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          Bayern Munich support refugees with €1m for projects and training camp

          • Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondentSep 3, 2015, 01:29 PM

          Bayern Munich have become the latest Bundesliga club to welcome refugees to Germany amid the ongoing crisis in Europe.

          On Thursday, the German champions announced that they will offer refugees arriving or already in Germany "financial, material and practical help."

          Over the next few weeks Bayern will have "training camps" for refugees, also offering free food as well as German courses and football kits.

          The club will also put €1 million towards refugee projects -- chosen by the city government as well as the Bavarian interior minister -- with the funds generated from a friendly match.

          On top of that, Bayern players will be accompanied by a German child on one hand and a young refugee on the other when they take to the pitch for their next home game against Augsburg on Sept. 12 "to set a sign for the integration of refugees."

          Earlier this week, several trains from Hungary carrying mostly Syrian refugees arrived at Munich's central station where they were welcomed by an unprecedented wave of helpfulness by the citizens of the Bavarian capital.

          Bayern follow in the footsteps of several other German clubs and fan groups who have extended a warm welcome to refugees amid severe tension in Germany over the treatment of those forced to leave their countries and seek asylum.

          Nearly 340 refugee homes have been attacked in 2015, and outbursts of violence in the city of Heidenau, Saxony, in late August led to German politicians addressing the crisis.

          Last week several fan groups from Bundesliga clubs displayed "Refugees welcome" banners on the stands of the stadiums.

          Most German clubs have in the past year invited refugees to their games, or offered material help.

          The German national team this week released a video featuring Jerome Boateng, Ilkay Gundogan, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Mesut Ozil and Toni Kroos standing up against "violence and xenophobia."

          Schalke started the "Stand up if you're human" campaign with the help of former Germany international Gerald Asamoah. "We attack people who have nothing, who are looking for help. Just sit down, and question yourself, 'why do we do stuff like that?'" he said in the clip.

          Hamburg goalkeeper Rene Adler and defender Lasse Sobiech of local rivals St. Pauli this week spent a night in a refugee tent on the rooftop of a hotel in Hamburg's city centre to "bring back a bit of normality into their lives."

          Last month, Welcome United -- Germany's first team to feature only refugees, set up with the help of fourth-tier club Babelsberg and its fans -- entered the country's league system.

          In January, Borussia Dortmund fanzine schwatzgelb.de organised the "Refugees Welcome Cup" for 40 unaccompanied minors.