The place where Formula 1 legend Michael Schumacher was raised will be gone forever.
There will be almost nothing left of the 12-person community in Kerpen-Manheim after it is completely destroyed to make way for Germany’s largest open-pit coal mine.
However, Schumacher’s childhood house and the renowned go-kart track where he perfected his driving talent will be among a few significant locations that will survive the destruction.
The town of Kerpen-Manheim, where Michael Schumacher was born and raised before breaking the record for most world championships with seven, has benefited significantly from his success. Schumacher wed his bride Corinna in this particular town.
Despite a law in Germany mandating that coal be phased out by 2029, the village is being demolished by the Hambach surface mine.
Everything in the town is scheduled to be destroyed by the time the excavators arrive in 2024, with the exception of the Erftlandring go-kart track, Schumacher’s childhood residence, and the local church.
The town will soon be only a memory, yet its most well-known resident’s legacy will linger.
Schumacher withdrew from public life as a result of severe head injuries sustained in a skiing accident in 2013. He suffered a number of communication challenges and was unable to walk as a result of the tragedy.
Jean Todt, who first brought Schumacher to Ferrari back in 1996, continues to have a close relationship with his longtime friend despite being out of the public eye.
Todt is one of the very few people who are allowed to visit the racing legend, and he recently appealed to the public to respect his privacy. Todt continues to frequently be by Schumacher’s side.
“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.”
Since his accident, Todt has previously disclosed that Schumacher is able to watch races, and the two of them have watched at least one race together.
