A Complete Village for the Price of One City Apartment in Germany
Fifteen homes for the price – Securing an owner-occupied flat in a large German metropolis typically yields merely a few dozen square meters for approximately €390,000. Yet in Kamsdorf, situated within the Thuringian district of Saalfeld-Rudolstadt, that identical sum purchases an entire miniature settlement. The property comprises fifteen single-story structures, each offering roughly one hundred square meters of living area, alongside a central edifice featuring a dining hall exceeding three hundred square meters. Spanning approximately twenty-four thousand square meters, the grounds rest peacefully among meadows, forests, and ancient trees, positioned only a short distance from the Hohenwarte reservoir.
The complex is currently marketed through well-known real estate websites. According to the official listing, the vendor seeks “not for a buyer of a plot of land, but for someone with a vision who recognises the potential to create something extraordinary here”. All structures have been reduced to their basic framework, while electricity and municipal water connections remain active. Wastewater currently flows through a traditional cesspit system.
Historical Roots and Current Challenges
The property’s origins trace back to the German Democratic Republic period. Franz Eberitsch, the current proprietor, shared with Euronews that the site functioned from 1954 until 1990. Initially it served as accommodation for apprentices employed at the Thuringia steelworks, subsequently transforming into a holiday and recreation destination. Following German reunification, the location remained vacant for a decade. Beginning in 2000, Eberitsch noted that individual dwellings resumed residential occupancy: “The residents were officially registered at this address and, to the best of my knowledge, state benefits such as housing benefit were even granted for this address.” This practice convinced him that residential usage carried legal standing.
Eberitsch acquired the property in 2014 after relocating from New Zealand with his family. His original ambition centered on “to create a place where people can live close to nature, experience community and build something new together”. Unfortunately, this aspiration remains unfulfilled due to planning regulations. The land falls within the “Außenbereich” classification—territory situated beyond developed zones—despite lying merely two hundred meters from the village boundary. Since the complex experienced no usage between 1990 and 2000, officials consider its original grandfathered privileges to have expired.
When questioned about this matter, Eberitsch clarified: “When we later wanted to carry out more extensive refurbishment and further development of the site, the planning situation was reviewed again. We were informed that the registrations at the time did not change the planning status and that the grandfathering had already expired due to the long interruption in use.” Authorities now regard permanent habitation skeptically, fearing it “could constitute a so-called scattered settlement (Splittersiedlung) in the outer zone”. Legitimate residential conversion would necessitate either a revised local development plan or alternative planning authorization.
A Vision for the Future
German construction and planning legislation frequently faces criticism for excessive bureaucratic obstacles. Nevertheless, Eberitsch perceives considerable opportunity within the complex. He imagines establishing a comprehensive wellness and recovery village where various therapeutic and preventive services converge—potentially including facilities for physiotherapy, osteopathy, naturopathy, or yoga, complemented by lodging and a communal building hosting seminars and group meals.
The advertisement openly acknowledges a commercial dimension, indicating that all building, renovation, and landscaping activities might “carried out directly by the owner’s associated construction company”. For Eberitsch, this situation illustrates a broader German dilemma. He questions “whether, in view of the housing shortage, the desire to use existing buildings sustainably and the need for new ways of living and housing, we should not adapt the legal framework more strongly so that existing structures can be brought back into use”. His final thought: “Here you have a complete small village with existing buildings and infrastructure. From my point of view, it should be easier, under clear legal conditions, to return such existing complexes to meaningful use.”
While Eberitsch prefers to execute the project personally, he acknowledges insufficient starting funds. His unconventional proposal has unexpectedly introduced a prominent technology magnate into the conversation: “Perhaps it really does take someone like Elon Musk. […] If Elon Musk actually reads this article, I would be delighted”.
