Living Next Door to 14 Male Refugees ➡️My Conclusion⬅️

Vanessa Blank’s Account

Vanessa Blank recounts living for nearly two years next door to refugee accommodation in a small Bavarian village. After the house was rented to the district administration, she learned it would house a group of young men. She says 13 names appeared on the mailbox, though she describes the group as consisting of 14 people.

Day-to-Day Experience

Blank says the men rarely returned her greetings and that living so close to the accommodation made her uneasy. She was particularly uncomfortable walking alone to her animals after dark or using her garden and pool. She also describes visitors making sexually suggestive gestures.

Blank says she had no evidence for village rumors that visitors were involved in drug dealing, and does not present those rumors as fact.

Her Relationship with Mahmud

Blank recounts that one resident, Mahmud, became a friendly neighbor. According to her, he said disputes in the shared accommodation often concerned cleanliness.

She contrasts Mahmud’s efforts to find work and support himself with her view that most of the other residents did not pursue language lessons, employment, or integration. She says two residents had jobs, including Mahmud, who cycled a long distance to work.

Fire Alarm and Property Condition

Blank describes a fire-alarm incident in which firefighters reportedly had to enter the house after nobody answered the door.

When the residents moved out, she says the property was left dirty and damaged, with food waste and furnishings missing. She says the state paid companies to clean it before a German family moved in. She criticizes what she sees as a lack of accountability for the property’s condition and the cost to taxpayers.

Conclusion

Blank says her account is based on her own experience and that she is not racist. She acknowledges that refugees are not all alike and points to Mahmud as someone who tried to integrate. She concludes that she felt uncomfortable during the residents’ stay and now feels safer, while also criticizing what she believes was the behavior of some residents and the public costs involved.

Presenter: Vanessa Blank Contributor mentioned: Mahmud, a resident and neighbor who spoke with Blank.