But Germany has changed: reeling from terrorist attacks carried out by Syrian and Afghan asylum seekers, its centre-Left government is stepping up border controls in a bid to slow down migration and appease the hard-Right, which is surging in the polls.

Germany reintroduced temporary border checks including at its frontiers with France and the Netherlands on Monday. It has toughened its stance on migration following a surge in arrivals and a rise in support for the opposition far-right and conservatives.