Syrian family's life a dream gone sour

From the bright lights of Berlin to a grim former Nazi military barracks near the Czech border, one Syrian family's new life in Germany has been a rollercoaster of euphoria and despair.

Last week, fate reserved yet another nasty surprise for the Habashieh family, as they were shuttled with other refugees from the miserable army barracks to an even more-dismal refugee center in a town that made international headlines last month because of neo-Nazi riots against plans to house migrants there.

The Habashiehs arrived well after the protests, but residents have been quick to tell them how unlucky they are: Heidenau is one of Germany's most depressed and racist towns. In late August, more than 100 drunken rioters threw stones inside the shelter and blocked the road so buses packed with asylum seekers could not enter the compound. More than 20 police officers were injured by firecrackers and broken bottles thrown by neo-Nazis.