Hadern discusses: How begging gangs burden the neighborhood!

Hadern discusses: How begging gangs burden the neighborhood!

In Hadern, the concerns and fears of residents are at the top of the agenda. On October 26, 2025, a citizens' meeting led by Evelyne Menges (CSU) took place, at which around 280 citizens gathered to discuss the challenges affecting their district. A central issue was the presence of suspected begging gangs in the spa park settlement, which raised questions about safety and cleanliness. The police reported that homeless people were often staying on Kriegerheimstrasse and on Pfundmayerstrasse/Maenherstrasse/Senftenauerweg. In addition, residents expressed concerns about “mafia-like structures” and even suspected human trafficking in this context.

The meeting opened a field of discussions about the problems that residents experience in everyday life. Garbage issues, fire hazards and safety concerns for children were also hot topics. One suggestion to solve this problem was to fence off the bridge at Schröffelhofstrasse/Menaristrasse, a measure that was found to be effective in the past. All motions in this regard were approved with only one vote against. Matthias Schneller, the head of the police department, emphasized that serious solutions were not easy to find and that the police had already carried out around 60 checks in the area, with reports also being filed.

View of begging gangs and support systems

The phenomenon of begging gangs in Munich is also attracting national attention. Anja Sauer, the initiator of the Munich homeless aid program “Aktion Brücke”, recently gave information on how to identify the beggars. Many of them are actually members of begging gangs who use the donations collected for criminal purposes. These people often intrusively demand money instead of asking for food, which allows them to be differentiated from the homeless people who are actually in need and prefer quiet places. Sauer regularly looks after around 550 homeless people.Despite offers of help, the support from the population is often inadequate, according to the expert.

According to information from Diakonie Germany, many of these beggars live in extreme poverty. They often come from southern and southeastern Europe, such as Romania, and have no access to social benefits. Through conversations you can get an impression of the actual needs of these people. The situation becomes particularly critical when beggars act aggressively, as this causes discomfort among passers-by.

Offers of help and alternatives

This makes the question of how to help the homeless and beggars in the city all the more important. The recommendation is not to give money, but to ask what specific needs there are, such as warmth or food. Organizational structures behind begging gangs should also be taken into account, because many beggars are not allowed to keep their donations and are under strict control. However, there are also alternatives to silent help, such as warming or shower buses, which have been successful in Berlin for years. Structural help and the commitment of volunteers are essential to provide sustainable support.The residents in Munich are called upon to actively deal with these challenges.

At the same time, it is to be hoped that those responsible in the city and the police will continue to pull together to improve living conditions in Hadern and to listen to concerned citizens.

The city's next steps are crucial to finding a balance between security, order and the necessary human help.Citizens' representatives seem willing to take appropriate action.