Living on the streets in winter can be life threatening.
Munich offers contact points for the homeless, and Nuremberg also acts.
Munich – It has been cold and frosty in Bavaria for days.
Temperatures below zero are not uncommon, and there is also a lot of snow falling from the sky in places - the winter weather can be life-threatening for the homeless.
Winter has Bavaria firmly under control - danger to life for the homeless
The cities in the Free State have accommodation and other offers of help for those affected.
Some report an increase in homelessness - also because of the war in Ukraine.
Homeless people in Bavaria are facing a hard winter.
More and more people in need have recently reported to contact points such as warming rooms or panels, as Verena Zillig, managing director of the Bavarian Homeless Aid Foundation, said.
Apparently, this is related, among other things, to the difficult economic situation and the enormous price increases.
Many people who fled the Ukraine war are among those seeking help.
However, it is still unclear whether the number of homeless people has increased, according to Zillig.
homeless people
In general, one speaks of homelessness when people do not own or rent their own apartment - this also includes those who, for example, have found accommodation in communal or emergency accommodation or with friends.
Homeless people are people who have no fixed abode and no accommodation and therefore usually spend the night in public spaces - for example in parks, subway stations or under bridges.
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Homelessness in Bavaria: Rent or energy debts or illness as the cause
As Zillig explains, people often lose their homes due to rent or energy debts.
Even after separations, illnesses or prison stays, many are on the streets.
Domestic conflicts were a reason, especially for women.
Munich offers contact points for the homeless
The Munich social department estimates the number of homeless people in the city to be around 550. The city has many contact points, places to eat and clothing stores for them.
Homeless people can also sleep and shower in the "Overnight Shelter" on the site of the former Bayern barracks in the Freimann district.
According to the city of Munich, almost 8,900 people were homeless at the end of the third quarter of 2022 - including war refugees.
A spokesman for the social services department said the war in Ukraine had led to a significant increase in the number of homeless people.
Some of those affected are housed in the municipal system of homeless assistance, others live in so-called decentralized accommodation, community accommodation or facilities run by aid organizations.
Help for the homeless in sub-zero temperatures: cold bus in Munich
When Lucie Jerkovic moves through Munich, her gift bags are bulging. She wants to give the homeless a little something just before Christmas.
"Nobody has to spend the night under the open sky": City of Nuremberg appeals to the homeless
According to the city of Nuremberg, together with various sponsors, 200 emergency sleeping places are available for the needy - according to the social department, this is currently sufficient.
During the day, homeless people can stay in a warming room or a street ambulance, where they can also receive medical care if necessary.
Nuremberg also provides lounges that are separated by gender and offers specifically for drug addicts.
“Nobody has to spend the night under the open sky.
Together with our partners, we offer all homeless people in Nuremberg places to sleep," Nuremberg's social officer Elisabeth Ries appeals to those affected to accept the offers.
Sleeping outside in wintry temperatures is life-threatening, Ries warned.
Volunteers also try to provide the homeless with the essentials.
They distribute warm blankets, sleeping pads and sturdy shoes and also have hot tea in their luggage.
(came/dpa)
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