Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Mayor fights against refugee overload!

Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Mayor fights against refugee overload!

Things are simmering enormously in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Mayor Elisabeth Koch sees the municipality as being overwhelmed by accepting refugees and has therefore filed a lawsuit against the Free State of Bavaria. Today, December 5, 2025, the hearing was held in the Bavarian Administrative Court in Munich, but the result was disappointing. Judge Elisabeth Zollner-Niedt declared the lawsuit inadmissible because there was no existing standard or legislation to support it. However, Koch, who had written the lawsuit herself, emphasized that the issue was of great importance for the community and withdrew the lawsuit.

The situation in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is tense. There are currently 402 refugees living there, 874 people from Ukraine and 41 false residents. At the time of the lawsuit, the accommodation compliance rate was over 130%, while it has now fallen to 106%. Despite this quota, which in itself would not be a problem in another municipality, the judge was unable to do anything with the numbers. For them, the fulfillment rate had no legal significance for the lawsuit. The hearing ended after just half an hour without clear answers to important questions about child care and the municipality's right to self-government. The discontent over the distribution of refugees is not only felt in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. The municipalities in Oberallgäu are also resisting the unequal burden.

Overwhelmed by refugee numbers

Elisabeth Koch, lawyer and former lawyer, had intensively studied the lawsuit in her free time. The document comprises an impressive 135 pages and was supported by the market town council with only one dissenting vote. The mayor speaks of a violation of the Basic Law because the municipality's right to self-government has been violated. “We have taken in more asylum seekers and refugees than most other municipalities in the district,” said Koch. At the same time, the financial burden is enormous: the community has expenses for accommodating and caring for refugees that are almost a quarter higher than before.

The problems with integration cannot be overlooked either. There are long waiting lists for kindergartens and crèches in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Although the municipality has made efforts to create four new childcare groups in the last two years, it is suffering from an acute shortage of staff. Appeals to other municipalities for support have so far been unsuccessful. The spokesman for the district office, Stephan Scharf, confirmed receipt of the lawsuit and stated that the district office adheres to applicable law.

Financial challenges and housing shortages

Another pressing problem is housing. Over 150 refugees are at risk of homelessness after a landlord canceled numerous apartments. The municipality is legally obliged to accommodate homeless families. These increasing challenges are also raising national warnings. The German Association of Cities and Municipalities had already warned twice about the overburdening of municipalities due to the influx of refugees, particularly from Ukraine. Current surveys show that although fewer municipalities are in “emergency mode” – only 11% – 70% of municipalities are suffering from the challenges of integrating and accommodating refugees.

The situation is therefore more than tense, and the municipality of Garmisch-Partenkirchen is an example of many municipalities in Germany that are still having difficulty accepting refugees. The burden is high and the support from the country is disappointing. Whether and how the situation will ease remains to be seen. One could say that the discussion about the integration of refugees will probably remain hot for some time.

For more information on the legal aspects and the living situation, those interested can visit the following links: Bavarian state newspaper, Kommunal.de, DW.