Berlin’s largest reception center for Ukrainian refugees is closing.
Фото: Pixabay
The reception center for Ukrainian refugees located at the former Tegel Airport in Berlin will be closed in its current form, as plans are underway to build a new city district in its place.
This was reported by the Ukrainian edition of Deutsche Welle.
In recent years, Tegel has been the destination for Ukrainian refugees arriving in Berlin. They registered there or lived temporarily in tents and terminals. Although the center was initially intended to be temporary, some were forced to stay there for several years.
However, since late summer, authorities have begun relocating residents to other shelters, with the goal of completely vacating the area by the end of 2025.
“Fewer refugees are coming to Berlin now, so we are aiming to accommodate them in a more decentralized manner,” the Berlin City Administration for Labor, Social Affairs, Equality, and Integration explained in comments to DW .
Currently, about 1,500 Ukrainians still live in Tegel, while a year ago there were about 5,000.
Meanwhile, the city is preparing to build a new district on the site of the former airport. Preparatory work began in 2021, and the active phase of the project will begin next year. The airport buildings, designated architectural monuments, are planned to be preserved and renovated. Terminal A is planned to house a higher education institution, and a research park and a new residential quarter, “Schumacher,” will be built nearby—with kindergartens, schools, sports grounds, and over 5,000 apartments for 10,000 residents.
Despite the changes, the refugee reception center in Tegel will not disappear completely. It will be converted into a regular refugee arrival center in line with EU standards.
“By mid-2026, large tents will be replaced by residential containers that can accommodate up to 2,600 people,” the city administration clarified.
The renovated center is planned to be used temporarily – until mid-2031.
As a reminder, the Polish Senate approved, without any amendments, a bill on foreigners and assistance to Ukrainians residing in the country due to the war. The document extends the legal status of Ukrainian refugees until March 4, 2026, but simultaneously strengthens the conditions for providing financial and social support.
Deputy Head of the Presidential Office Iryna Vereshchuk also stated that Ukraine must prepare a social support system for refugees planning to return from abroad.