By Björn Trautwein
Volunteers provide food, provide warmth, attention and a bed for the night in the “Halle-Luja” emergency shelter at Frankfurter Tor. The BZ took a closer look at the fabulous project.
At 6:59 p.m. they are freezing in the cold – at 7:05 p.m. they are sitting in the warmth of their own bed and breathing deeply. The first time that day.
From 6 a.m. there will be a queue in front of the air dome in the former freight yard at Frankfurter Tor, entry is from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m Photo: Olaf Selchow
The two homeless people Julian (30) from Köpenick and Marcel (21) from Erfurt were among the first guests to get a bed in the “Halle-Luja” emergency accommodation at Frankfurter Tor on Thursday evening. They waited in line in front of the air dome for more than half an hour. “It’s just a relief when you’re dry and you know you’ll have peace and quiet for a night,” says Julian.
Outside the wind is howling and it is drizzling. Inside, six helpers ensure that Julian, Marcel and 68 other guests stay warm. At least for this one night.
Volunteer Birgit (34) hands out potatoes and bratwurst to Tomas (45) from Poland and René (39) from Slovakia at the counter Photo: Olaf Selchow
Birigit (34) from Wedding stands behind the counter and serves out food. Her shift today is from 6 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. She has been part of the team since March. “Potatoes or pasta,” she asks everyone standing in line. There is also bratwurst or vegetables.
“But it’s not just about the food,” says the freelance journalist, “many people also want to chat and are looking for a conversation. It’s important that you can listen.” She stands here once a week, sometimes twice a week in the winter.
Edjis (29) from Latvia is the first in line this evening in front of the “Halle-Luja” in Friedrichshain Photo: Olaf Selchow
“I always had a barrier in my head when dealing with homeless people and didn’t know how to deal with them,” she says, “working here has changed that. I also talk to people on the subway who I think need help.”
Edijs (29) is also waiting in line for food at Birgit’s. “But I’m just passing through,” he says. He worked as a forklift driver in Holland and is waiting for papers from the Latvian embassy. “I want to go back to my homeland in three days.“
Julian and Marcel also come out of their four-bed room to eat. Julian lost his apartment because of drug problems and then spent nine months in prison for theft and other crimes. “I stole a bicycle,” he says, “from, of all people, a police officer and right from the police station.”
Marcel was kicked out of a housing project in Erfurt because he let friends stay overnight. Since then he has been living on the streets in Berlin.
Luisa (24) advises the homeless Petra (55) in a small office in the hall. Five years ago she did a voluntary social year here as a volunteer. On Thursday she had her first day as a social worker
Petra (55) is one of the few women who sleeps in a separate area in the hall that evening. The Berliner has been living on the streets for almost four years.
During a consultation with social worker Luisa (24), she wants to find a room in a women’s facility. With success. Petra gets a place – at least for the coming night. A small victory over hardship.
Looking for helpers for the winter
Volunteers are still being sought to help with the work at the emergency overnight shelter at the container station. The Berlin cold relief program starts on November 1st. From then on, the facility will again offer 120 places instead of the 70 in the summer. There are over 1,000 overnight places throughout Berlin to save homeless people from freezing to death. The Berlin City Mission provides 298 of them. Helpers are also being sought at the emergency overnight shelter on Lehrter Straße and with the cold bus team.
Further information: www.berliner-stadtmission.de/ehrenamt or Tel. 690 334 34.