Planned: Emergency shelter for displaced persons in the "Rotes Feld"

2022-03-28 An emergency shelter for displaced persons from Ukraine is to be built before Easter in the rooms of the former refectory and library of Leuphana University in Rote Feld. This proposal is made by Mayor Claudia Kalisch after good talks with the university. The administrative committee (VA) of the Hanseatic city will decide on Tuesday, March 29. Already in the course of the coming week forces of the local THWs (technical relief organization) are to prepare and furnish the building. Up to approx. 80 to 100 persons should find place there.

The Hanseatic City of Lüneburg would like to set up an emergency shelter for displaced persons from Ukraine at short notice in the rooms of the former refectory and library of Leuphana University in Rote Feld. (Photo: Hanseatic City of Lüneburg) ©Foto: Hansestadt Lüneburg
The Hanseatic City of Lüneburg would like to set up an emergency shelter for displaced persons from Ukraine at short notice in the rooms of the former refectory and library of Leuphana University in Rote Feld. (Photo: Hanseatic City of Lüneburg)

THW will need about two weeks to technically prepare the building and furnish it for the stay. With mobile walls and components, the large library rooms are to be turned into about 20 to 25 smaller furnished living units, suitable for families and individuals. The dining halls can be used for meals. Additional sanitary rooms are expected to be mobile in the courtyard of the building. The city administration is in discussion with possible operators for the accommodation. The municipal social workers will also be on-site contact persons.

Kalisch is confident that he will be able to set up the first emergency shelter in the city area with the university building in Rote Feld. "I would like to thank Prof. Spoun and the Leuphana University team as well as the THW for their support at short notice! Our shelters are filling up and the influx situation is still quite disorderly. We have to plan ahead and don't know how many people will actually come and when, and how long they will stay."

At the same time, the city is examining all options for creating more accommodation places. For example, regular shared accommodations are to be increased or more are to be set up. Transitional solutions with hotels, vacation homes and private offers are also being examined and prepared.

An interdisciplinary Ukraine staff in the administration is dealing with this and many other issues. The emergency shelter in the Red Field would probably not be the last. However, it would provide some breathing space to get by for as long as possible without the conversion of gymnasiums. Kalisch had already talked about this option with the principals of the city schools on Thursday. "The conversion of gymnasiums is being prepared, but for us it is the last resort," says Kalisch.

Subject to the VA decision, the mayor wants to inform about the project at a citizens' meeting together with experts from the municipal administration, among others: Thursday, March 31, 2022, 6 p.m., an event room in the vicinity is still to be determined. Above all, interested parties from the immediate vicinity of the property are cordially invited - anyone who would like to attend, please register by e-mail at stadt@lueneburg.de, if possible by Wednesday evening, stating name, telephone number and address. If the number of seats is not sufficient, the Hanseatic City will give priority to interested parties from the neighborhood and will inform about this on Thursday. Those wishing to attend must be either tested, fully vaccinated or recovered according to the current pandemic rules. 3-G proof will be checked at the entrance. FFP-2 masks must be worn.