Because he cannot find an apartment: Germans have had to live in a refugee house for years

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The German Harald Milter (65) lives on 15 square meters in the city of Hamburg. His room in the refugee shelter has two single beds, sometimes someone else lives in his accommodation. It is constantly noisy, the walls are thin and the window does not open. “Communication is almost impossible. I’m threatened with my fists if I complain about chaos or noise,” Milter tells “Bild”. He just wants to leave. But he can’t. Despite all his efforts, he can’t find an apartment.

The educated businessman worked for 35 years in wholesale for well-known companies, but was then fired for operational reasons. Since he was unemployed from then on, he received Hartz IV and then lived in social housing. Due to an illness, his living situation changed.

Milter spent nine weeks in rehab. The joint disease rheumatoid arthritis still causes a lot of trouble for the 65-year-old today. “Only when I’m lying down, I don’t have much pain,” says Milter. And: “Actually everything is broken, I need a new hip joint left and right.” While he recovers, his apartment is evicted.

When he returned, his things were gone

The problem: when Milter is in rehab, the rent can suddenly no longer be debited from his account. When he returns comes the nasty surprise: the lock has been changed and his belongings thrown away – just days before his return.

A shock for the German. “I’m still paying the 7,000 euros for the evacuation costs,” says Milter. New social housing is a long time coming. Because the supply is much lower than the demand. 9954 urgently needs only an apartment in Hamburg.

Germans also live in the refugee house

Now he lives in the refugee house in Hamburg. “We take in people who don’t have a home,” explains Susanne Schwendt, spokeswoman for the social service “Fördern & Wohnen”. “No particular reason is needed in this regard for people who have not fled to move in with us. In concrete terms: “The reason is the same for all residents: homelessness.” In total, 81 of the nearly 500 people in Milter’s accommodation are German.

Actually, the room in the refugee house was only a temporary solution, but it has been his home for three years. «I visited 600 apartments. There were cancellations or no feedback at all,” Milter previously told Hamburger Abendblatt.

People from 47 countries of origin live in the facility. “I also made friends here, I help families with forms and repairs,” says the German. And: “That’s why I get invited to dinner.” He will be considered retired from December, after which he will have better chances of finding an apartment. (jwg)

Source: Blick