renovation work undertaken by new buyers have saved some older buildings from falling further into disrepair.

The influx of Poles has also spelled expansion for Gartz’s schools. Gotzmann said there would soon be instruction for children in their native Polish. There are already 10 classes available to adults who wish to learn German.

Some Germans have also signed up for Polish language courses. Now, Gotzmann said, even residents who initially had reservations about the newcomers agree that their Polish neighbours have successfully integrated into the community.

DPA/The Local/arp

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Which Bavaria-based companies regularly hire English speakers?

Munich ranks third in German cities with the highest total GDP, behind Berlin and Hamburg, but in terms of GDP per capita, it’s higher than both of them.

It also consistently ranks high, often highest, in terms of average household income.

As of 2023, nine of the 40 companies listed on DAX, Germany’s stock index, were based in Bavaria. Seven of those are based specifically in Munich.

While Frankfurt is commonly known to be Germany’s business capital, Munich can claim the title of Germany’s insurance capital, which is saying something, as Germany is home to some of the largest insurance firms in the world, like Allianz.

Beyond the state’s capital city, a number of international companies are based elsewhere in Bavaria, particularly in the Franken region, near Nuremberg.

Which companies actively hire English speakers?

Bavaria, and Munich in particular, is home to a number of companies at the forefront of international business. But the state is known for its traditional, sometimes conservative, culture, which affects its business culture as well.

Whereas companies embracing English as their primary business language are easy to find in Berlin, the practice is less common in the south. That said, there are some notable exceptions.

Sportswear giants, Adidas and Puma, both have their headquarters near Nuremberg in Herzogenaurach, and regularly recruit English speaking international talent.

“As an international company, our teams reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities,” Jon Greenhalgh, Senior Manager Media Relations for Adidas told The Local. “Fostering a culture of inclusion where we value and leverage differences, ensures that we can authentically engage with our employees and truly connect with our consumers.”

He added that around 40 per cent of Adidas’ Germany-based employees are foreign nationals, from over 100 different countries.

Siemens and BMW rank among Bavaria’s top employers, and are also known to hire their fair share of foreigners.

“In Germany, we recently had around 2,000 open positions,” Konstanze Somborn told The Local on behalf of Siemens AG.

He added that Siemens operates in 190 countries. “That is why we value international teams very much…English as a common language is very usual.”

READ ALSO: ‘Which German companies want to hire foreigners?’

Similarly, BMW hires workers from a variety of backgrounds.

“Every year, we hire lots of internationals and welcome them to the BMW Group,” Dr. Hans-Peter Ketterl, a press spokesman for BMW Group told The Local.

But not all of these positions are available to non-German speakers.

Ketterl added that BMW’s working language is German in the country, even though, “English is an indispensable entry requirement as the second corporate language in many areas of the company.”

Check job boards and follow best practices

If it’s your first time applying for jobs in Germany, make sure to change your resume to the German format, even for English positions.

While Germany is home to its own job boards, like Xing, LinkedIn is probably the best place to start. In addition to searching for positions based in your preferred location, you can check relevant groups, like Munich Startups, to broaden your horizons.

The English Jobs in Germany website is also a good resource to start with.

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