German woman becomes the second to be evicted from her home to make room for migrants - as the country begins printing its constitution in Arabic for refugees to learn 

  • Gabrielle Keller, 56, told to leave her home of 23 years by end of this year
  • She said: 'It's a scandal to throw tenants out. I can't see the sense of it'
  • Mayor says the alternative 'would have been to set up beds in the gym'
  • Germany is struggling to cope with influx of 800,000 refugees this year 

A German woman is being booted out of her home of 23 years to make room for migrants.

Gabrielle Keller is the second such case to emerge in the country as it struggles to cope with an expected influx of some 800,000 refugees this year.

The 56-year-old condemned the move, saying: 'I think it's a scandal to throw tenants out of their apartments. I can't see the sense of it.'

'It's a scandal': Gabriele Keller shows the termination notice issued by her local council telling her she must leave her home of 23 years to make way for migrants in the German town of Eschbach

'It's a scandal': Gabriele Keller shows the termination notice issued by her local council telling her she must leave her home of 23 years to make way for migrants in the German town of Eschbach

The local municipality has given Mrs Keller until the end of the year to leave her flat in the southern town of Eschbach.

Mario Schlafke, the town's mayor, says the authorities had no choice.

'The council hasn't taken a frivolous decision,' he told Welt newspaper, it was reported by The Daily Telegraph

'The alternative would have been to set up beds in the gym.'

Her case comes days after it emerged that a nurse was being evicted from her home of 16 years for the same reasons.

Bettina Halbey, 51, received a letter from her landlord telling her that her building was being turned into a refugee shelter.

She has until May to leave her flat in the western German town of Nieheim.

'I was completely taken aback,' Ms Halbey told Welt newspaper. 'I find it impossible to describe how the city has treated me.'

Jostling for a new life in Europe: Migrants crowd in a line as they wait for their registration at a refugee centre in Berlin. Germany is struggling to cope with an expected influx of some 800,000 refugees this year

Jostling for a new life in Europe: Migrants crowd in a line as they wait for their registration at a refugee centre in Berlin. Germany is struggling to cope with an expected influx of some 800,000 refugees this year

Yesterday, it was announced that Germany had translated the first 20 articles of the country's constitution outlining basic rights like freedom of speech into Arabic for refugees to help them integrate.

Germany's open-door policy to migrants has sparked clashes with some eastern EU member states, in particular Hungary.

It has also fuelled tensions domestically, with riots erupting between left and right-wing hardline groups and fights breaking out among migrant groups.

With up to 10,000 arrivals each day fuelling voters' worries, President Joachim Gauck, who has a non-political role, hit a nerve with a speech on Sunday, saying there is a limit to how many refugees Germany can absorb. 

Aside from the cost and practicalities of looking after so many people – almost one per cent of Germany's population – many voters are worried about how they will integrate into society.

Hundreds of migrants wait for their registration at central registration centre for refugees in Berlin

Hundreds of migrants wait for their registration at central registration centre for refugees in Berlin

Vice-Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel, also chairman of the centre-left Social Democrats (SPD), told Bild daily that refugees were welcome but that they have to make an effort to fit in.

'People who come here must not only learn the German language, but also learn the rules of the game of living together,' Gabriel told the newspaper.

'I am convinced that the first 20 articles of our constitution are what shape our culture,' he said, adding Germany had printed 10,000 copies for distribution among refugees at registration centres.

Germany's 'Basic Law' was adopted in 1949 and sets out the principles which underpin the legal system and the division of power between central government and 16 regional states.

'No one is forced, when he comes to Germany, to change his religion, to alter his private life. But what is important for our culture is that the principles of our democratic society apply to everyone,' Gabriel added.

Refugees had to accept principles such as the division of church and state, equal rights for men and women, the right to be homosexual and freedom of expression, he said. 

He also pointed out that anti-Semitism is not tolerated in Germany.

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.

Who is this week's top commenter? Find out now