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Volkswagen cuts plan sends shock through the ‘Detroit of east Germany’

In the city of Zwickau, which has a proud history in the country’s mighty automobile industry, there are fears about the economic and political fallout

Zwickau gained its nickname as the Detroit of east Germany thanks to the picturesque city’s pioneering role in the country’s mighty automobile industry, which is now facing a mortal threat from downsizing at Volkswagen.

Like the Michigan metropolis, the city’s centre is marred by beautiful but abandoned old buildings bearing glum witness to the sector’s boom-and-bust cycles. The ornate art nouveau facades of the historic town centre, now filled with discount bakery chains and doner kebab shops, whisper of a glamorous bygone era of endless expansion.

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