A few months ago before Xmas I was looking at an international news site to read the latest headlines & noticed on the right-side a story that said something like Migrants Terrorize German Resort Town. I wondered if that be Garmisch so clicked on it. Yep, it was. I read it and then searched online for related stories which I've included a few of here. All was new to me. The last I heard the Abrahms was the new Annex as AFRC employee housing.Anyway, I copied some of the stories on Word & forgot about it. Just recently I came across it so thought to send it along.
Blacks are in charge of town’: Popular Bavarian ski resort begs authorities for help
The mayor of the popular Bavarian resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen has penned a letter to the regional government begging them to tackle the “massive problems” posed by crime rates among refugees, while police say “blacks are in charge of the town.”
The letter, part warning to regional authorities, part cry for help, has been sent by Garmisch-Partenkirchen Mayor Sigrid Meierhofer to the Vice President of Upper Bavaria’s government Maria Els on Sunday, according to Merkur newspaper which saw the document.
“There has been an increasingly deteriorating situation over the past weeks around the refugee registration center Abrams,” Meierhofer wrote.
The mayor then argued that the very future of her city could be in disarray because of the 250 migrants now living in the Abrams center. 150 of its residents are Africans, and unaccompanied young men make up 80 percent of them, while in previous years the facility mostly accommodated Syrian families.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, a picturesque resort town in Bavaria, lies close to Germany’s highest mountain – the Zugspitze. Due to its mild winter climate, the town is also a popular holiday spot for skiing, snowboarding, and hiking, having some of the best skiing areas in the country.
Meierhofer made it plain that she is increasingly worried about “public order and security,” while most of the Garmisch residents believe migrants are responsible for most sexual assaults and petty crime in the area.
Bans on migrants entering certain places like the town’s spa park have been imposed in the past few weeks, but “massive problems” are still there, she went on, saying “this is not to be ignored or tolerated.”
In the meantime, police say migrants brawl in the streets and vandalize public property, echoing the mayor’s words.
Thomas Holzer, deputy police chief, told Merkur that migrants are almost “in charge” of the town, adding that officers have responded to more incidents in the past six weeks in and around the Abrams center than in the past 12 months altogether.
“There are brawls, fights and property damage. The blacks occupy the best Wi-Fi spots and choose who sleeps in what room. The situation is a problem for us and causes some concern. In September, we recorded a quarter of our annual operations,” he said.
Repeat offenders have reportedly been moved from the center to other facilities in the area, but the measure did not prove efficient.
Germany sustained a massive influx of refugees last year, with approximately 900,000 people coming in. Up to 300,000 refugees are expected to arrive this year, according to Frank-Jurgen Weise, head of the country’s migration agency BAMF.
Meanwhile, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has called for a “nationwide push” to deport refugees whose asylum applications were refused, signaling a slight change in her much-criticized “open door policy.” The refugee crisis caused numerous problems both for Merkel and her conservative bloc, losing supporters to the anti-immigrant Alternative for Germany.
However, some observers insist that the scale of the crisis is exaggerated by the German media. Martin Dolzer, a Left Party MP, told RT last week that one million arrivals is not a large figure for a wealthy country like Germany, which has a population of about 80 million.
“As the [West] pursues the strategy of destabilizing Libya, Mali and Somalia as well as other African and Middle Eastern countries, refugees will come,” he stressed.
Inside German ski resort hit by 'major migrant crime wave' where women are so frightened they carry pepper spray
• German ski resort of Garmisch-Partenkirchen has been hit by a 'major migrant crimewave'
• Around 250 asylum seekers are being housed in a disused army complex in the town
• Brawls have broken out there and police have been called to the complex more in the last six weeks than in the whole of the last year
• Residents and business owners in the town, which attracts 400,000 holidaymakers a year, are concerned it will put tourists off
• The mayor wrote a letter to a councillor pleading for help with what she called 'an explosive situation'
• Spate of violence in the camp has been blamed on ethnic rivalries, frustration and boredom among asylum seekers
• Refugees living there claiming £120-a-month in benefits say they are struggling to adapt to life in the small town of 27,000 people
By PAUL THOMPSON IN GARMISCH-PARTENKIRCHEN, GERMANY, FOR MAILONLINE
A woman living in a picturesque German ski resort hit by a 'major migrant crime wave' has told how she carries pepper spray for protection because she no longer feels safe.
Barbara Plant said she will not go out alone at night in Garmisch-Partenkirchen amid concerns over 250 migrants being housed in a disused army complex in the town.
Many other women in the Bavarian resort also say they are worried for their safety in what the mayor called 'an explosive situation' after police blamed a record increase in crime on asylum seekers.
'When it gets dark I stay indoors,' said Ms Plant, 59, who showed her can of pepper spray to MailOnline.
'I don't feel safe walking out at night anymore and that is because of the refugees.
'I have not experienced anything, but seeing groups of young men just makes it uncomfortable.'
Ms Plant, who has lived in the town for over 30 years, is not alone in her fears.
Such were the large number of calls from worried residents to the town's mayor Dr Sigrid Meierhofer she was compelled to write a letter pleading for help to try and calm what she called an 'explosive situation'.
The letter sent to Bavarian politician to Maria Els was leaked to the local press leaving town officials to launch a damage limitation exercise.
In the bombshell note Meierhofer said her town of 27,000 people had 'massive problems' caused by the presence of the migrants.
She was worried about public order and security in the town and in a cry for help added 'this is not to be ignored or tolerated.'
Meierhofer and other regional officials held a crisis meeting this week where it was announced police would step up street patrols in a bid to reassure residents.
The rising fear of crime stems from young male asylum seekers, the majority of whom are from Africa, living in series of disused US army buildings known as the Abrams Complex on the outskirts of the town.
Many have been in the secure camp for over two months surviving on a £120-a-month handout from the German government while they await notification of their asylum status.
Police said much of the crime was restricted to fights inside the complex but violence has also spread to the streets of Garmisch-Partenkirchen with arrests made over the summer for assaults and drunken behaviour.
In the past six weeks police have responded to more incidents in and around the refugee camp than in the last 12 months.
Ethnic rivalries, frustration and boredom among the asylum seekers has been blamed for the spate of violence.
Thomas Holzer, the town's deputy police chief, said: 'There are brawls, fights and property damage. The migrants occupy the best Wi-Fi places, chose who sleeps in what room'
He said troublemakers have been moved out to other refugee camps in southern Germany but many residents in Garmisch-Partenkirchen fear the situation is only going to get worse if more arrive.
The town, less than 80 miles from Munich, close to the base of Mt Zugspitze, Germany's highest mountain, is heavily dependent on tourism - with 400,000 holidaymakers arriving to ski and hike.
Many business owners have now expressed concern that visitors will be put off from staying in the town if it gains a reputation for trouble involving migrants.
Thomas Helmbrecht runs a guesthouse less than half a mile from the Abrams Complex where the asylum seekers are housed.
He said he fears tourism will be hit when people learn about the problems with the refugees.
The 70-year-old is scathing of German Chancellor Angela Merkel for opening the countries border and allowing the mass influx of foreigners.
'We are in a mess. This town now has problems that it did not have before,' he said.
'You hear people talking all the time about how they do not feel safe. I am glad the letter from the Mayor is out in the open as it means it will be discussed. The authorities can no longer keep it quiet.'
Mr Helmbrecht, who rents rooms for £45-a-night, predicted Chancellor Merkel will be ousted from power as a result of her migrant policy at next year's federal election.
t's a view shared by Ingrid Keiner who said she made a point if staying indoors after dark.
'I used to go to the ice rink and help out and all the young girls talked about their worries of the refugees,' she said
'A lot of what is said might just be talk, but no one wants to take any chances.'
Walking her dog near the refugee camp, which was used as a recreational centre for US troops after the end of the Second World War, Barbara Plant said she was only too aware of the trouble inside the complex.
She said: 'There are five or six police cars at the complex three or four times a week.
'All you hear are the sirens as they raced into the complex. The neighbourhood was always very safe, but it has changed.
