Abdi Msto
Syria
2015
In 2015, Abdi Msto, a Syrian Kurd, fled from the threat of attacks on his home by troops of the terrorist organization Islamic State. In the border region with Turkey, the family members got lost. With his niece Gaida, who was 10 years old at the time, he reached Germany via Turkey, Macedonia, Serbia and Hungary. They were referred to the initial reception centre in Chemnitz. Due to overcrowding, they were sent to the substitute home in Heidenau. The buses with the refugees for the first occupancy were received by angry demonstrators.
„Our bus was attacked. […] The children got scared. Gaida then relived the escape in her head.“
The accommodation in the store hall was initially planned for a few days. This then extended to four months for Abdi Msto and Gaida. Rarely did they dare to leave the facility and venture out onto the street to explore the surrounding area. When Chancellor Angela Merkel came to visit a few days after their arrival, it was a positive signal for many occupants.
„We saw her as having a heart for us and giving us the chance to live here as human beings. We also knew that Germany was under pressure in this refugee crisis. […] She said we're sorry you're here in the store hall and what happened to you. […] We thought that if the Chancellor spoke to us like that, then we would have to persevere. We had been given courage and hope.“
Protests in Heidenau
2015 In August 2015, the State Directorate of Saxony set up an emergency shelter for refugees in a former hardware store in Heidenau in order to relieve the central initial reception centre in Chemnitz. Up to 700 people were to be accommodated on almost 6,000 m². More than 1,000 people, some of them right-wing extremists, protested against this over several days. There were attacks on the police and the property. Subsequently, high-ranking politicians, including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, visited the accommodation.
