The town where Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher grew up is facing a tragic fate.
The village with only 12 residents, will be torn apart to make way for Germany's largest open-pit coal mine, leaving almost nothing standing.
However, amidst the destruction, a few key places will remain intact, including Schumacher's childhood home and the legendary go-kart track where he honed his skills.
Kerpen-Manheim, the place where Michael Schumacher grew up to become a record-breaking seven-time world champion has greatly benefited from his success. It was in this town that Schumacher married his wife, Corinna.
The village is being flattened thanks to the Hambach surface mine, despite a statutory plan in Germany to phase out coal in 2029.
The excavators are expected to reach the town in 2024, wiping out everything bar three exceptions; the church in the village, Schumacher's childhood home, and the legendary Erftlandring go-kart track.
Schumacher's go kart track is going to be modernised and spared from demolition so it can host world championship events
While the town will soon be nothing more than a memory, the impact of its most famous resident will live on.
Schumacher's health condition
Following a skiing accident in 2013 which resulted in severe head injuries, Schumacher retreated from public life. The incident left him unable to walk and with a number of communication challenges.
Despite his absence from the public eye, Jean Todt, the individual who initially recruited Schumacher to Ferrari back in 1996, continues to maintain a strong connection with his former protégé.
As one of a select few individuals permitted to visit the racing legend, Todt remains a frequent presence at Schumacher's side and recently pleaded public to respect his privacy.
"Let's leave him alone," Todt told Corriere della Sera, when asked why so many people claim to know about Schumacher's health.
"We respect the privacy wishes of Corinna and her children, we know that that accident had consequences. Anyone who says he knows something, he knows nothing. I always go to see him. He and his family are my family."
Todt has revealed in the past that Schumacher is able to watch races since his accident, with the pair of them watching at least one together.
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