Monday, September 14, 2015

Small Talk

Over the weekend, without saying much in advance, my German village (which shall remain nameless)....flipped the town sports hall (a fairly decent sized building with a big basketball court), into a refugee center.

What the news folks say is that the Bundeswehr (German Army) arrived with a couple of guys, and a number of volunteers from the town.....and put together the bunk beds.

There's three sports buildings in the region which got converted over the weekend.....all adding up to around 800 bunks.  I'd take a guess that my local village sports hall could probably hold 200 bunks....at best.

What is generally said is that this is overflow room, and when adequate 'other' facilities are found.....folks will float out of this temporary deal.  They intend to shuttle some of these folks in the near future to other towns in Hessen.

Reaction?  No one is saying that much.  There's probably some grumbling but since it was worded as a temporary deal....folks might accept that.  If the facility is still up and running in the spring of 2016....there might be more than just grumbling.

The problem is that Munich has used up every inch of space, and the other German states now have to contribute, and take in some folks.....even if in big open sports halls....it's better than sitting around a train-station.

There just isn't space around Germany for one-million-odd people to float into and expect some half-way decent living accommodations.  Maybe as folks get denied 'visa-status' and sent back to their home country....some of the massive numbers will decrease, but you just aren't seeing that yet.  The split of Syrians to the one-million?  Unknown.  That's one of those fifty-odd things which the government doesn't ever chat about or show statistical displays.

No comments: