Unemployment, The Economy And What We Can Learn From an Old Movie....

These are the opening scenes of "Ladri di Biciclette" (the bicycle thief). It's rated 98%! on "rottentomatoes.com". It was made in 1947, when most of Europe was still in ruins from WWII.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pSmDrWgveYw&pbjreload=101

 

As the movie begins, men rush to assemble at the foot of steps to hear of new job openings. A clerk announces one job to be available: to hang posters in the city. Ricci needs a bicycle to be eligible, but he had pawned his and doesn't know how to get the money to redeem it.
Other men try to cut in and offer their services, but are told that since they are "in a different category", like bricklayer, they cannot apply.
Ricci promises to fulfill the condition and is told to go to the employment office to get his work permit.
In the background, you can see almost new apartment buildings without running water.
Yet, there is no work available. Except for all the work that obviously needs to be done.

At about the same time, in Germany, people didn't ask for permits. The resulting "economic miracle" created so many jobs, that people from all over Europe and especially Turkey, had to be solicited to move to Germany to work there.