What does the cryptic crossword clue "German city chose to be empty by nature (7)" mean?

The definition is "nature". The wordplay uses charade, deletion. ESSEN (synonym of "German city") + CE (part of "chose") [gutting: "empty"]; definition: "nature" The answer is ESSENCE.

German city chose to be empty by nature (7)

Guardian Cryptic #29502 | 4 Down | 2024-10-01 flower

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