War in Ukraine: district prepares emergency shelters in gyms - 500 refugees expected

Created: 03/07/2022, 16:20

By: Veronika Ahn-Tauchnitz

During the refugee crisis of 2015, the Adalbert Stifter gymnasium in Geretsried served as accommodation - here is an archive picture.

The hall is now being prepared to receive war refugees from Ukraine.

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More and more people are fleeing the war in Ukraine.

The district is preparing for the arrival of hundreds of refugees.

Among other things, gymnasiums are currently being converted into emergency shelters.

Bad Tölz-Wolfratshausen - We expect a larger number of refugees from the Ukraine in our district at any time," says District Administrator Josef Niedermaier.

How many people actually come is difficult to predict.

"The forecasts assume at least 500 people in the next 14 days, although of course that could be even more," says Niedermaier.

He and the district office's crisis team have been busy finding accommodation and "renting living space on a large scale" for the past week, according to a press release.

Because the existing decentralized asylum accommodations are almost fully occupied.

In Geretsried, the municipal gymnasium is converted into accommodation, followed by the Tölzer Halle

The facilities should be able to be used for the registration of people, but also be suitable for initial temporary accommodation.

In addition, the health department will carry out a rapid corona test on all arrivals.

“If the result is positive, those infected must be isolated.

There is also a need for accommodation for this, ”said the district office.

Part of the Bad Tölz youth hostel has already been rented, and further talks are ongoing.

In addition, the district is currently preparing the municipal gym at the Geretsrieder school center on Adalbert-Stifter-Straße as accommodation.

The gymnasium of the Gabriel-von-Seidl-Gymnasium in Tölz will follow next week.

Both cities have been informed.

Tölz mayor praises cooperation with the district office

This is confirmed by the mayor of Tölz, Ingo Mehner.

“The district administrator informed us about the development on Saturday.

Since then we have been in close, constructive exchange.” The cooperation is “very professional and effective,” says the head of the town hall.

“As a city, we support the work of the district office by trying to find additional apartments.

On the one hand we mediate the contact between private providers and the district office, on the other hand we make a lot of efforts to prepare city apartments and part of the family emergency accommodation for the newcomers.”

160 private accommodations have already been reported to the district office

Niedermaier asks the users of the gyms “for understanding and solidarity”.

Of course, in times of a pandemic, large units such as gyms are “only suitable to a limited extent”, according to the district administrator.

He is therefore all the more grateful to everyone who has already registered accommodation with the district office.

160 places were reported to the authorities by Monday morning.

By the way: Everything from the region is now also available in our regular Bad Tölz newsletter.

Private providers are asked to report additional housing

"I urge everyone who can provide living space to contact us," the district administrator once again appeals to all citizens, guest rooms, apartments, flats - offers can be sent by email to ukrainehilfe@lra-toelz.de .

The district office will check the places and contact the provider if necessary.

"Regardless of where people stay with us, they should at least be able to find some peace and regain strength, as far as this is at all possible under the circumstances," says Niedermaier.

Max-Rill-Gymnasium creates space for 30 war refugees

So far, the refugees from Ukraine who have reached the district have mostly been taken in privately.

Some initiatives have emerged.

Among other things, the Max-Rill-Gymnasium in Reichersbeur is currently preparing 30 places for Ukrainian refugees in one of its buildings.

Already in the past week, five refugees were accommodated by an Ickinger.

Six people were housed in decentralized accommodation in the district on Sunday.

Two thirds of the refugees are women and children

According to the district office, two-thirds of the refugees are women and children.

The rest also included young people from Africa who lived in Ukraine, for example because they studied there and were also integrated there.

Legally, the fled Ukrainians or those with a residence permit from Ukraine are not considered asylum seekers, but war refugees.

As such, they are given the opportunity to live and work in Germany, but are also entitled to benefits under the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act.

The district office has compiled further information (also in Ukrainian) at www.lra-toelz.de/ukrainehilfe.

More current news from the region around Bad Tölz can be found here.

More current news from the region around Wolfratshausen can be found here.