Spokesperson for homeless: half a million Germans live on streets

In Germany, population 80 million, homeless people begging, doing odd jobs or passing the time are a common sight on city streets.

"The tally of the homeless may have fallen 19 per cent to about 550,000, but there is no reason to sound the all-clear," said Werena Rosenke of the German association of aid groups for the homeless in an interview with Deutsche Presse-Agentur dpa.

The Bielefeld-based group believed at least 11 men and women froze to death last winter because they had no home to go to. She said the country's hostels for the homeless had enough beds so that no one had to sleep rough, but were not a practical option for many homeless people.

"Many are scared, quite rightly, that their things will be stolen in a hostel, or cannot gain admittance because for example they bring dogs with them," she said, quoting homeless folk. Rosenke said the situation was worst for the 100,00 women who had no home of their own.

"Most of them manage to find a bed with relations or friends, but at least 5,000 women live on the streets," she said. Many such women had already been victims of violence in the past and were often afraid to stay in hostels for the homeless because they feared sexual molestation by the male inmates.

"Accommodation for such women is still very scarce indeed," she said.

(la/dpa)