The Local Germany

How the pandemic is sharpening the plight of Berlin's homeless women

Tue, 23 Mar 2021 13:36:05 +0100

"I never thought it would happen to me," said Petra, who found herself living on the street in Berlin as the pandemic gripped Europe's top economy one year ago.

How homeless people in Germany are being supported during the coronavirus crisis

Wed, 08 Apr 2020 12:42:07 +0200

For weeks now the message on how best to slow the spread of coronavirus has been clear: stay at home. But what does this mean for those who are homeless?

Number of people without a home rises in Germany

Mon, 11 Nov 2019 11:10:06 +0100

Last year around 678,000 people were homeless in Germany, an increase of four percent on the previous year.

U-Bahn stations, containers, hotels: How Germany helps the homeless in winter

Wed, 28 Nov 2018 15:37:33 +0100

The number of homeless people in Germany has been growing for years. Larger towns are using a variety of means to try to protect the homeless from the dangers of the cold this winter. Some are even taking additional measures to help out their dogs.

Freezing temperatures pose constant danger to Germany's homeless

Wed, 28 Feb 2018 16:15:08 +0100

A warm bed for a night is not always enough for Germany's homeless. Because homeless people are continually exposed to the current cold, Experts believe that even the daytime can pose many dangers.

Frankfurt authorities are ‘trying to drive homeless Roma out of town’, says rights group

Wed, 21 Feb 2018 13:42:17 +0100

An organization which supports the rights of Sinti and Roma in Frankfurt has accused city officials of “scandalous" behaviour for tampering with the passports of Roma migrants.

‘Bureaucracy makes you feel like a lowly beggar’: surviving on the streets of Berlin

Tue, 19 Dec 2017 12:33:30 +0100

Rising rents and a lack of social housing are contributing to homelessness in the German capital. Adapting means disappearing 'like a little grey mouse' in the city's crevices.

Poland to take more active role in caring for homeless on Berlin’s streets

Thu, 16 Nov 2017 12:24:02 +0100

The Polish government has said it will take a more active role in looking after the thousands of Polish people living on the streets of the German capital.

Number of people living on German streets has jumped by a third: report

Tue, 14 Nov 2017 16:27:31 +0100

According to an estimate published by the Federal Association for Assistance for the Homeless on Wednesday, the number of people living on Germany’s streets has risen by 13,000 in two years.

Two men arrested for arson attack on homeless man at Munich central station

Mon, 13 Nov 2017 11:19:33 +0100

Police arrested two men on Saturday night on suspicion of attempted aggravated assault against a sleeping homeless man. The men have admitted to the crime, saying they did it “for fun.”

How Berlin is struggling to deal with growing homelessness in its parks

Wed, 25 Oct 2017 17:03:37 +0200

Berlin’s inner-city parks are increasingly becoming camping spots for homeless people, many of them from eastern Europe. Local politicians are grappling for answers, with some calling for severe solutions.

Main culprit in fire attack on homeless man gets two years' jail

Tue, 13 Jun 2017 17:37:41 +0200

The main perpetrator behind a fire attack on a sleeping homeless man in Berlin last Christmas Eve was sentenced on Tuesday to two years and nine months in prison.

Trial begins of young refugees who 'tried to set homeless man on fire'

Wed, 10 May 2017 13:47:47 +0200

A group of six young refugees went on trial for attempted murder on Tuesday, after one of them tried to set fire to a homeless man in a Berlin U-Bahn station on Christmas Eve.

What it's like to be homeless during Germany's winter

Tue, 13 Dec 2016 17:14:19 +0100

Hundreds of thousands of people in Germany don't have a home - and during the winter, cold weather and illness can put them in life-threatening situations.

Homeless cup: football with new goals

Mon, 23 Jun 2014 01:07:00 +0200

Teams of homeless footballers battled it out this weekend for the German Homeless Cup championship title. Kate Hairsine went along to find out how the tournament helps those on the street find their feet.

Homeless offer tours of their Berlin

Fri, 05 Jul 2013 18:54:00 +0200

Where do you sleep if you haven't got a bed? A new kind of walking tour that gives people a snapshot of Berlin through the eyes of homeless people is causing a stir on the streets of the German capital.

‘The street isn’t the nicest place but it’s better than home’

Mon, 25 Oct 2010 17:10:00 +0200

What’s it like living as a homeless youth in Germany? Melanie Sevcenko spoke with Maria Speth about her new documentary “9 Leben,” which lets street kids tell their own tales.