To whom it may concern,
The city of Hamburg was planning to house refugees in the former army district recruiting office in Harvestehude. These refugees are families who, as a result of crises and war, were forced to flee their countries. They urgently needed our help and were to find shelter here. We had welcomed this decision by the City of Hamburg and the district of Eimsbüttel. These families need out support and it is important that they should come to a socially intact environment such as Harvestehude. They can be helped here. We had promised the City of Hamburg our assistance and just recently had discussed some concrete building plans. Countless people in Harvestehude also supported the housing of the refugees here.

Now the Administrative Court of Hamburg has halted the building of the refugee housing. At this juncture we would like to make the following statement regarding this judgement: We are disappointed and ashamed: We are disappointed about the judgement and sincerely hope that the complaint issued by the District Council of Eimsbüttel against the judgement will be successful. We are ashamed that some residents should see fit to bring a case to court at all; a case purely based on legal technicalities. Personally I am deeply affected by the fact that this is at all possible in Germany, and in such a well-off area as Harvestehude. It is disgusting how small minded these residents are. We must all work together to finally eradicate xenophobia from our society.

We would like to stress with the utmost clarity that we completely support the plan by the Mayor of Hamburg, Olaf Scholz, and Eimsbüttel district council to lodge an official complaint against the judgement by the Central Administrative Court. There is no real reason why the refugee centre should not be set up here. We call to the residents of Harvestehude: be sympathetic to the plight of these refugees and help them where you can.

Yours, Uwe Schmitz
Chairman of FRANKONIA Eurobau plc

21 January 2015