Man Rents Apartments to Ukrainian Refugees

Why this is here: Simmerer accompanied a refugee father to numerous appointments, noting the man was overwhelmed by paperwork he couldn’t understand—even as a former administrative professional, Simmerer found the forms confusing.

Rainer Simmerer, in Germany, began renting a vacant apartment to Ukrainian refugees roughly three and a half years ago. He and his wife initially offered the space—formerly occupied by their children—after feeling it was unfair to leave it empty while others needed homes. Simmerer assisted the first tenant, a man named Mischa, with navigating German bureaucracy and securing employment.

Simmerer personally drove Mischa to various businesses, ultimately finding him a position as a locksmith. The two men developed a close friendship, with Mischa viewing Simmerer as a father figure and his children seeing him as a grandfather. Simmerer’s own family history as a descendant of those displaced from Czechoslovakia shaped his desire to help newcomers.

His wife recently passed away after a long illness, and Simmerer has since moved. Mischa’s family now occupies the apartment, and another Ukrainian family of five has moved into the space above. Simmerer intends to continue offering support to both families as needed, finding personal fulfillment in the process.