Berliners without a roof over their heads need extra protection and warmth during the dark, cold season. But what can people in need do? What support services does Berlin offer for houseless fellow citizens, and how can a winter in safe accommodation, with hot meals, clothing and blankets, be ensured for them? And what are we as the BVG actually doing in regard to cold weather assistance?
Figures for orientation
According to estimates by welfare organisations, currently between 6,000 and 10,000 people live without a permanent residence, and therefore mostly on the streets of Berlin. Fortunately, the capital offers homeless citizens numerous overnight options so that they can get through the winter warm and safe. Many charities provide places to warm up and medical care, which becomes particularly necessary during the cold winter months.
Berlin’s Cold Weather and Homeless Assistance
Our society thrives on social togetherness. And this social spirit is reflected in how we treat those who are most vulnerable in society. Numerous organisations in Berlin dedicate themselves to this topic. Here’s two of them:
Berliner Kältehilfe (Berlin cold weather help, link in German) has existed since 1989 and was founded by welfare organisations, Berlin church parishes and the city government (at that time, Health and Social Affairs). Its mission: to support homeless people in an unbureaucratic way during the cold season and to find them a roof over their heads. Many church communities, associations, clubs and initiatives support the Berliner Kältehilfe with their own services (e.g. soup kitchens, night cafés, cold weather buses, etc.). These include, for example, the Johanniter (in German).
Another organisation is Berliner Obdachlosenhilfe e.V. This registered charity has been making several weekly rounds for ten years now, supplying homeless people with meals, coffee, tea, clothes, sleeping bags and sleeping mats, among other things. Various places in Berlin are visited by the organisation, particularly districts such as Kreuzberg or Mitte.
Kältehilfe and the BVG: What are we doing?
At present, we inform our fellow citizens without a fixed address about aid offers using posters in our stations. These posters are designed to catch the eye. They provide information about emergency shelters and give details such as the number of beds, addresses, telephone numbers and opening times. The information is listed in several languages and is also passed on by our specially trained staff, aside from the regular security staff. Our staff approach people directly and provide them with the necessary information. We also inform about services from the Berlin Social Administration for homeless people. We do this online via our website, on social media, and onsite.
Why are there no more cold weather stations?
For safety reasons, we cannot provide our stations as places to stay overnight. There are several reasons for this: Firstly, we cannot provide comprehensive supervision in our stations. If there are any accidents, help cannot be provided quickly enough. Secondly, there are underground train movements at night after service has finished. These are mostly transfer or work journeys which are not shown in the passenger information and therefore present a danger. For example, if a train needs to go to the workshop, this happens at night. Our underground trains never stand still and run around the clock. Overall, it is simply too dangerous to allow people in need to stay overnight in stations with open access to the tracks. Unfortunately, experience has shown that safety cannot be guaranteed in so-called cold weather stations – a decision we had to make together with the responsible city administrations and welfare organisations.
Responding in emergency situations: When and how can I help?
We as the BVG want to inform and encourage you to help your fellow human beings – and to be more attentive and present during the winter months. With up to 10,000 people sleeping outdoors in Berlin, it is important to know how we should act in emergency situations.
First of all: If you are worried about someone in need, speak to them directly. Offer them something to eat or drink, or offer to get further help – for example, call an ambulance – but always ask the person you are concerned about if they want help. You can also request assistance at any time using our emergency call pillars. Stay with the person until the desired support arrives. If people in need do not know where to spend the night, feel free to use the numbers on our posters. There you will also find, for example, the phone numbers of the cold weather buses or soup kitchens in Berlin.
If someone is unresponsive and in a dangerous situation, you are generally obligated to call for help – because deliberately looking away could potentially be a criminal offence. So – be attentive and encourage those around you to do the same.
The cold weather bus
The cold weather bus operates every year from 1 November to 31 March between 20:00 and 02:00, supporting homeless people who are no longer able to reach an emergency shelter on their own. The bus staff regularly visit streets and well-known places and, if requested, take those affected to a safe sleeping place. If you come across someone who needs help and is willing to accept it, you can reach the cold weather bus at 030 690 333 690. Please always ask first if help is needed and wanted. If the person is unresponsive, please call the emergency services straight away.
What else can I do?
You can quite literally “donate warmth” with us! The BVG, together with the Berlin City Mission and the Johanniter, organises a collection event at various underground stations on the first Monday and Tuesday of each month. At these events you can donate well-preserved warm clothing, shoes, sleeping bags, sleeping mats and the like – for homeless and destitute people, who are among the most vulnerable in the cold season. Here (link in German) you’ll find all important information and current dates.
