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By rail, on foot: Weary migrants arrive in Germany

Tens of thousands of migrants arrived in Germany to the one thing they wanted most: a warm welcome
Germany welcomes Syrian migrants 02:17

All weekend, tens of thousands of migrants arrived in Germany to the one thing they wanted most, a warm welcome and the promise of a new life.

Racing for trains in Hungary and Austria, many had already walked hundreds of miles collapsing with exhaustion after weeks sleeping where ever they could, reports CBS News' Charlie D'Agata in Munich.

On board a train from Vienna, we recognized someone we knew, 16-year-old Jawan Kamal from Aleppo, Syria. CBS News first met him on the Greek island of Lesbos, just after he had survived the dangerous crossing from Turkey.

"I'm so happy like, I'm safe right now," he said.

On Monday, Jawan told CBS News the physical hardships weren't nearly as bad as the heartache.

"It was so hard. Because you're leaving home, you're leaving your family, all your memories behind," he said.

But having finally arrived in Germany he had reason to hope. And Jawan is excited.

"New life, new memories, new friends. Start all over again," he said.

But first he was registered at a convention center on the outskirts of the city.

German officials showed CBS News where the migrants are given a bed for a night or two, before they travel to other parts of Germany to settle.

Jawan considers what a normal life means to him.

"Normal life, well, you have a home, go to school, come back, see your mom. Come back with like your mom cooking, yelling at you," he said laughing.

He also considers if he will have that again.

Europe opens its doors to thousands of migrants 02:37

"I hope so," he said.

Germany has agreed to spend almost $7 billion to support the migrants, on things like housing and courses to help them learn German. According to police estimates, more than 30,000 migrants have arrived in Germany in the past week alone.

CBS News' Mark Phillips reports from London how Germany is going to handle the crush of refugees arriving, as 17,000 arrived in Germany this weekend.

European leaders offer asylum to Syrian refugees 01:44

Even as some Western European leaders were pledging to accept thousands of Syrian refugees into their countries, more were pushing on Europe's eastern borders. And again, the scenes were turning ugly.

British Prime Minister David Cameron promised to take in 20,000 refugees over the next 4.5 years

"This country is a country of extraordinary compassion," he said.

But the compassion would not extend to those already in Europe, only those who have fled to refugee camps surrounding Syria will be welcome.

President Francois Hollande said France will take 24,000 over the next two years.

Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel's government said it may have to handle as many a 800,000 this year.

Yet, whatever numbers European leaders are now promising to take in, they don't add up. They barely make a dent in the numbers of refugees who have already flooded into Europe, let alone those who will now be encouraged to try to come.

The Syrian Civil War has displaced more than 4 million people, most of them stuck in the border camps. No one knows how many will continue to try to get to Europe or elsewhere, and there is no agreement on quotas on where they will be allowed to go.

Only one thing is sure, the flow of misery is not slowing down.

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