At least 18,000 refugees housed in Berlin so far

A cuddly toy is part of the luggage of refugees at the main station.

Since the outbreak of war a fortnight ago, more than 18,000 Ukrainian refugees have been housed in Berlin, according to figures from the Berlin social cooperative Karuna and the Senate.

9,000 people had been placed with volunteers by Karuna alone through the bed exchange supported by the Senate, said board member Jörg Richert to the "Tagesspiegel" (Friday, 11 March 2022). Another 9,000 or so have been placed in accommodation provided by the state of Berlin, as the Senate explained on Thursday. In addition, there was a number of people who found shelter with friends and acquaintances in the city, which could not be precisely determined.

Safeguarding process in the distribution of sleeping places

The allocation of sleeping places is to be made even safer in the future, said Richert. After reports about partly dubious or possibly criminal sleeping offers, especially for women and children, a reaction had been taken. For example, there is no longer a direct encounter between families with accommodation and refugees at the main railway station, Richert told the "Tagesspiegel". A multiple-check security process in the distribution of sleeping places with the help of staff was being strived for, he said. "That way we would have very good security."