PÖDELWITZ, Germany—On the surface, this medieval idyll of timber-framed houses resembles most villages dotting the landscape of this rural, thinly populated region of Eastern Germany.
But empty streets, overgrown lawns and silence reveal a ghost town. Three years ago, most of the village’s 140 residents agreed to leave, accepting an offer from local mining company Mibrag mbH of new homes, moving costs and an additional €75,000 ($86,000).
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