“It's not easy”: Christmas is a particularly hard time for homeless people in Freising

Created: 12/25/2021, 08:16 AM

Christmas time is particularly difficult for the homeless.

© Heise / Symbolbild

Christmas is a particularly hard time for the homeless people in Freising.

FT reporter Richard Lorenz spoke to two of them.

District

- While there are magnificent Christmas trees behind the windows on Christmas Eve and children's eyes light up, there are also people in the cathedral city who want something completely different: a place to sleep, a warm meal, some money for everyday things - and a few friendly words .

People like Hans, Frank or Susanne (all names changed).

Women and men who live in the middle of the city - and yet are almost invisible.

Homeless people in Freising: The stigmatization

For most of these people in Freising, who live under difficult socio-economic conditions and even homeless, the festival of love meant, above all, an effort for heart and soul.

Because: “They are very sad and hard days,” said one of those affected.

It takes a very careful look to even be able to find these people in the hustle and bustle of Christmas, because it is extremely important for them not to attract attention in order to avoid stigmatization.

Their fate can only rarely be guessed at, for example in the belongings that they carry around with them, but mostly hide in safe places to look like strollers.

Homeless people in Freising: Fixed meeting places

One of these fixed meeting places for people in financial emergency situations is certainly the Freisinger Warmestube in Vimystraße, which is currently only visited by a handful of women and men at lunchtime due to the corona pandemic. A warm meal, a coffee, a piece of cake: Nobody is asked where they come from or where they are going, only whether everything is in order and what is needed at the moment. Hans, who goes to the warming room every day, is over 60 years old and used to work as a forklift driver. As usual, he will take his food with him and only use the time here to read the newspaper and drink coffee. He wants to spend the Christmas days with his girlfriend and he only wants two things: That his girlfriend gets well again and that the pandemic finally comes to an end.

Homeless people in Freising: a description of their condition

It is not easy to answer whether Hans has a solid roof over his head or whether he just wants to keep the illusion of it for himself. Some sleep here and there, others spend the night in a parking garage, says Frank. He, too, is part of that regular circle of friends who meet regularly in the evenings at the Freising train station to talk about the world over beer and cigarettes. So the thing with the classic homelessness is basically an extremely unstable description of the state, because with such narrow wallets a permanent apartment in the cathedral city with little social housing is a rather fragile affair. But what all those waiting have in common: Nobody is looking forward to Christmas here. And Frank gets quiet: "It happens that we stand at the train station on Christmas Eve or on the Schlueter area and know exactlynow there are gifts everywhere. It's not easy ”.

(By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Freising newsletter.)

Not even for Susanne, who is happy about donated gingerbread in the warming room because money is scarce - even though she has worked hard all her life.

"Unfortunately, I've always earned little, that's why the pension is now very small."

It was only recently that she was finally able to move into a better apartment that still lacks the washing machine.

Giving up, and this is often heard from these people, is not an option, which is why Susanne tries to smile and says: "I can do it!"

Homeless people in Freising: an idea

It's getting icy cold at the train station.

Two police officers check the three friends and have nothing to complain about.

"We can't go to an inn - so where should we go?" Says Frank and gets another half.

Hans had an idea for everyone who was cold: "In the empty former tavern 'Zur Gred' there would be enough space for everyone who needs a place to sleep".

Helen Menke and Elke Wenzel, who volunteer in the warming room, would also like more emergency sleeping places and more social housing.

“They are lovely people,” emphasize the two of them, and Hans proves it promptly: he gives his chocolate Santa Claus to the reporter at the train station, mumbles softly “Have a nice Christmas” and pushes his bike into the winter night.