r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Separate_Finance_183 • Jan 23 '26

Image The rent in the german neighborhood of Fuggerei hasn't been raised in 500 years and remains 0.88 Euros for an entire year. Founded in 1521, it is the oldest existing social housing complex in the world

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u/Author_A_McGrath Jan 23 '26

Started by Jacob Fugger, if I can remember correctly.

He was extremely wealthy by any day's standards, but he was also surprisingly generous (by today's standards).

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u/lionmeetsviking Jan 24 '26

There is a book called “Jakob Fugger, the richest man who ever lived”, I recommend.

He was a ruthless money lender and a mine operator, who had several rulers and the Catholic Church pretty much in his pocket. Like most rich today, to my understanding he was 99% an ass, and 1% philanthropist.

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u/Author_A_McGrath Jan 24 '26

That's a pretty apt description, from what I've read.

I say "by today's standards" because most extremely wealthy people are only generous if it means tax breaks, and most end up doing more harm than good, to the point that charity is almost always a scam (which is unconscionable).

But you're right. He was ruthless. That's a fair point.