LM on tour: Where to put the Differdange refugees?

On Local Matters, we start the year a little bit later. As you have already heard – new jingle, new concept. This year on Local Matters, we will go hyper local. And see what happens in the towns, the villages, the neighborhoods of Luxembourg. Many things that happen on a local basis, if they make it to the news at all, they don’t stay there very long. And just after a while you wonder: Has this issue been resolved? On Local Matters on tour, we will see what’s new in the neighborhoods, what has been happening and occupying the minds of the locals. But also what in general characterizes the village, the neighborhood and its residents. And what has been going on there for the past decade.

For our first episode starting now, I went to Differdange. Last week, the Green party invited the press to talk about the old hospital building in Rue de l’hopital – to talk about the accommodation of refugees. The old hospital is located at the west end of the main town, next to the hill Thillenberg. A residential area close to the forest that covers this hill and the others around. The neighborhood has two main points of interest: the old hospital and the Thillenberg stadium at the end of the road. Tomorrow, we have a closer look at the stadium, you will see why – but today we follow the Greens to the old hospital.

Next to the main hospital building, a smaller side building accommodates refugees. It was meant to be a temporary shelter for refugees – in use since the start of the previous refugee crisis in 2015. The building hosts around 80 asylum seekers, many of them are here with their families – their children. Maxime Pantaleoni is among the Green party members who called the press here. He says: “People who live in the building told us that the conditions are very bad. A mother with kids told us that the heating is not working properly, there is no hot water, there are scars in the walls, and pigeons and insects run around.”

The cracks in the building walls are visible from the outside. It is known that the accommodation doesn’t meet the standards. For the local deputies of the Green party, the asylum seekers should be relocated as soon as possible. The issue has been discussed in the alderman college of Differdange. But so far, no adequate solution as to where to relocate the families to – has been found. For Maxime Pantaleoni and the Green party, the solution lies on the problem’s doorstep, and just needs to be grabbed – the building of the former Thillenberg hospital – the Spidol. “We’re here today because the one part of the building of the old Spidol was completely refurbished in 2021. So we see one building for refugees that is very old and in a bad shape, and 50 metres further we have a building that was completely renovated and is in a good shape.”

The building that Maxime is talking about is right next to the current accomodation. A large building surrounded by a small park garden. It was a convent until the late 18th century. In 1929, it got a new purpose and became a hospital. The residents still continue to call the building “Maternité” after the maternity wing the hospital got in 1960. In the early eighties however, the building got a new purpose again and became a home for more than 80 seniors. The service Servior however in 2022 moved to another building. Since then, the large Residence has been empty.

Now, according to the munipality’s plans, the building ist meant to become a new school campus. Differdange needs a new school. And the project has just recently been approved by the college of aldermen. Before construction works start however, the building will be empty for at least two years, Maxime from the Green party says – while the engineers study the structure to adapt the building to the needs of a school. Move into the previous old folks home next door – stay there until the small building is renovated – move back. That’s the idea of the Green party.

The political majority in Differdange however has other plans. The commune acquired the building from the state two years ago – since then they are responsible for the shape of the building. The municipality recently ordered an external heating system to install it at the existing refugee shelter. Meanwhile the search for a more permanent building together with the National Reception Office ONA goes on. The Differdange mayor Guy Altmeisch of the socialist workers party LSAP says: “We know that the heating doesn’t work well and sometimes breaks down. The heating system will solve these current problems with the heating. On a medium-term basis, we are also aware we need to address the sanitary conditions of the building which don’t meet current standards. That’s why we are looking for an adequate accommodation for these people.”

The situation is similar in Differdange’s second large refugee accommodation which used to be a cultural centre. With its large halls, it’s not built to house people. The mayor Guy Altmeisch emphasizes: “We are aware that the situation in both buildings isn’t good, we are searching for a new building together with the national reception office ONA. We aim to improve the living conditions by either building a new building or renovating an existing building. But we don’t want to be obliged to ask them to move more than once. The old hospital that the Green party proposes as a temporary accommodation is composed of single rooms without living room or kitchen. This isn’t good for the family live. Plus, we try to make them move only once. And every move is a huge change for a family. That’s why the commune is convinced that the families who already had very bad experiences when they fled their countries, we want to make the conditions for them as good as possible.”

That’s what the Differdange mayor Guy Altmeisch says. Heating yes, a new building – not for now. While the municipality keeps searching for that building, we will go on with Local Matters tomorrow. We stay in the Thillenberg area of Differdange and have a closer look at the Thillenberg stadium. If you want to find out, why we’re going to talk about it, and what the heck, tune in tomorrow morning at 9.40 for the next episode of Local Matters.