As of: January 28, 2024, 9:00 a.m
By: Michaele Heske
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Committed to integration (from left): Josef Kronseder, Franz Leutner, Gerhard Häußler and Inge Asendorf from the Dorfen refugee aid organization.
© Michaele Heske
In Dorfen, too, the refugee helpers are at their limits, many are running out of breath.
But small successes still provide motivation for the big task.
Dorfen – The government of Upper Bavaria continues to bring 50 refugees to Erding every two to four weeks.
District Administrator Martin Bayerstorfer sees “no signs of relaxation” – the CSU politician explained this at a press conference at the turn of the year.
The number of refugees in the district is rising to well over 2,000, of which 345 live in Dorfen.
In Dorfen, too, the helpers are at their limits, many are running out of breath, says Franz Leutner.
Instead of outreach support in the local accommodation, the refugee aid can only work in the Am Kugelfang office during opening hours.
A team of ten people works here, volunteers and tirelessly.
Applications are filled out, for example for the job center - the refugee helpers clarify everything from kindergarten subsidies to pension stories, find lawyers and bring families together.
“The whole spectrum.” A challenge, Leutner knows: “Every case is different.”
Leutner has been on the board of the Dorfen Refugee Aid since 2017.
“I'll be 73 years old, and I'll notice that I don't have as much power and energy anymore.” But it's difficult to retire.
“Destinies depend on it – you know you could help and you don’t.
That simply does not work."
The strength of refugee aid in Dorfen has remained the same at 153 members.
However, many helpers look after the refugee families right from the start.
“This is a life’s work,” says Leutner.
The number of refugees, on the other hand, is constantly increasing, and he fears that new arrivals could be left behind.
Above all, there is a lack of accommodation for migrants.
“Our work is associated with many disappointments – we cannot find any apartments on the real estate market.” This makes it all the more important not to lose sight of the successes of voluntary work in everyday life, says Leutner: asylum seekers who have settled in well in Dorfen, After all, there are quite a few of them.
This motivates all helpers to carry on – despite everything.
For example, there is the aspiring doctor Rezan Ismael, who told the story of his escape in the local newspaper shortly before Christmas.
A landlord from Dorfen then got in touch and the Syrian could move in as early as February.
Or the Ghafouri family from Afghanistan, which refugee worker Trude Frigeri has been looking after since October 2015.
Escape across the Mediterranean in a rubber dinghy was traumatic; they almost drowned.
Soraya Ghafouri, who was pregnant at the time, lost her child, she says.
Then came the years-long ride through German bureaucracy.
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“I kept trying to lower the hurdles,” says Frigeri.
“This family has arrived.” The father completed a three-and-a-half-year apprenticeship as a construction mechanic, the mother works at the Marienstift and the children all have good grades, the eldest daughter even goes to high school in Dorfen.
“I’m actually the grandma.”
More wars and climate change: “You won’t be able to stop the flow of refugees,” says Leutner.
“You can build the walls as high as you want.” The mood in society has changed, he regrets.
“Politics would have to set other signals that would move back towards empathy and solidarity.”
“We urgently need new people,” advertises Leutner.
“This creates friendships and close bonds – and you do something for social peace when you get involved in the integration of asylum seekers.”