'People talk about not being safe at night because they don't like to see groups of young men gathered together on the streets.'
Her home is in a street that runs alongside the complex which with its stunning views of the Kramer mountain range must rank among the most picturesque of any refugee camp in Europe.
One resident said her best friend in her 30s, would no longer come into Garmisch-Partenkirchen after dark despite living only two miles away because she no longer felt safe.
'That is down to the problem with the refugees. There are so many stories and rumours about crimes that people start to believe them.
'I have no idea if they are true, but the feeling in the town has changed since the refugees were put here.
'There is an uneasiness, particularly among women. I think a lot of it has to do with other reports of migrants sexually assaulting women like over the New Year in Cologne.'
Another woman in her mid 20s, said she and her friends avoided walking through the town centre at night.
'I don't feel safe anymore I'm sorry to say,' she said. 'When I talk with my friends they all feel the same way. I know we have to live with the asylum seekers but I do have my concerns.'
Police in Garmisch-Partenkirchen said crime figures would be made available.
But when MailOnline contacted the police HQ in Rosenheim a spokesman said they would not give out a breakdown on crimes committed in the town.
Instead the spokesman confirmed there had been a 'record number' reported during September but the numbers were back to their usual level in October.
While local police said most of the violence episodes took place within and around the refugee complex they had imposed a curfew at the local park to stop migrants from gathering there after dark.
They have not revealed what crimes, if any, the migrants have been involved with.
Much of the fear among the residents stems from clash of cultures and colour.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is predominantly white, with most residents middle aged to elderly and there is little change of any integration.
The refugees are free to come and go from the Abrams complex and many choose to sit in the town centre chatting and making calls on their iPhones.
Last year those housed at the complex were mostly Syrian families.
Now two thirds of the 250 refugees are from Africa and 80 per cent young men under the age of 30.
Refugees living there said there had been violent brawls at their complex with many of the fights over access to the Wi-Fi.
Nigerian Hassan Jamiu, 32, who has been in Garmisch-Partenkirchen for the past two months. Like many men in the complex he has no desire to live in the Bavarian town and is dreading the freezing winter months.
'I did not want to come here but was transferred from Munich. The people here don't really want us.'
Jamiu, who was born with both arms deformed, said he came to Europe as there were more opportunities for disabled people than in Nigeria.
'I do want to stay here in Germany and make a life,' he said.
Nearby were Mukta Jalloh, 23, and his friend Idris Kallon, 18, who were from Sierra Leone.
They admitted they were economic migrants rather then fleeing any oppression or conflict.
Jalloh, who was a taxi driver in his native country, said many of those in the refugee complex were struggling to adapt.
Unable to work and with their asylum applications taking months to process they said many of the young men were bored and unhappy.
'All we can do is sit in the town and talk just to get out of the complex,' he said.
Jalloh said the £120 payment he receives in a state handout does not stretch very far in a town where the average home costs over £500,000 and the shops are packed with designer ski gear.
'Like many of us I want to go to a town where I have a chance of getting work,' he said.
Local business owners said it was reckless of the German Government to open a refugee camp and doubt that any of those currently house there would stay in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
'What will they do here? There are no jobs for them to do if they cannot speak German,' said the owner of the shop selling tourist items such as traditional Bavarian lederhosen and alpine style hats.
'All the young people have to leave to go the city like Munich to find work. The only industry here is tourism and many of the migrants will not fit in.'
The unease felt by many in the pretty Bavarian town is mirrored across Germany where Chancellor Merkel decision to open Germany's border to almost a million migrants has led to political and social unrest.
A further 300,000 migrants are expected this year with the reduced number due to neighbouring European countries such as Austria and Hungary sealing off their borders for easy passage to Germany.
The country's justice system is already struggling to cope after tens of thousands of court cases involving migrants filing lawsuits to bring their relatives to Germany.
In the first eight months of this year more than 17,000 cases were filed with the majority of those from Syrian refugees.
Thousands more are expected and combined with the deportation orders being challenged by many of the economic migrants justice officials fears they are being overwhelmed.