Thousands of people fleeing the war in Ukraine arrive at Berlin Central Station every day. Some are completely exhausted. However, many do not want to stay long.
Berlin – There is a crowd on platform 13 at Berlin Central Station on Thursday. “Dear people from Ukraine, welcome to Berlin,” sounds an announcement in different languages. Hundreds of refugees have just arrived by train.
According to Berlin’s Senator for Social Affairs, Katja Kipping (left), 6,500 refugees arrived in direct trains from the Ukrainian border area on Thursday alone. Not everyone stays in the capital, many travel on to relatives or acquaintances in other parts of Germany or neighboring countries. But all of them are first standing on the railroad track in Berlin. The capital is facing a stress test.
Numerous volunteer helpers are waiting for the refugees. There is a food counter with a warm meal, apples, bananas and rolls. The volunteers also distribute clothing and corona masks, support refugees in buying tickets and with translation. They wrote the languages they speak on a piece of masking tape and taped it to their green or orange vests.
“It’s chaotic, but we’re getting more organized every day,” says Alina Drokina, one of the arrivals volunteers. This area was enlarged on Wednesday, which reduced the crowding and chaos somewhat.
Berlin as the linchpin
Berlin is “the major hub” for Ukrainian refugees – as the Governing Mayor Franziska Giffey put it. And the number of refugees arriving in the capital continues to rise.
It will not stay with the originally expected 20,000 people, says Senator for Social Affairs Katja Kipping (left) on Thursday. Kipping left no doubt about the magnitude of the tasks: “What we are facing will be enormous.”
Alina Katschan from eastern Ukraine is one of the refugees. The teenager arrived in Berlin on Thursday with her mother and two younger brothers. “We’ve been driving for three days now and changed trains a total of six times,” she says. The journey was very tiring. Her brothers are so exhausted that they no longer have the strength to speak, and when they say something, it is very confused.
But she also reports on the great willingness to help of the people fleeing. “Many helped us on the way through, that was nice and made a lot easier.” For Alina Katschan and her family, they will continue to Cologne on Thursday. They have relatives there, but only want to stay there as long as necessary. The long-term plan is to return home after the war.
What is happening here at Berlin Central Station is deeply moving. Hundreds of people offer free sleeping places to Ukrainian refugees. Helpers use megaphones to arrange overnight stays every minute. pic.twitter.com/NhcZkwdMo8
— julius geiler (@glr_berlin) March 3, 2022
However, some refugees remain in Berlin. There are various accommodation options for those who do not have relatives or friends. In addition to the arrival center in Berlin-Reinickendorf as a contact point, there are also Berliners who are willing to take refugees into their homes – such as Doro Friedrich and Andreas Waskowski.
Friedrich is standing in the arrivals area at Berlin Central Station with a sign. “Two adults” is written on it in German and in Cyrillic letters. “It’s an obligation. We have space, so we help,” says Waskowski. Doro Friedrich adds: “It makes you feel a little less helpless.”
Berlin is preparing for the fact that more refugees will soon come. “We are in contact with people who are at the Polish-Ukrainian border who report that there are queues for days,” says Social Senator Kipping. “And they won’t all stay in Poland.” Berlin is facing a historic challenge. “The dimensions are unbelievable. It is probably the largest refugee movement in Europe since the Second World War – with a very unique and rapid dynamic.” dpa
