Austria and Germany open doors

Refugees walk across border from Hungary and are transported to reception centers

Austria and Germany threw open their borders on Saturday to thousands of exhausted migrants from the east, bused to the frontier by a right-wing Hungarian government that had tried to stop them, but was overwhelmed by the sheer numbers of people.

Left to walk the final stretch into Austria, rain-soaked migrants - many of them refugees from Syria's civil war - were whisked by train and shuttle bus, first to Vienna and then by train to Munich and other cities in Germany.

The last train carrying an estimated 1,000 refugees pulled into Munich from Austria at 1:30 am on Sunday, bringing the total to have arrived in the Bavarian capital since Saturday to about 8,000.

Police immediately ushered the arrivals onto another train bound for Dortmund on the opposite platform, cordoned off from onlookers in the main station terminal.

Some who wanted to stay in Munich initially refused to get on the second train, which eventually set off with all the passengers about an hour later.

Most of those who arrived on Saturday were bussed to reception centers in and around Munich after being medically screened, fed and offered fresh clothing. Many said they were from Syria, while others were from Afghanistan or Iraq.

They seemed dazed by the calls of "welcome to Munich" from the few dozen well-wishers remaining at around midnight, as well as by their determination to thrust chocolate bars, bananas or bread rolls into their hands.

A similar total is expected to arrive in Munich later on Sunday.

"I'm very glad to be in Germany. I hope that I find here a much better life. I want to work," said Homam Shehade, a 37-year-old Syrian shopkeeper who spent 25 days on the road. He left behind his parents, a brother, wife, a 7-year-old boy and a 2-year-old girl. He hopes to bring them all to Germany. Until then, he said: "I hope that God protects them from the planes and bombs. My shop was bombed and my house was bombed."

Munich police said Arabic-speaking interpreters were helping refugees with procedures at emergency registration centers. The seemingly efficient Austrian and German reception contrasted with the disorder prevalent in Hungary.

Reuters - AP

(China Daily 09/07/2015 page12)