Every day I get a variety of German newsletters in my email box and often they get deleted as there is nothing of interest to me. An article in one of today’s emails, however, caught my attention:
Living underneath the motorway bridge
If you like, read the original article here ‘Wohnen unter der Autobahnbrücke’. The article starts with ‘Mr Gligorov is not at home…’ and shows a picture of a mattress with bedding, a few rugs around the bed, chairs, flowers and other belongings, all underneath a motorway bridge. Mr Gligorov is homeless but still tries to keep his dignity. He started sleeping rough at Osnabrück train station but then found this spot where people seem to leave him alone. He found a mattress and some clean bedding in a rubbish tip. ‘Typical German’, he commented, ‘washing bedding before throwing it out!’ He makes his bed every morning and sweeps the floor. He even takes his shoes off when he comes ‘home’. He uses homeless organisations to shower and wash but refuses to live in any homeless accomodation because he says, the others are usually alcoholics, and he doesn’t drink!He doesn’t say, why he is homeless but does want to get back to a job and flat as soon as possible.
I found the article very interesting and decided to google for more information. To my surprise – actually, no, I’m not surprised – I found a facebook page with comments about the article and another site with lots of comments. (Edit: it has disappeared now).It seems that many people know where he lives and have seen his ‘home’ and others now wish to help him.
I hope that those who want to help him “don’t just turn up with two tins of ravioli’ (quote of one person) but that somebody can help him get back to a normal live.
If I ever find out, I’ll let you know!
Have you heard anything about him? Let me know by commenting below or on facebook or twitter.
