As of: February 21, 2024, 7:11 a.m
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Sees himself as a mediator: Max Niedermeier, integration officer for the district.
© Thomas Plettenberg
Up to 500 people are to be accommodated in a new asylum accommodation in Warngau.
In the interview, Max Niedermeier talks about the situation in the gyms and the challenges in Warngau.
Warngau
- whistles for the district administrator, resentment against refugees: Max Niedermeier saw how the mood heated up at the citizens' meeting about the planned asylum accommodation for 500 people at the Vivo in Warngau a good two weeks ago.
The district's volunteer integration officer knows the concerns and prejudices that are often raised when it comes to plans for asylum accommodation.
In the interview he explains how he experiences the situation, why he takes fears seriously and what challenges he sees.
Mr. Niedermeier, the district office argues that the big solution is needed in Warngau in order to finally free up the three gymnasiums in Tegernsee and Miesbach.
What does the situation look like there?
Max Niedermeier: “We have to return the halls to the purpose for which they were built, namely school and club sports.
It is important that the students there can do sports again.
Even high school graduates who have chosen sport as their high school subject cannot train properly.
The students have to use fitness centers, which costs the district a lot of money.
In addition, valuable time is constantly lost by switching to other sports venues.
At the same time, as chairman of the Miesbach sports clubs working group, I make the hall plans for the Miesbach sports clubs, and here too there are constant overlaps between the times of schools and clubs.
I get along with the principals and the physical education teachers, but it's a tough struggle.
The district administrator is also feeling the pressure from schools and student parents so that everyone can finally do sports normally again.
The gymnasiums were built with a lot of money for exactly this purpose.”
“Intimate space is not given”
And what is the situation of the refugees in the halls?
Niedermeier: “Life in the halls is anything but pleasant for the refugees.
There are beds packed tightly together - sometimes sometimes in the aisles when a new bus arrives.
There is no privacy, there are only very thin curtains.
Young people, adults, older people, women and children are accommodated there curtain by curtain.”
Someone once explained that when a baby cries in one corner, the whole hall is awake.
Niedermeier: “That’s exactly how it is.
It's a gymnasium - when the referee blows his whistle in one corner, you can hear him in the whole hall.
It's cramped without any privacy, the air isn't good.
And if you open the door, the neighbors might complain that it’s too loud.”
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“With 200 people, something always happens”
Do arguments often break out in the halls under these conditions?
Niedermeier: “With 200 people there is always something, something always comes up.
But that's what security is there for.
At that time we were in the Bundeswehr on maneuvers with 60 men in a barrack for three weeks.
It took less than two days for the first ones to attack each other.
When it comes to refugees, it's about different nationalities, mentalities, but also different views on cleanliness and who knows what else.
In my opinion, the refugees still behave very disciplined given these circumstances.
Most of them have bad experiences behind them, which only a few talk about.
Many of these people were considered something in their homeland or had deep roots in their families, which is much more important in other countries than here, and suddenly they are torn away from this life and sometimes feel worthless or meaningless.
Many experienced terrible things while fleeing - including the children.
The people in the halls get along very well.”
What tasks does security have in everyday life in the halls?
Niedermeier: “Security ensures internal and external security and is also the contact person for residents’ concerns, large and small.
She controls who comes in and out of the hall.”
What are the experiences with the refugees from the halls in the area?
Does the neighborhood often bring complaints to you?
Niedermeier: “As a good example, I could cite a recent conversation with a teacher at the Miesbach high school, who lives very close to the high school hall in Miesbach, and said to me: I keep my bike in front of the house, I don't actually need to lock the door , I don't have to worry about anything, nothing comes of it.
Of course there are definitely negative examples, but such positive comments should not go unmentioned.”
“Can’t let the insinuation stand like that”
There is also an outdoor swimming pool in Miesbach.
Are there many negative experiences?
Niedermeier: “Nothing negative has come through to me so far.
If something had happened, I would almost certainly have known about it.
But the assumption that is made again and again that all young refugee men have nothing else on their minds than running after every girl cannot be ignored.
We have had an increasing number of refugees in our district for around eleven years, and such incidents have been very limited.
Even if you keep hearing other comparative figures, the crime rate in the district has not increased and the proportion of escaped criminals is below the comparable German level.
That is the tenor of the security discussions with the police.”
Are you often confronted with concerned citizens?
Niedermeier: “Since I travel around the district a lot, I am always asked about problems.
I can completely understand that citizens are fundamentally afraid and worried about strangers.
I try to listen carefully and, if possible, answer all questions.
Although sometimes it's not that easy if the refugee is seen as an intruder.
I could also imagine that our lives would be easier without the large number of refugees, but we just have to accept this situation.
The refugees have no fault here, they just had to flee their homeland for various reasons - and what could be worse than losing your homeland?
This is something that is very important to you to convey.
Niedermeier: “I see my primary task as looking after both the refugees and the many helpers and ensuring that social peace is maintained in our district.
Many of those who help here, for example associations such as Arbeiterwohlfahrt, Caritas, the Help from Person to Person association and the volunteers, usually have many pleasant experiences with the refugees every day.
We have already brought many people into wages and livelihoods, many are going to school, even to higher schools and to universities.
We have trained cultural interpreters in the district who support their own compatriots in their integration.
There is a network of volunteers spread across the entire district, and we work with all institutions and the immigration office.
And with this in mind, we are trying to master this “integration task.”
“You will overcome the challenge”
Where do you actually see the challenges of accommodation like the one in Warngau?
Niedermeier: “It certainly won’t be easy, but I’m just as certain that we will overcome this challenge together.
All full-time and volunteer workers involved are already working on corresponding concepts.
Above all, it will be important that the population recognizes that this container settlement is a significant improvement compared to staying in gyms and that the residents are completely normal people, most of whom have just suffered a great fate, for example have been forced to flee during the war and need our support.
Many people from our district have been setting a good example here for years and helping without making a fuss.
Maybe we can convince one or two skeptics to help – at the latest at the open day, which is also already planned.”