Locals in Munich have been coming out in large numbers to greet hundreds of refugees arriving in trains from Hungary and Austria everyday.
Munich, Germany:
"Keep Going Germany" and "Europe strives for solidarity" are some of the headlines of newspapers conveying a sense that Germany is playing a special role in the refugee crisis being faced by Europe. Locals in Munich have been coming out in large numbers to greet hundreds of refugees arriving in trains from Hungary and Austria everyday.
A group of young enthusiastic Germans came carrying banners and wearing t-shirts saying "Refugees welcome".
18 year old Lisa told NDTV, "Germany should welcome refugees because it would be an enrichment of our culture."
Three members of a neo-nazi group who have been holding anti-refugee rallies also showed up near the shelters outside the railway station, but the police kept a close watch on them. They were driven away by pro-refugee students, who kept chanting "We are all anti-fascists. Aufwiedershehen! Aufwiedershehen!" (Good Bye! Good Bye!).
The sense of euphoria is high among Indians living in Germany too.
Chris Lobo from Karnataka has been living in Munich for five years says. He told NDTV, "I'm really proud of the Germans, how they have come and supported the people... There are a few people who are not supporters but they are a small minority... Germany is showing others how to do it."
Eager to help, Felix Schmidt, a philosopher, comes forward to encourage locals to use the smartphone translation app for communication with the refugees. He said, "I love the positive attitude of the German people welcoming Syrians here!"
Some of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative allies, like the Christian Social Union, have already started saying that opening up Germany to refugees is a "wrong decision".
But Germany has announced that it will spend six billion Euros on the refugee crisis next year, the country is expecting a total of 800,000 refugees by the end of the year.
Several hundred thousand refugees and migrants have fled from war-torn parts of the Middle East and Africa to Europe this year.
A group of young enthusiastic Germans came carrying banners and wearing t-shirts saying "Refugees welcome".
18 year old Lisa told NDTV, "Germany should welcome refugees because it would be an enrichment of our culture."
Three members of a neo-nazi group who have been holding anti-refugee rallies also showed up near the shelters outside the railway station, but the police kept a close watch on them. They were driven away by pro-refugee students, who kept chanting "We are all anti-fascists. Aufwiedershehen! Aufwiedershehen!" (Good Bye! Good Bye!).
The sense of euphoria is high among Indians living in Germany too.
Chris Lobo from Karnataka has been living in Munich for five years says. He told NDTV, "I'm really proud of the Germans, how they have come and supported the people... There are a few people who are not supporters but they are a small minority... Germany is showing others how to do it."
Eager to help, Felix Schmidt, a philosopher, comes forward to encourage locals to use the smartphone translation app for communication with the refugees. He said, "I love the positive attitude of the German people welcoming Syrians here!"
Some of Chancellor Angela Merkel's conservative allies, like the Christian Social Union, have already started saying that opening up Germany to refugees is a "wrong decision".
But Germany has announced that it will spend six billion Euros on the refugee crisis next year, the country is expecting a total of 800,000 refugees by the end of the year.
Several hundred thousand refugees and migrants have fled from war-torn parts of the Middle East and Africa to Europe this year.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
