Young people receiving Bürgergeld: 'We are not all lazy about work'
A controversial project has been launched in the city of Nordhausen in Thuringia, forcing young people receiving Bürgergeld (citizen income) to work daily. Supporters see it as an opportunity to build discipline and hope, while critics warn that it crosses boundaries and falls into the realm of coercion and social injustice.
The program targets individuals aged 18 to 25 who receive Bürgergeld, many of whom lack school certificates or vocational training. Since November, selected participants are picked up from their homes daily at 7 AM and taken to workshops in Bliestorf, Elrich, and Heringen. There, they work full-time for 1.20 euros per hour. Refusal may lead to penalties, including reductions in benefits and, in some cases, visits from enforcement officers in uniform.
The project was launched by the head of the Nordhausen district, Matthias Jendricke, who sees the rising youth unemployment as contradictory to the abundance of vacant vocational training opportunities. He blames Bürgergeld for encouraging passivity, asserting that the system must combine support with a demand for commitment. His stance has sparked widespread outrage, including accusations of 'forced labor', and he even received a written death threat, which he reported to the police.
Among the participants is Leon, 18 years old, who dropped out of school early and currently lives with his grandmother. He says he wants to work as a warehouse specialist and feels ashamed of relying on Bürgergeld. Others, like Jan, 20 years old, confirm that they are constantly applying for jobs but face repeated rejections. For them, the project provides a daily routine and social interaction, even if the pay is symbolic.
Criticism does not come only from abroad. The Green Party politician Ann-Sophie Bock describes the project as inhumane and pointless, arguing that young people need long-term support rather than mandatory work. She points to structural problems in the German education system and the intergenerational transmission of poverty. In contrast, workshop director Thomas Abetios believes that many of these young people lack role models and discipline, and that early intervention could open doors to the job market for them. For participants like Perry, 19, who is trying to escape a criminal past, this program represents something rare and simple at the same time: a second chance.