German-Ukrainian difficulties: hosts and refugees often too different
Created: 06/12/2022, 04:55 am
By: Michaele Heske
Contact exchange: Many refugees and their hosts got to know each other at Munich Central Station, here is a picture from early March with Caritas employees and volunteers.
© Sven Hoppe/dpa
Some of the people who took in Ukrainian refugees have lost their initial euphoria.
The district office helps to arrange accommodation.
Erding/Dorfen
– A hundred days and no end: “I acted on instinct, didn’t think twice.
I only saw the plight of the Ukrainian refugees," says a woman from Dorfen, who doesn't want her name to appear in the newspaper.
When war broke out in Ukraine three months ago, she wanted to help.
Like others, she spontaneously decided to take in a Ukrainian family.
Now the problems are multiplying.
Dorfnerin reports: Taking in Ukrainian refugees is becoming more and more of a problem
The family who took her in arrived in Munich in mid-March.
A 47-year-old mother with daughter (15) and son (8).
The family lived on the second floor of the house.
You have two rooms.
They share the bathroom and kitchen.
“Living together went well at first,” says the 45-year-old from Dorfen, who has two small children herself and works part-time.
She reports on constant driving service, on waiting in telephone loops every day to get information.
The Ukrainians are used to having electricity at home that costs next to nothing.
"The light is on day and night, the washing machine is started because of two blouses." She knows that this is not a bad intention, but it's still annoying in the long run.
Also that their guests throw away so much food.
"They can't stay forever - we have a completely different mentality."
Over 1000 Ukrainian refugees in the district of Erding
1,074 Ukrainian war refugees are currently being accommodated in the Erding district, including 464 children and young people.
655 people are housed with private individuals and 419 in district accommodation.
"If people have found private accommodation in the Erding district and can no longer stay there, there is the possibility of contacting the asylum management in the district office," says authority spokeswoman Claudia Fiebrandt-Kirmeyer.
Here it is then checked whether there is a suitable place available in an asylum accommodation.
"If accommodation is possible, the refugees can be accommodated - that's why we are still looking for accommodation."
This is an enormous relief for those affected and their supporters, says Josef Kronseder from the refugee aid in Dorfen.
“The refugees can switch from the private to the state system.
Many children are already in welcome classes, feel comfortable and don't want to be deported again."
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Ukrainian refugees are often able to move into their own apartments
Since June 1st, refugees from the Ukraine have been looked after in the Aruso district by the Jobcenter.
"They switch from the Asylum Seekers Benefits Act to basic security," explains Aruso Managing Director Monja Rohwer.
This increases the standard rate for the refugees and the actual costs for accommodation are covered.
That, too, is a huge relief, says refugee helper Kronseder.
Because now it is possible for refugees from Ukraine to rent their own apartment.
He advertises to private landlords: "Please report to the refugee aid Erding or Dorfen if a house or apartment is available."
For a family man from Erding, it would be great if his Ukrainian guests could find their own apartment.
He also does not want to give his name.
"It makes me feel really shabby.
I see the plight of the woman with her two children, who we spontaneously took in – but I'll be happy when they move out.” This shared flat doesn't work either.
"It's about understanding," he says, "our Ukrainians don't want to learn German at all.
No job without a language, no apartment without a job.”
Ukrainian refugees in the district of Erding: Language is crucial for integration
But language is the key to integration.
There are currently language and integration courses offered by the Federal Office for Migration and Refugees (BAMF) in the district at the VHS and at the Dorfen Center for Integration and Family (DZIF).
"We have to take care of the children, because they are still learning the German language while playing," says Sosa Balderanou, municipal councilor in Taufkirchen, who is strongly committed to the needs of refugees.
It is important that the boys and girls from the Ukraine go to clubs, because there they quickly come into contact with other children.
She herself is an example of successful integration: "My parents came from Greece and originally didn't want to stay in Taufkirchen permanently - Bavaria is my homeland," says the district councilor with Greek roots.
Kronseder says many war refugees are waiting for the end of the war, hoping that they can return quickly.
A pious wish, because the civilian population is still under fire, and the Ukrainian cities are still being bombed.
The infrastructure has been destroyed and reconstruction will take a long time.
“The Ukrainian refugees have a residence permit for two years.
Anyone who goes back to Ukraine and stays there for no longer than six months can come back at any time.
We will experience a pendulum migration,” believes the Dorfen refugee helper.
