Tegernsee five-star hotelier offers shelter to Ukrainians

Created: 03/19/2022, 14:36

By: Katja Schlenker

Many people fled the war in Ukraine.

Some are now housed in Wildbad Kreuth.

On arrival they were greeted by mayor Josef Bierschneider (left) and hotelier Korbinian Kohler (4th from right) with his wife Suse (3rd from right) and son Ferdinand (with hat).

© Bachmair Weissach

Kreuth – Korbinian Kohler, owner of Bachmair Weissach am Tegernsee, makes rooms in Wildbad Kreuth available to refugees from the Ukraine war.

The war in Ukraine leaves no one indifferent and leaves many people feeling helpless.

Confronted with the unimaginable, Russia's aggression against a democratic country in the middle of Europe, and in view of the shocking images from Ukraine, hotelier Korbinian Kohler asked himself: What can I do to help the people directly affected and a sign of humanity in Tegernsee to put valley?

The answer: Only action can help against fainting and shock - and so the entrepreneur decided to provide the Miesbach district with rooms in the Wildbad Kreuth building complex to accommodate war refugees from the Ukraine.

It was a chance encounter with a Ukrainian journalist friend of mine on the sidelines of an anti-war rally in Munich that gave the impetus, he explains: "I could see the pain in her eyes.

The horror of war suddenly became very concrete.”

Rooms in the pop-up lodge Wildbad Kreuth

For example, 45 refugees have recently moved into the rooms of the pop-up lodge in Wildbad Kreuth, which are not used during the winter season - unlimited in time and free of charge.

Kreuth's Mayor Josef Bierschneider was also there, as he reported at the most recent meeting of the municipal council.

So he received a call at noon that a bus with refugees would arrive in the evening.

He then drove to Wildbad Kreuth to receive them.

In the meantime, a small group of helpers has formed there to support the Ukrainians.

In addition, the mayor reported on 24 refugees who had found accommodation in the Oberhof district.

The community takes care of that.

They were provided with clothing and other necessities of life.

"They are all very interested in learning German," said Bierschneider.

"We will now see that the children can go to school and a few smaller ones to kindergarten."

Desire to return to Ukraine

There is also a wide range of assistance available.

"We constantly receive calls asking where and how to help," explained Josef Bierschneider.

“I hope that the crisis can be resolved soon.

It's really dramatic.” Many of the Ukrainians who have arrived would also like to be able to return to their homeland in the near future.

The mayor received praise from local councilor Michael Unger (FWG): "That you are still able to cope with this in addition to your work." The mayor meanwhile thanked Korbinian Kohler and the other helpers for their spontaneous commitment to support the Ukrainians who had fled.

"It's about survival"

Above all, mothers with children have found a safe roof over their heads in Kreuth after days of odyssey and can now come to rest there.

Their husbands, fathers and sons, who stayed at home to defend it, were not there.

also read

"Putin is serious": Sweden hesitates to join NATO - Finland could break historical connection

Threats from the Kremlin are worrying Finland and Sweden.

NATO would open the "fast track" for the Scandinavians - but it is a historic decision.

"Putin is serious": Sweden hesitates to join NATO - Finland could break historical connection

"The refugees who are stranded here are people like you and me," says Korbinian Kohler.

"But for them it's about bare survival." It is secondary who pays for the hostel and what will happen to the existing bookings of the rooms from April.

"We have to do something now," he says.

Bachmair Weissach employees help

The hotelier is also extremely impressed by the willingness to donate on the part of the people in the region and his hotel guests.

For example, the employees of the Spa & Resort Bachmair Weissach prepared a welcome dinner for the newcomers, set up a playroom for the children and are now looking after the guests under the leadership of Kathrin Kösters.

"This campaign gives the hotel employees a strong boost in motivation," reports hotelier Kohler, "because it makes sense and strengthens our moral framework."

The historic spa and conference center Wildbad Kreuth has been part of the Bachmair-Weissach world since April 2021.

It will be converted into a world-class mental retreat from 2025.

Until then, part of the extensive building complex, which dates back to the 16th century, will be rented out to guests as a pop-up lodge.