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Schömberg: Welcome to Happiness Town, Germany

March 18, 2013

Germany boasts the strongest economy in Europe, and Germans have seen their individual material wealth increase over the past decade. But a recent study by the Cologne Institute for Economic Research shows that satisfaction hasn’t risen along with wages and wealth. That’s where the town of Schömberg comes in.

https://p.dw.com/p/17zJW

Schömberg, a small spa town tucked away in Germany’s Black Forest region, has long been a place where locals and visitors alike enjoy fresh air, idyllic landscapes and peace and quiet. But Schömberg's mayor wanted to cement the town's place in history as a happy haven. So local officials trademarked the name "Glücksgemeinde," or happiness town. It's the first of its kind in Germany.